After a shocking start to the season, everyone was determined to be better prepared and put in a better show in the 3rd league game of the season away to Churt. There can be a misconception that the 1st team don't bother turning up to practise because they think they don't need it, but in truth its been the same for a few years that many who reside in the team do not work or indeed live anywhere near Woking and this says something about the club that these players still continue to ply their trade at Woking and Horsell because of the special attraction that it holds to them and many others throughout the club. But after the first two performances there was no doubt that everyone needed to make a special effort to get some practise in the week and get to the ground early on Saturday.
The fact that the discussions on email on Friday around what preparations and arrangements were needed for Saturday’s first league game lasted almost 3 times as long as our innings did, said a lot that you need to know about the confusion and excitement of our return to Div 3 and the ineptness of our batting display.
The day started reasonably well as duties were carried out with time to spare and debutant skipper Woodsy won the toss and elected to bowl first on a wicket which had been rather freshened up by the overnight storm. In the opening exchanges Woking’s pair of Shazad and Henri caused many problems for the successful Addiscombe opening pair of Poulton and Hurrion, however, despite much playing and missing they only produced one wicket. The fielding was sharp, John and Liam provided much needed impetus and enthousiasm and Shazad was chasing about like I’ve never seen him before.
This year sees our 1st XI promoted into Division 3 of the Surrey Championship and as a result we now have the requirement of having an official non-playing scorer present for each match. If you are interested in assisting we would be grateful to hear from you. You will be entitled to an allowance of £15 per game scored, and would need to attend both home and away fixtures (transport from the club is provided).
"The meet time arrived and passed, the sightscreens were under repair, the away changing room door couldn’t be opened, numbers were falling off the scorebox, players were missing and the weather forecast was dodgy, yes another cricket season at W&H had well and truly arrived!!"
* cricket records taken from play-cricket 1998 onwards to start of 2010 but missing the 1999 season as Couch has stolen the scorebook because he didn’t get many wickets that year
One of the 1st XI’s longest servants despite only recently hitting 30. Often found hungover, yet keeping immaculately behind the stumps during the game or stood proudly naked bellowing out ‘Bob Te Lay Le’ in the bar after the game.
A very promising middle order batsman in the late 90’s became unable to hit a boundary for over 700 days in the early 00’s. Legend has it that he once hit the last ball against Streatham for six to win the game only for it to be given as four…..! Nowadays he stands strong in the face of adversity unless of course up against the Dulwich umpire in the showers.
Has a love-hate relationship with booze that is second to none and regular winner of the leagues poshest wicket keeper award.
Despite being regularly late for games, possessing the smelliest kit and having the eyesight of Mr Magoo his keeping is regularly brilliant and match winning catches/stumpings have become the norm over the years.
Morlers arrived at W&H in his prime at the turn of the century, but countless nights of strawpedos and snakey b soon sorted that out.
A crucial player in the clubs promotion year including an incredible 6 for 6 (sux for sux) against Chertsey, he rejuvenated himself in 2008 with a top ten placing in the league averages and his batting has saved many a perilous position. His slip fielding is second to none at our level, but no one who was there will ever forget the one he dropped at Beddington!
In 2002 he sought his own personal Olympic dream during Woking’s promotion campaign scoring 4 consecutive ducks in a runless period which lasted from May 26th till August 3rd, sadly he fell one duck short of the Olympic ring collection he craved.
Stalwart of the club, top wicket taker and finishes regularly in the top ten of the leagues bowling averages and widely recognized as the grumpiest left arm spinner in the Championship! The grumpiness spawned the nickname ‘The Honey Badger’ after the world’s most vicious animal.
One half creator of the life-threatening Hasslehof-Rhino drinking competition and even more famously once turned a ball past the outside edge in 2007. That ball aside his consistent bowling of darts earned him the likeness to Phil ‘The Power’ Taylor, whilst his batting can be comically effective especially when using the ‘best late cut in the league’. Famously inept at fielding off his own bowling, his cat flap has more loose hinges than our scorebox.
Rarely seen without a pint of snakey b in hand and purple lips post game, but in the words of the 2002 Simon Vicos classic adaptation of Bohemian Rhapsody – ‘Can anybody find a bird for Rhino please’.
Arrived at the club in 2008 and made an immediate impression as a loud mouthed, aggressive South African on the field and an enforcer off the field. Now in his 2nd year as captain Pogo has already had a great influence on the 1st team and the club in general. He has installed a missing professionalism to warm ups/preparation for the game and is working very hard with Billy to ensure that the talented youngsters that we have coming through are handled the correct way.
n the bar this is a big season for Ryan, his fines sessions are brilliant and many of his punishments/traditions have crossed the hemisphere well even if the recipient of a ‘Rumbler’ may disagree! However, unlike on the field he has a tendency to become Captain Oates around 10pm off it and even Jarrad has been heard to utter the phrase “Where’s Ryan gone?”
Back on the field and Pogo will be hoping to continue his form on the back of 2009 where his wickets, runs and aggressive captaincy so nearly led to a deserved promotion.
