The truth and the myths about fat in cheese
Zoe Harcombe a health expert and nutritionist, has written this week in the Daily Mail an appeal to re-instate well made fresh foods that contain higher fat levels into our diet. We couldnt agree more and will forever sing the praises of how important cheese is as a dietry component and a superb source of many vitamins and minerals.
Here are a few basic myths about fat content in quality cheese:
Yes cheese does contain fat, but perhaps not as much as you think. In a recent survey by the Bristish Cheese Board, 36% of consumers thought that cheese has more than 50% fat. Wrong! Most Cheddar cheese actually contains about 34% fat and the rest made up of water and proteins. A 30 gram serving of Cheddar only contains 125 calories.
However, and we feel this is the really important bit: apart from the fat, cheese is a nutrient dense food also delivering key nutrients such as calcium, protein and vitamins A, D and B12. Slimline self-confessed cheese lovers include Vernon Kay, Helena Christensen and Denise Van Outen. Helena Christensen even refers to it as 'incredibly sensual.'
So let's put it into perspective: we require a certain amount of fat in our diet and its better to get that from a food source that is also so beneficial in other ways. Also cheese is an 'honest' source that can be trusted: it's not loaded with extra sugars or other unwanted, man-made nasties.
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justinfloyd on Wed March 27, 2013, 15:22:47
LOUGHRAN: Spyware that reveals who you are, where you are <Nation>(Kenya)]GERRY LOUGHRAN -1Al Bawaba Ltd.A Steven Spielberg sci-fi movie a few years ago, "Minority Report," told of a pre-crime police unit where the cops know a person is about to commit a murder. Their information is supplied by mutated humans with precognitive abilities, sort of second sight to you and me.That was supposedly 2054. Now it is 2013 and already such a scenario but a more realistic one is coming into view. A British paper recently declared, "Big Brother spyware can predict future crime".Experts say software has been invented which can track an individual's behaviour by mining vast amounts of information from social media websites such as Facebook and Twitter.A detailed picture is built up about the person's life, interests and habits, including information about his friends and contacts, movements and locations, and this can be used to predict where the individual might be in future and with whom.Nick Pickles of Big Brother Watch said, "People have been sharing large amounts of information on social networks without knowing the consequences. Now companies are looking at how to join the dots."The software programme in question is named Riot (Rapid Information Overlay Technology) and has been created by Raytheon, a US-based group, which is the world's fifth largest defence contractor.A spokesman said the software had not yet been sold to any companies but had been shared with the American government as part of research to build a national security system.The development has caused alarm among human rights campaigners who described it as "the greatest challenge to civil liberties and digital freedom of our age".Taking information from public websites for law enforcement purposes is considered legal in most countries but campaigners are now demanding regulation of such activities.Using cybernetic information in commercial marketing is already taking over from surveys, opinion polls and focus groups. They call it neuromarketing, or "brain whispering," in which pleasure responses are tracked in the brain and information stored for future use.This is the scene favoured by sci-fi writers: A man stops and looks into a shop window and immediately the store computer, identifying him from his irises, calls softly, "Good morning, Mr Smith. Have you come for another slim-fit shirt? We know you are fond of this particular range and we have received new deliveries since you were here last, all in your size and favoured colour"The "precogs" of Spielberg's movie did not bother me too much, they seemed pretty far-fetched, but the idea of somebody scouring Facebook and Twitter for personal information about us is distinctly scary.* * *Inspectors checked standards of care for old people in 50 UK hospitals and found 17 deficient. Call bells were left unanswered, help was lacking at meal times and for toilet visits, privacy was not always provided for washing and dressing and too often nurses talked to each other as if the old person was not there.In terms of privacy and dignity, the situation had worsened since 2011, said the Care Quality Commission.A spokesperson for pensioners, Dot Gibson, said, "This is tantamount to institutionalised abuse. Where else in our society would we tolerate such neglect without a huge public outcry?" Care minister Norman Lamb said he expected swift action to be taken against offenders.