Our best friend Cheese has been with us from the very beginning! By looking back through the history of cheese, it’s becoming more apparent that its discovery may just have been one of the reasons we’ve been able to survive so well as a species.
I know what you’re thinking “this never oc-curd to me!” I was right there with you when I came across the video we’re featuring in this article. But it turns out that we may have never survived to be where we are today without the nutrients we began to get from cheese at least 7000 years ago. 1
Seriously, we’d be muensters if we didn’t share this piece with you. It’s unbrielievable.
Our Long Love of Cheese
So, just how long have us humans been obsessed with cheese? Animals like cows, goats, and sheep have been domesticated for over 10,000 years, and we have evidence of cheese making dating back at least 7,000 in Poland. Our cheese making could go back even further though! 2
Studies have found that humans were milking their livestock 8,500 years back, but most people during that time were unable to digest milk past childhood. So, why milk your livestock if you can’t use the milk? Some scientists, believe that this milk could have been used for early cheese making, given that fermentation—like the process that happens in cheese making—reduces the amount of lactose in milk. 3
So whether cheese has been with us for 8,500 years or 7,000 years it really has become a staple. Some estimate there to be over 1,800 different types of cheese made all around the world. They range in milk type, country or region of origin, age, texture, preparation, and of course flavor. 4 From your cottage cheese to your aged parmesan cheese cultures around the globe each have their staples.
So, what did the process of discovering cheese look like? And how on earth could cheese have helped humanity survive and thrive?
Luckily for us, this absolutely adorable video from TED-Ed is here to help us do just that.
So grab yourself a cheese board and settle in to learn the story of how this nutrient-dense treat has been with us through it all.
Riccota be kidding me, right? I don’t know about you, but this video has made me even more passionate about this beautiful food.
If you want to explore more amazing, entertaining, and always insightful videos like this, go check out TED-Ed’s YouTube channel for more!
Looking at our history in a new way…
One of the (many) reasons this is such a great piece from TED-Ed is that we’ve been given a different perspective on the history of humanity. A timeline that spans thousands of years has been pieced together through remnants of cheese. And through it, we’re able to draw similarities between the humans that existed way before societies as we’ve known them were even a blip on the horizon of our history.
Every time you eat cheese, that’s a connection to the hundreds of millions of people that came before you. Bring that up at your next get together around a cheese plate and you’re sure to blow someone’s mind. And maybe even make a new friend over your love of this dairy delicacy.
If you want to explore a little more food history, here are some of our favorite articles to dig into next:
A New Era for Tortillas: Masienda’s Pioneering Approach to Tradition and Taste
If you want to have a really, really good tortilla, you’re going to need the best corn. Masienda is a company not only supporting Mexico’s small heirloom corn farmers but bringing the practices that enhance the nutritional powers of the grain back into the market.
Read Article Watch Video Listen to PodcastDiscover the Weird and Wonderful World of Cheese!
Is cheese the great unifying force? Travel the world of this dairy delight with us and you may find your answer! Whether from donkeys in Serbia or with maggots in Italy, cheese around the globe is as diverse and exciting as the cultures it has sustained for generations!
Read Article Watch Video Listen to PodcastThe Bread as Unique as the Place You Make It
There is a revival happening. And it’s coming in the form of something we all love: bread! Sourdough has been a connection to the bread ovens of our ancestors for more than 5000 years, and now you can travel the kitchens of the world from a unique library in Belgium!
Read Article Watch Video Listen to PodcastHow Cecilia Chiang Changed Food in America
If you’ve ever enjoyed Chinese food in the United States, like potstickers and Peking duck, then we’d like to introduce you to Cecilia Chiang. She’s the “Julia Child” of Chinese cuisine, and the story of how she changed the way Americans eat is as remarkable as her influence!
Read Article Watch Video Listen to PodcastIn the meantime, stay open to new possibili-cheese!
- Sam
“No problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created it.”—Albert Einstein
This article originally published on February 11, 2019.
Don’t miss out on a single article!
Enjoy unlimited access to over 500 articles & podcast that give you a positive perspective on the state of the world and show you practical ways you can help.
Notes:
- Stromberg, Joseph. “New Discovery of 7000-Year-Old Cheese Puts Your Trader Joe’s Aged Gouda to Shame.” Smithsonian.com, Smithsonian Institution, 12 Dec. 2012, www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/new-discovery-of-7000-year-old-cheese-puts-your-trader-joes-aged-gouda-to-shame-159138568/. Accessed 7 Feb. 2019. ↩
- Wei-Haas, Maya. “Hints of 7,200-Year-Old Cheese Create a Scientific Stink.” Science, 5 Sept. 2018, www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/news-7200-year-old-cheese-ancient-food-chemistry. Accessed 2 Apr. 2024. ↩
- Wei-Haas, Maya. “Hints of 7,200-Year-Old Cheese Create a Scientific Stink.” Science, 5 Sept. 2018, www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/news-7200-year-old-cheese-ancient-food-chemistry. Accessed 2 Apr. 2024. ↩
- Wisconsin Cheese Staff. “Different Types of Cheese | Wisconsin Cheese.” Wisconsin Cheese, 2 July 2021, www.wisconsincheese.com/about-cheese/different-types-of-cheese#:~:text=What%20are%20the%20different%20types,of%20cheese%20in%20the%20world. Accessed 2 Apr. 2024. ↩