With the days of arriving (late) at the ground still dressed in dinner jacket from the night before long gone (?), Toby is now more likely to arrived armed with toy scooter, pram and a plethora of different size balls in the hope that he will be able to coach Lucas to be half as good a fielder as he is.
Can be a deceptively destructive batsman with his vicious straight drives, but ‘Just when you think he’s setting off, he hits it straight down deep mid-off’ and no longer can he confuse the opposition with he eagle grin and chat of ‘I’m batting sh*t today’ after playing and missing.
Captain for 3 seasons in the mid 00’s, he led by example in the field by taking some of the best catches you will ever see my friend. There is no one else you would rather have under a high ball. Nearly led us to promotion in 2006 and 2007, and even got his old school boys to keep us from relegation on the nerve-racking last day in 2008.
Post game Toby likes nothing more than a snakey b or a bottle of ‘carsul’ but remember he can’t down his drinks because his Nan couldn’t! And if he does try to down it the following outcome is likely….
The clubs first overseas player and 13 seasons on he is still here, which is probably the biggest endorsement the club has had.
Set the league alight in 1998, scoring a then league record 769 runs @ 70 and chipping with 23 wickets @ 16. Then the full reality of Woking and his new found friends (including snakey b) kicked in. The waistline expanded and his batting average was cut in half the following season!
Despite this we were delighted to have him back at the club in 2002 only to find out that ‘he said he’d play for Woking, but he’s telling lots of lies’ and he ended up playing back garden cricket in some leafy suburb.
Finally returning in 2003, he rekindled his love with snakey b and even took on the captaincy for 2 years. Has been an integral part ever since - oh apart from leaving the club again in 2007, burning his kit, vowing never to return, only to reappear in a new slim line version in 2009.
Still liable to win a game on his day with both bat and ball, but still yet to do a bbq in his time at the club.
When Tom’s international jet-setting playboy lifestyle allows him to play and his butler is available to drive him to games, we are privileged to witness the best cover drive in our league by the right handed David Gower. Tom has been arguably our most consistent batsman over the last few years and certainly one of the most stylish.
Away from the crease Pimms struggles with some of the fundamentals such as learning his team mates names, catching the ball with his hands rather than his head and pouring drinks during fines into common pint glasses rather than the 18 carat gold goblets he uses at home.
For years he has been begging for a chance to be given a bowl, but all chance of this was lost when he unveiled the story of how his form tutor had once written to his parents explaining how unhappy the school were with the application he had shown at improving his technique.
The return of the Ando this year to the club makes the absence of an overseas player in 2010 easier to burden. Whilst Hayden didn’t pile on the pounds that Quaggy did in his 2nd season he did follow his fellow countryman by suffering from the 2nd season blues and more importantly by snaring himself an English rose. Who will forget that night in August 2005 where he announced that he wanted to find himself a woman and turned to who else but M and Damo to help him out!!!
Another player who can win a game with either his batting or bowling on his day and another excellent fielder. Off the field it will be interesting to see how Ando copes with the drinking fines this year, who can honestly say they want to see him serving behind the bar in an Under 13 cricket top, but equally who can honestly say they don’t fancy a return to the days of Gin and Mulk!
Qais has possibly the fastest hands ever seen this side of the wild wild west. To truly understand how hard Qais has the ability to hit a ball you have to have batted with him and found yourself lying face first on the floor after the ball has grazed your inseam and rebounded off the side screen. An average just shy of 20 doesnt indicate the runs per balls that many a T20 player would pray for.
With a golden arm to boot and the reliability of this seasoned war horse Qais is a player who can single handedly turn a game with his bat, and just as easily with his arm. Tasked with keeping Shazad “pigeon” Hussein focused on games has proved a hurdle for Qais, but one we hope he will eventually scale.
This seemingly quiet Afrikaans speaking South African joined W&H in 2009. Jan is well known for grumbling incessantly about being unable to time the ball regardless of the potential dangers of standing near the Brewery road bus stop as he once again pounds the leather ball well over the boundary. After taking some time to settle his brazen war cry to the god of cricket of “steek hom peerie” has endeared him to all at W&H.
Massive potential and runs await Jan and we wait with baited breath for a batsman quiet capable of breaking all records laid out in front of him providing he can stop falling prey to the dreaded full toss.
Arrived at the club in 2007 claiming that he was once better than Ricky Ponting, then proceeded to look like he was batting with chop sticks in the warm up game. We soon realized that this was just rust and by mid season Jarrad had shown us that he was far better than Ricky Ponting…… at leg spin.
In 2008 we saw Jarrad at his true worth, top run scorer, 1st XI player of the year, fielding trophy and a match defining spell of 4 overs 0 for 41 against Churt.
Off the field Jarrad has become known as the Bully and is an important operator at fines, especially when it comes to taking phone calls. It doesn’t matter whether you want to be chatted up, abused or an extra player for the Sunday side, Jarrad is your man, so give one of the 1st team a call on a Saturday night between 8 and 10 and you will get a chance to speak to the guy once described as “no he was far too posh to be an Aussie”.