* * *An airline reservations agent based in Washington DC reported conversations he had in his job with US legislators and their aides: A Congresswoman asked for an aisle seat so her hair would not get messed up by being near the window. A Congressman's staffer asked for information about flights to Cape Town. The agent started explaining about passport information but the staffer interrupted, "I'm not trying to make you look stupid, but Cape Town is in Massachusetts." The agent explained, "Cape Cod is in Massachusetts, Cape Town is in South Africa." Response: Click. A senator called and said, "I have to fly to Pepsi-Cola, Florida. Do I have to get one of those little computer planes?" The agent asked, "Do you mean a commuter plane to Pensacola, Florida?" She said, "Yeah, whatever, smarty!" A Congresswoman asked how her flight could possibly leave Detroit at 8.30 and get to Chicago at 8.33. The agent explained that Detroit was an hour ahead of Chicago, but she could not understand the concept of time zones. Finally, the agent said the plane went very fast and she bought that. A senator asked about documents needed to fly to China and the agent said she needed a visa. "Oh, no I don't," the senator said. "I've been to China four times and they have always accepted my American Express."* * *A married couple were asleep when the phone rang. The husband listened for a moment then said, "How the heck should I know? I'm not the weatherman," and hung up. "Who was that?" the wife asked. "No idea," said the husband, "some fellow wanting to know if the coast is clear."Gerryo69@hotmail.com
russellsmith on Tue March 26, 2013, 11:04:38
ST. THOMAS - Jimmy Buffett has a long, colorful history with the Virgin Islands, but Friday he started a new chapter by officially launching the first Margaritaville timeshare resort. Buffett and Wyndham Vacation Ownership President and Chief Executive Officer Franz Hanning officially unveiled the first rendering of the new resort to a small crowd of St. Thomas government officials and members of the business community. Buffett is partnering with Wyndham to open the 262-unit resort, located at the former Renaissance Grand Beach Resort in Smith Bay on St. Thomas. The hotel property has been abandoned for years, and Wyndham plans to invest $90 million to transform it into the flagship Margaritaville Vacation Club by Wyndham property.Friday's reception took place at Penga, the Point Pleasant Resort restaurant that overlooks the site of the new Margaritaville resort. Kicking off his flip-flops, Buffett picked up his guitar and sang three songs - "Boat Drinks," which he said was inspired by a trip to St. Thomas; "Volcano"; and, of course, "Margaritaville" - to the small crowd as the sun began to set over Water Bay.Buffett came to St. Thomas on his first sailboat in 1972, a boat he bought with the money he made from his first album. He lived on his boat at the old Sheraton Marina off and on for about a year, playing gigs in the area and making friends. Mafolie Hotel was a favorite hang out, he said, and he fondly remembers Maureen O'Hara waiting on the dock for her seaplane pilot husband, Charlie Blair Jr., to return. "It was like a movie set," he told The Daily News on Friday.When the opportunity to bring his Margaritaville brand to the Virgin Islands arose, Buffet said, he jumped at the chance, seeing it as a perfect fit. "I wrote a lot of songs down here," he said. Buffett first started the Margaritaville brand in the 1980s in Key West, when he opened a T-shirt shop, and a few years later a bar and restaurant. Those enterprises have since grown to 16 restaurants in the United States, with two more opening soon; a hotel in Pensacola, Fla., and one on the way in Louisiana; casinos in Biloxi and Las Vegas and two opening soon in Atlantic City and Louisiana; and six Caribbean bars and restaurants in Jamaica, Grand Cayman, Turks and Caicos and San Juan.Buffett said the brand is about a lifestyle, and a way to connect with his fans - also known as "parrot heads.""We sell escapism," he said. "They've been escaping through our music for so long, this is a real place on the beach, Margaritaville. It's about appealing to the people who've been fans for so long."Buffett said he plans to buy the first four timeshare units at the resort so his musicians and crew can rotate through. Music will be a big part of the resort, with live acts playing regularly - maybe even Buffett himself.Buffett currently lives on St. Barths and pilots his own seaplane, which he said would be very easy to land in Water Bay. "You never know when I'm going to show up," Buffett said, referring to the future resort. Construction on the resort will begin in July. The first phase - which includes the main administration buildings, restaurant, common areas and the units by the pool - will take about 18 months to complete.Phase two will include hillside units, which will not be started until the units renovated in phase one are sold.Rather than a traditional timeshare system, in which owners have a deed for a set number of weeks per year for a specific unit, owners can purchase points, which can be used at any of the Wyndham's timeshare properties. Wyndham formerly managed the Sugar Bay Resort and Spa, but the company pulled out of that property when their management contract expired in July 2011.The former Renaissance has changed hands multiple times in the last decade and has been completely shuttered since 2004.Wyndham St. Thomas Development LLC bought the property in 2007 for $31 million.Wyndham's original plan to renovate the hotel was sidelined by the recession in 2008, which Hanning said was a blessing in disguise as the delay led to the partnership with Buffett. "It was just fate," Hanning said.Hanning said that although some of Buffett's Margaritaville properties have casinos, a casino never was part of the concept for the St. Thomas resort. He said the property will be family-friendly and cater to the laid-back traveler."A good time will be had by all," he promised. - Contact reporter Aldeth Lewin at 714-9111 or email alewin@dailynews.vi.
justinfloyd on Sun March 24, 2013, 12:58:14
Goldman Sachs pegs Hanesbrands as a top pickThe Associated PressNEW YORK -- A Goldman Sachs analyst on Friday pegged Hanesbrands Inc. as one of his top picks in the sector, pointing to the underwear maker's strong finances and well-known brands.THE OPINION: Taposh Bari initiated coverage of Hanesbrands with a "Buy" rating and $50 price target."We appreciate Hanesbrands for what it is _ a mature portfolio of national brands with low fashion risk and staple-like qualities," Bari wrote in a note to investors.Bari said Hanesbrands offers a balanced focus on branding, product innovation and supply chain investments. He said that the company's brands are poised to at least retain their top market share spot and continue to generate strong cash flow.The analyst added that in the years since its 2006 spinoff from Sara Lee, Hanesbrands has managed to improve its finances and ride out both the Great Recession and 2010's cotton inflation. With those challenges behind it, the company is now poised to reduce debt and start putting cash toward dividends, stock buybacks and acquisitions, he said.THE SHARES: Up 61 cents to $42.64 in afternoon trading, after hitting an all-time high of $44.53 earlier in the session. Over the past year Hanesbrands shares have risen 44 percent.
briancharlesgra on Thu January 10, 2013, 20:18:08
geoff metcalfe on Wed May 16, 2012, 14:54:56
Thank goodness it is doing me good, as all types of cheese are one of my favourite foods, especially with crusty new bread! As always its everything in moderation and only occasionally go mad!
John Smith on Sun July 19, 2009, 00:08:56
It's simple really, just eat a balanced diet.
When you do have a treat every once in a while, eat less but eat the best. So go for small amounts of the most expensive tastiest cheeses or chocolate etc.
Celebrities and Cheese on Sat May 16, 2009, 11:22:49
A good point well made. Cheese is fat + goodness. Chocolate, crisps etc are fat and badness. I know where I'm going for my treat.
Rosemary Potter on Thu April 30, 2009, 18:53:36
I have always disliked meat so I have always looked to cheese as a good source of protein. I was always led to believe that cheese is good for one's teeth as well. I am 50 now and am one of those lucky people who has never needed a filling or anything done to my teeth,apart from having an impacted wisdom tooth removed.
I agree with Filipe (above) in that you should be choosy about your fat intake..
Mary on Thu April 23, 2009, 17:46:03
Love your current spread, latest articles and the reassuring news that artisan cheese has only 34 % fat...
Filipe Gill-Pedro on Thu April 23, 2009, 14:24:51
Right on, Big Cheese!
Moreover, be choosy about the fat you intake. Forget all those crisps, chocolate bars and donuts. Eat good, artisan cheese, preferably with some good red wine.
Keep up the good work.
A Portuguese fan.
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