Shazad is lovingly referred to as the pigeon and for good reason. If anybody has ever watched a pigeon you will not miss the similarities with this gifted opening bowler. The slightest breeze has the ability to tear his concentration to shreds leaving a shell of a man who providing he does not trip in his run up will still by sheer instinct still bowl the unplayable ball. Shazad though maintains the ability to shred lower orders and is an integral part of the current W&H team.
Not known for his batting prowess, and definitely not his fielding either, Shazad has given us hours of pure simple amusement as he wonders down to “fine leg” 4 balls into an over not having the ability to count to six and just realizing he has water there.
Jerry finally got a deserved run of games in the 1s last year and played a couple of crucial innings during the unbeaten run at the back end of the season especially a match saving knock against Cranleigh.
A fitness fanatic, if not in the gym after the game Jerry endorses the well known W&H theory that re-fuelling is an important part of the game and without him several Woking takeaways on a Saturday evening would need to search for new business.
There were many promising signs for Henri last year as he broke into the top senior sides in only his first season. Not only his undoubted quick bowling talent, but a keen eye with the bat and also an ability to arrive with dirty whites or in need of food which has many of his peers in the 1st team envious.
Big things are hoped from the ‘Chosen One’ and he has not disappointed this year with a couple of match winning displays already.
Made his 1st XI debut at the age of 13, it would have been sooner but the fine for longest hair was still in operation before that and would have cost him a fortune in pocket money.
Talented all-rounder who one day soon will be winning 1st XI games with either bat or ball. Was given the added responsibility of being in charge of the overseas player in 2008 when it became clear that their time keeping (arriving in June) was appalling. A scheme which sadly has been halted after he failed to prevent Digby from getting too drunk at the Nationalities party.
Hustled into the 1st XI side at a young age during the tough 2004 season, Woodsy hasn’t quite established himself as a regular yet, but we all know he will in good time as he continues to improve as and all round cricketer year by year. He also continues to grow year by year and rumour has it that he will be returning to the club mid summer from uni at the grand height of 7 ft 2 inches.
Well known in the local area after he ran the fish and chip shop at the age of 14 and who can forget his alleged affair with Woking’s most famous gender changer Nadia. Scorer of a century in the 2s and taker of many 5 wicket hauls, his return from Uni is eagerly awaited.
Not in the 1st XI squad at the moment but knowing W&H’s availability records, they are only one bank holiday in May away from a game back in the 1s.
Producer of some of the clubs most legendary singalongs although strangely never liked to join in with this one. ‘I know a bloke whose name is Chippy…. He’s never scored a 1st XI fifty’. Now factually incorrect of course.
Do something for the club! Is there any role this man hasn’t done for the club? Sadly few remaining at the club will remember what a talented all round cricketer M was before a nasty shoulder injury put pay to his bowling back in the mid 90’s. Back then he was an integral part of the team, but since then he has been only a bit part player. However, during the 00’s when required he managed to save several middle order batting collapses and cause several middle shelf fridge collapses. The latter proving very expensive in the silk-shirt buying department. His excellent fielding was another bonus to the 1s whenever the call came.
Ok yes Couch we all know you have taken more wickets than that but the 1999 scorebook is missing where you took 869 wickets………
For years Charlie was the 1st XI’s top wicket taker. The Ashley Cook end of the ground was his. If you wanted to bowl at that end, then good luck to you. Indeed any balls you might find in the shrubbery over there are likely to have come from Charles inducing the batsmen to hit him for six. Its true he had all the tricks of the trade.
Since his catalogue of nasty leg injuries he has been reduced to bleating, shouting, irritating people, throwing cutlery around, and not going to the loo last. You may also have heard that he keeps our rather beautiful ground in great shape, especially when the blades on the mower are lowered.
In truth he could still be bowling for the 1s now were it not for his injuries such is his natural physique/futnuss levels cultured by years of keeping Marlboro and Becks in business (other brands are available). Although he has since given both of these up, the former after he set fire to a tree during a game at Ashford once.
More than partial to a ‘woo-woo’ he recently claimed that the Hasslehof Rhino challenge cost him his job, his house and his girlfriend, now there is a committed club servant!
willing servant of the club whether it be facing the new ball in the 1s, facing the Surrey Championship committees or fronting the clubs karaoke night. Never let anyone down in the 1s, his bowling deserved more success when he played and his fielding was always a bonus. Now about that Rusty Roof…….
Never sure if Deano actually believed that he was playing for the 1s as the phone calls he received must have been pretty bizarre. ‘Can you play this weekend as Giles has dislocated his shoulder whilst play mixed netball / play fighting with a girl whilst dressed as Scooby Doo etc…… But he proved himself as a like for like replacement motivating his team, keeping superbly and failing to hit many boundaries. Ever a man keen for a business venture Deano and family founded the W&H Crèche in the 00’s and are rumoured to be pocketing 20% profit of any soft drink/packet of crisps sold on a match day!
Quiet, shy, retiring Richard stabilized the top of the order to good effect when required, its just a shame that he never felt the need to encourage his team mates in the field or offer words of encouragement to the opposition batsmen…….
Now in charge of the future of the club in the 2nd XI, Roger not only has nearly 30 years on many of his team mates but also 30 times as many dance moves. The youth are in dangerous hands!
Every Saturday someone would have to load up the computer programme in Rosco’s memory bank, unfortunately sometimes someone would forget to do this or worse still load the wrong programme and Rosco would be found on buses circumnavigating the South circular or attempting to catch trains to Warrington instead of Wallington whilst he was supposed to be opening the batting/bowling.
When he did arrive to games his inability to ‘bowl at the stumps’ frustrated team mates and opposition alike (the opposition as they were unable to get bat on ball and wanted to be put out of their misery!) Another performer who could win a game with bat or ball on his day, would probably have won many more if he had been around at the start or end of the decade when the squad was stronger.
Off the field he was a regular performer in the bar wearing none other than his famous London Irish shirt. It became obvious to many when Rosco became drunk as for 5 minutes you would be sat there having not got a word in edgeways, wondering if the roof was leaking and trying to work out where the mosquito noise was coming from.
Another stalwart member who has sadly moved on, but keeps in touch. We hope one day he returns to play although given that he is the only person known to tell his wife that ‘he is going to see another woman’ rather than admit that he is coming down the club, it may be unlikely. Apparently hit THE Tyrone Henderson for four once to win a game, but doesn’t like to talk about it……..
Made his mark on the 1st XI when appearing as a sub fielder in 2007 against Ashford when the game was slipping out of our hands only for us to turn things around and become a lucky charm.
One of those guys who everyone liked (unless you were the sense of humour shy Valley End captain), he became a regular in the 1s towards the end of the decade, playing a part in many important partnership.
Currently embarking on his new job of teaching the Brazilian ladies how to play cricket…. It’s a tough life.
So committed to the W&H cause that he once snapped himself in half in the middle of a game. We hope that he will return in one piece, one day!
Started very promisingly by arriving 6 weeks before his predecessor, taking a few wickets, winding up Valley End’s prima donna and buying a bottle of champagne all within his 1st week. Despite enduring a tough middle period in the 2009 season he didn’t disappoint as he came good when it mattered with important wickets and runs in the promotion chase.
More importantly to the club, the amount of work and help he put in during his few months with us was greatly appreciated, whether it be behind the bar, helping Couch with the ground or coaching the colts. We shall hopefully reap the benefits of the latter for the next decade.
In the bar sadly he underperformed always turning down drinks, was incredibly shy when it came to talking to strangers and avoided any potential embarrassment (Private Digby and his impromptu pub crawl hair cut spring to mind). We hope he returns to our ranks soon.
It’s a close toss up for the record of the clubs worst ever overseas players between Smethurst and the guy who disappeared after one game. Smethurst probably sneaks it on the basis that the opposition players once castigated their own bowler for getting him out after a 50 ball innings of 4. “What did you do that for? They’re going to have someone who can bat come in now!”. Signed on the basis that he had played for South Africa Schools…. Which we later found out to mean, has played for a school in South Africa. He had all the stats, but most importantly, ‘Guys how did I look from side on’.
An Australian overseas working in a bar. Never?! Who knows what the ‘Bishop’ would have done had the pitches and the bowling been as fast as he craved?
Picture the scene at the Oval, you reach the top of the staircase and have to decide where to sit, do I go left or right. Thinking that ‘those guys look like fun?!’ he turned right and sat himself behind Walshy and Quaggy! From that moment W&H’s future was changed very much towards the land of the long white cloud.
That chance meeting in 1999 brought about the arrival of one of the clubs most gifted players and fiercest competitors. Another great endorsement for W&H being that Glenn arrived then with the intention of playing a ‘couple of games’ and stuck around for 6 seasons and still now his influence is very much here as he continues to encourage aspiring Kiwi cricketers to take a gap year in Woking to help steepen the learning curve of life!
To Glenn was no such thing as a losing cause, none more so demonstrated when we defended just 89 to gain promotion in 2001 with Glenn bowling 22 overs in a row despite his ‘dodgy knees’. His batting was a joy to watch aswell, adaptable to any cause and able to score at quick pace which had the opposition wilting. Shame he only hit one ton though, records show that he ‘bottled’ it in the 90s a few times.
Also Glenn will point out to you that the play cricket records are incorrect as every time he was out LBW (having typically walked around a straight one) he was never actually out.
Off the field he was the fiercest competitor too, whether it be the shot game, strawpedos or fancy dress competitions, Glenn did not like to lose. The other half creator of the Hasslehof-Rhino competition, the W&H bar is a less competitive place without him and we are glad you didn’t turn left!
A more unlucky cricketer than Keith Goodwin? No matter what time he was out clubbing till or selling ice creams, Doddy’s 1st ball was always on the money. Shame we never quite saw the best in him.
Never quite recaptured his majestic form of the early 90’s upon his return to the club, the Mentalist put it down to having a tough six months. A more whole hearted cricketer on the pitch you could not find and provided us with many amusing moments….. Hide your car keys Curtley!
Played in the 1st XI’s promotion winning game in 2001. For more details on his W&H career see Couch.
Pohad the ability to smash any bowler anywhere out of the ground, but sadly after a spate of nasty injuries we have never quite seen it come to fruition.
Arguably the catalyst behind Woking and Horsell’s most successful years in 2001/2002, Dicko’s all round performances played a huge part in the promotion season. Part of the old guard, allegedly left because there were ‘too many bloody kiwis’ in the 1s.
Another member from the ‘glory years’. Explosive batsman who could win games on his own. Left the club to play for Guildford 1’s, where he batted at 9. Good decision. All he left us with was ‘arse cream’.
For 73 years Walshy captained the 1st XI at Woking and Horsell, branding them the Bulldogs famed for their fighting spirit and post match antics. During this time they won a record 4028 games losing only once and Walshy had an unprecedented 8 million ‘run ins’ with the opposition umpires.
One could write for days about what he did for the 1st XI but as he can’t read there wouldn’t be much point. Safe to say that he was a Woking legend of the late 90’s, early 00’s. So much so that when club politics threatened to intervene, even the opposition wanted to stage a ‘sit in’ to get him back at the helm. Also once famously downed a ‘boot of purple haze’ at an opposition club. Out of respect for this amazing effort he was c*ck-eyed and was left by team mates brandishing a fire extinguisher. Often seen spending the teams match fees on champagne in Quake, he could never afford to go out in September when he got round to catching up on payments.
Decided enough was enough after sitting silently with his head under a towel became more common place than doing ‘traffic lights’ at the bar with Frank Butcher hat and 13 point badge on. We miss him.
The one that slipped through the net. The one overseas player who went back to his own country a better cricketer than when he started with us. How that happened no one knows. Maybe it was his 10pm regular disappearing act, maybe it was his dislike of snakey b. Pubie had a fine year for us in 2006. Announcing he was a batsman/wicket keeper, he preceded to top both batting and bowling charts. Now playing 1st class cricket in NZ for Otago.
Simon became an integral figure of the glory years looking after the bar on match days, and becoming W&H’s own Barmy Army General.
The Mentalists ‘Vodka challenge’ was the foundation for the Hasslehof-Rhino competition and curtailed many an evening if you performed well!
His ethics were clear and simple, support his side to victory, drink his own bodyweight in Stella and then bleat on until speech was not possible, then sit in the corner quietly texting and disappear when it was his round!
His support was invaluable during that time and the bar thrived on match days with him there to serve ‘Walshy’s mates’.
Novel approach once took guard before the previous batsman had made it off the square and also took a catch at slip having had his eyes closed.
Arrived at the club with a good reputation at the top of the order, then left after he sh*t himself on Centenary day. Enough said. ‘Turn the lights on’
The team joker to such an extent that when he took a blow to the head whilst diving for a catch it took his team mates an hour to realize that he was severely concussed. ‘Have I batted yet?’
Celebrated one of the clubs most famous run chases by serving behind a packed bar naked for the evening, before indulging in a spot of naked leap frog!
Bodders could throw the ball harder, run further and bowl faster than anyone else and when the ball hit him hard ‘IT DIDN’T HURT’.
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Just how important is grass feeding for cheese? As you will see in the chart below, we have included grass-feeding as one of our top-level recommendations for anyone who plans to include cheese in their meal plan:
Stick with organic Organic standards help lower risk of contaminated feed and organic cheese usually has higher nutrient quality. However, remember that organic by itself does not guarantee a natural lifestyle for the dairy cows.
Ask for 100% grass-fed Go beyond organic by asking for 100% grass-fed. Don't get sidetracked by the confusing array of labeling terms like natural" or "pasture-raised." Labeling laws allow products to display these terms even if dairy cows spend little or no time outdoors in a pasture setting. Unfortunately, even the term "grass-fed" is not sufficient since grass-fed dairy cows may have spent a relatively small amount of time grass feeding. The standard to look for on the label is "100% grass-fed." Talk to your grocer or the dairy cow farmer and find out how the animals were actually raised. In addition, if you would like more information about the practice of grass-feeding, please click here.
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Provided that you keep your serving size for grass-fed cheese at 1 ounce or less, we recommend that you consume cheese made from whole milk. Not only is whole milk the least processed form of milk (placing it in the category of a whole, natural food), it's also the form of milk that will provide you with the most omega-3s and other key nutrients when it has been fermented and ripened into cheese.
Traditionally, health organizations have not recommended whole milk cheeses in the diet but rather reduced fat cheeses made from 2%, skim, or nonfat milk. Since too much total fat, too much saturated fat, and too many calories in a daily meal plan can raise the risk of certain health problems, this traditional approach makes sense for individuals who cannot make room in their daily meal plan for the amount of total fat, saturated fat, and calories contained in whole milk cheeses. However, we believe that many people who may want to include a 1-ounce serving of grass-fed cheese in their meal plan will be able to enjoy a whole milk cheese while still remaining within the guidelines for intake of total fat, saturated fat, and calories.
Research on food and type 2 diabetes has typically focused on foods that are rich in both protein and fiber, with less attention paid to animal foods like cheese that are rich in protein but don't contain any fiber. However, a recent study from Denmark has shown better regulation of blood sugar levels following moderate intake of cheese (a little less than one ounce per day). In fact, consumption not only of cheese, but also of fermented dairy foods in general (like yogurt), were associated with some blood sugar benefits in this study. The researchers suggested that the presence of two fat-soluble vitamins — vitamins K and D— in cheese was as a possible reason for the blood sugar benefits. Both vitamins have been shown to play a role in blood sugar regulation. Due to the use of vitamin K-synthesizing bacteria as a way to start the cheese fermentation process, vitamin K is present in most cheeses in the form of menaquinone. Vitamin D is present in cheese as a naturally occurring nutrient in cow's milk or as a vitamin added during milk fortification. The calcium-rich nature of cheese may also play a role in beneficial regulation of blood sugar since calcium deficiency—especially in combination with vitamin D deficiency—is a known risk factor for blood sugar problems.
You're likely to get at least 30 milligrams of CLA (conjugated linoleic acid) from one ounce of grass-fed cheese. CLA is a type of fat associated with a wide variety of health benefits, including immune and inflammatory system support, improved bone mass, improved blood sugar regulation, reduced body fat, reduced risk of heart attack, and maintenance of lean body mass. The amount of CLA in cheese tends to increase along with consumption of fresh grasses by the cows whose milk is used to make the cheese. When cows have had ample year-round access to fresh pasture, you are likely to get increased amounts of CLA, even above the level of 30 milligrams per ounce.
CLA is not the only fat-related benefit provided by grass-fed cheese. Greater levels of omega-3 fat, less palmitic acid (a long chain saturated fat), and a better ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fat are additional benefits by grass-fed cheese. You're likely to get at least 100 milligrams of omega-3 fat from an ounce of most grass-fed cheeses, mostly in the form of ALA (alpha-linolenic acid), but also including a small amounts of DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) in the range of 5-10 milligrams. (Along with eicosapentaenoic acid, or EPA, DHA is one of the most prized omega-3 fats found in fish like salmon.) In the U.S., the average adult has a far too high ratio of omega-6:omega-3 fat in his or her diet. This ratio is often 7:1 or higher. In recent studies, grass-fed cheese has been shown to provide a ratioof 4:1, at most; ratios of 3:1, 2:1, and even 1.5:1 are also often offered by grass-fed cheese.
Scientists have long been aware of the link between a healthy digestive tract—with ample amounts of "friendly" bacteria—and a healthy immune system. But only recently have researchers begun to investigate this set of issues in relationship to cheese. In particular, researchers have become interested in the digestive and immune benefits potentially associated with intake of "probiotic cheese." This term refers to cheese that has been deliberately inoculated with friendly bacteria able to survive in sufficient numbers in our digestive tract after the cheese is consumed. Even though living bacteria are present in virtually all fermented cheeses, their numbers are often not large enough to affect the balance of bacteria in our digestive tract. When counting up the number of bacteria in a typical cheddar cheese, for example, it would not be uncommon to find 1,000s or perhaps 10,000s of what are called "colony forming units" (or CFUs) per gram of cheese. While these numbers might sound quite high, they are actually not high numbers in relationship to bacteria. The informal industry standard for a probiotic cheese is actually one million CFUs per gram of cheese and some probiotic cheeses may contain billions of CFUs per gram. In several preliminary studies—including one study of older individuals (with an average age of 86 years) consuming one half ounce of probiotic cheese every day for 4 weeks—researchers were able to detect immune system benefits, including increased activity of immune cells and increased numbers of some immune cell types (particularly phagocytes). We expect to see more research in this area in the future with cheese and also with other fermented foods.
This chart graphically details the %DV that a serving of Cheese, grass-fed provides for each of the nutrients of which it is a good, very good, or excellent source according to our Food Rating System. Additional information about the amount of these nutrients provided by Cheese, grass-fed can be found in the Food Rating System Chart. A link that takes you to the In-Depth Nutritional Profile for Cheese, grass-fed, featuring information over 80 nutrients, can be found under the Food Rating System Chart.
When produced with whole milk from 100% grass-fed cows, cheese contains a surprising diversity of nutrients—not just protein and calcium as many people might assume. Whole-milk grass-fed cheeses provide measurable amounts of four key fat-soluble vitamins: vitamins A, D, E, and K. They also provide antioxidant nutrients like selenium, zinc, and beta-carotene, as well as all B-complex vitamins, including B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B12, choline, and biotin. Whole-milk grass-fed cheeses also provide beneficial fats like omega-3s and CLA, as well as a health-promoting ratio of omega-6:omega-3 fat. There are simply few foods that offer this same diversity of nutrients. For example, while nuts and seeds can provide many of the same fat-related nutrients, they cannot provide a vitamin like B12, which is stored primary in animal foods. While vegetables can provide many of the same antioxidants in even more plentiful amounts, they rarely include measurable amounts of vitamin D. Grass-fed cheese is a truly unique food in terms of its broad range of nutrients.
While we might think about cow's milk as a sweet beverage, we don't usually think about cheese as a sweet food—and for good reason. In 4 ounces of whole cow's milk, you will typically find 5-6 grams of total sugar, mostly consisting of lactose ("milk sugar"). Yet in 1 ounce of many fermented cheeses, the total sugar level is not even one-sixth of a gram; as such, fermented cheese contains about 30-40 times less lactose than milk. The reason for this smaller amount of lactose involves the nature of the cheese-making process. In order to start the process, bacteria called "lactic acid bacteria" are often added to help increase the acidity of the milk and make it more likely for some of the milk proteins (caseins) to clump together and form "curd." Lactic acid bacteria are named for their ability to take lactose and convert it lactic acid. Not all cheeses begin the production process through formation of curd with the help of lactic acid bacteria. But when milk is curded in this way, the milk's lactose content is often greatly diminished.
Cheeses curded with the help of lactic acid bacteria combine this low-sugar feature with a rich amount of protein. The high concentration of protein in cheese (it ranks as a "good" source in our WHFoods rating system) has led to its inclusion as a meat substitute in most diabetic exchange systems. Protein-rich foods are often beneficial for blood sugar control because proteins are nutrients that digest at a moderate pace through our digestive tract—not too fast and not too slow.
Along with these factors, whole-milk grass-fed cheese also contains three nutrients known to help balance blood sugar: vitamin K, vitamin D, and calcium. In a recent study from Denmark involving nearly 6,000 men and women between 30-60 years of age, better regulation of blood sugar levels was associated with moderate intake of cheese (a little less than 1 ounce per day). Consumption of other fermented dairy foods (like yogurt) was also associated with some blood sugar benefits in this study. The presence of calcium, vitamin D, and vitamin K in cheese may have played a special role in these blood sugar benefits since each of these nutrients has been independently linked to improved regulation of blood sugar. Interestingly, due to the use of vitamin K-synthesizing bacteria as a way to initiate the cheese fermentation process, vitamin K is present in most cheeses in the form of menaquinone. Vitamin D is present in cheese as a naturally occurring nutrient in cow's milk and sometimes as a vitamin added during milk fortification.
In large-scale human studies, the role of dairy foods—including cheese—in relationship to bone disease, cardiovascular disease, and cancer has been controversial. (We should add that we have yet to see any large-scale human studies examining the relationship between these health problems and cheese made from the whole milk of 100% grass-fed cows.) Some studies have shown decreased risk of these diseases in association with dairy and cheese intake. Other studies have shown increased risk. Yet others have shown no change in either direction.
At least part of these conflicting results may be related to the relatively high total fat, saturated fat, and calorie content of whole milk and whole milk products, coupled with the tendency of many people to consume them in large quantities. To help illustrate this point, let's consider the 1 ounce of whole-milk grass-fed cheddar cheese that we profile on our website. This serving of cheese contains 114 calories, 9.4 grams of total fat, and 6.0 grams of saturated fat. On a percentage basis, it's 74% fat and 47% saturated fat in terms of its nutrient composition. If our entire daily diet — including all foods eaten throughout the day — contained this percent total fat and this percent saturated fat, our risk of many chronic diseases would go up dramatically. But if we take steps to balance our diet while including a higher fat and higher saturated fat food like whole-milk grass-fed cheese, we can stay within public health guidelines and most likely lower our risk of many chronic diseases.
We suspect that health benefits from cheese would be more consistently documented in research studies if the cheese were optimal in quality (100% grass-fed and organic) and if it was incorporated into an overall balanced diet. On an 1,800 calorie meal plan, for example, the 6.0 grams of saturated fat found in 1 ounce of whole milk, grass-fed cheese represent less than 3% of total calories. Since organizations like the American Heart Association (AHA) generally recommend no more than 7% of total calories from saturated fat, you can see how there is room for grass-fed cheese in an 1,800 calorie meal plan, despite it's high saturated fat content. But you can also see how 3 ounces of whole-milk grass-fed cheese could push the saturated fat percentage above a 7% level and cause potential problems. If you enjoy grass-fed cheese and feel like you do well with this food included in your meal plan, you can increase your chances of broad-based health benefits by making sure that your overall diet is balanced, especially with respect to total fat and saturated fat.
Cheese making has been practiced in many cultures throughout the world for at least 8,000 years. It probably began as a way to extend the life of fresh milk while preserving its nutrients. "Milk" used in the making of cheese has not always been synonymous with cow's milk, however. In many cultures, milk used to make cheese has come from other animals, including buffalo, bison, goats, sheep, camels, yaks, horses, and reindeer.
Commercially available cheeses in the U.S. are typically made from cow's milk and can generally be divided into two types: (1) "fresh" cheeses that have not been fermented, are typically very soft in texture, and have a short shelf life, and (2) "ripened" cheeses that have been fermented and aged for a period of weeks, months, or longer and which have a firmer texture and a longer shelf life.
Soft, unripened cheeses include cottage cheese, ricotta, water-packed "fresh" mozzarella, queso fresco, and fromage blanc. Instead of being fermented with the help of bacteria, these unripened cheeses are made by adding either an acidic substance (for example, vinegar, lemon juice or citric acid) or the enzyme rennet to the milk, or in some cases both. Acidic substances and rennet will cause the casein proteins in milk to coagulate and form "curds." (Rennet has the advantage of producing a stronger and more gel-like consistency in the curds.) Once the watery "whey" portion of the milk is drained off, only the curds are left and those curds are what we call "unripened" cheese. Unless a cheese has been aged for 60 days or longer, it must be made from pasteurized milk if sold in the U.S. and this rule applies to all of the unripened cheeses listed above.
Ripened cheeses are cheeses that not only undergo the curding process described above but also a fermentation process in which bacteria and other micro-organisms are added to the cheese and given time to develop new textures, flavors, and aromas. While ripened cheeses might initially be curded in the same way as unripened cheeses—namely, through addition of acid substances like lemon juice, vinegar, or citric acid to cause the formation of curds—many are not curded in this way. Instead, they are curded with the help of "starter bacteria." To accomplish curding in this way, lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are added to the milk. LAB will consume the lactose (milk sugar) present in the milk and convert it into lactic acid. Like vinegar and lemon juice, the lactic acid produced by LAB is an acidic substance that will cause the milk to curd. LAB commonly used to start acid coagulation process include Lactococcus lactis, Streptococcus thermophiles, Lactobacillus helveticus, and Lactobacillus delbreuckii. For persons who are lactose intolerant and experience an adverse reaction to dairy products because of their lactose content, the use of starter bacteria to begin the cheese making process can be a plus since these bacteria can convert much of the lactose in milk to lactic acid. In 4 ounces of whole cow's milk, you'll typically get 5-6 grams of total sugar, mostly consisting of lactose. In 1 ounce of whole milk cheese that has been curded with the help of starter bacteria, you'll get one-thirtieth, one-fortieth, or even one-fiftieth this amount. This greatly reduced amount of lactose is sometimes low enough to be tolerated even by individuals who are lactose intolerant.
In order to complete the process of producing a ripened cheese, the first round of "starter bacteria" used to produce lactic acid and trigger formation of the curd is followed by a second round of "ripening bacteria" whose job is to ferment the curd and develop the unique textures, flavors, and aromas found in ripened cheeses. During the ripening stage, yeasts and molds may be added along with bacteria to develop the unique cheese characteristics. Ripening of cheese may take weeks, months, or years, depending on the goals of the cheesemaker and the preferences of the consumer. Some ripened mozzarella cheeses may have only been ripened for a few weeks while some grocery store cheddars may have been aged for over ten years. Below is a chart showing some of the microorganisms used during the starter or ripening stage for some well-known ripened cheeses.
Ripened cheeses are sometimes classified by geography. "American" cheeses typically include cheddar, colby, jack, colby jack, monterey, and monterey jack. Italian cheeses include mozzarella, Parmesan, provolone, and Asiago. For Hispanic cheeses the list includes queso blanco, queso fresco, cotija, and panela. However, consumers across the world enjoy many of the cheeses regardless of location, and most cheese types are produced in cheese-producing countries.
Increasingly popular in the U.S. marketplace are "probiotic" cheeses that contain greater amounts of "friendly" bacteria than other cheeses. Virtually all fermented cheeses contain living bacteria. But the number of living bacteria in any given cheese may be relatively small. Bacteria in cheese are usually measured in what are called "colony forming units" or CFUs. A fermented cheese may typically contain 10,000's of CFUs per gram or perhaps 1,000's of CFU's per gram. By contrast, a probiotic cheese that has been deliberately inoculated with friendly bacteria (that will be able to survive in large numbers in our digestive tract after the cheese is consumed) may contain millions or even billions of CFUs. (An informal and voluntary industry standard for a probiotic cheese is one million CFUs per gram of cheese.) In one preliminary study of older individuals (with an average age of 86 years) consuming one-half ounce of probiotic cheese every day for 4 weeks, researchers were able to detect immune system benefits, including increased activity of immune cells and increased numbers of some immune cell types (particularly phagocytes).
After experiencing an adverse reaction to cheese, many consumers have looked for cheese substitutes not made from cow's milk. Many companies now produce non-dairy cheeses, including soy cheeses, rice cheeses, and almond cheeses. These non-dairy cheeses are sometimes referred to as "vegan" cheeses since their baseline ingredients often come from legumes, nuts, or grains rather than animal milk. As a general rule, however, we recommend a note of caution when choosing non-dairy cheeses as a regular part of your meal plan. Some "non-dairy" cheeses actually add casein proteins into the cheese, and it is common to find vegetable oils, vegetable flours, and added flavorings in these cheeses. For all of the above reasons, we would describe many non-dairy cheeses as being more highly processed than traditionally fermented cheeses. And because most non-dairy cheeses are not made through a fermentation process, it is often difficult for them to take on the unique textures, flavors, and aromas of fermented cheese. If you can find vegan cheeses that have been fermented and aged in the same way as animal milk cheeses, they are almost always your best option in this area of non-dairy cheeses.
One added note on "non-dairy" cheeses: some people make a distinction between cow's milk and the milks of other animals when using the word "dairy." In other words, they refer to cow's milk cheese as a "dairy" product, but they refer to goat milk cheese or sheep milk cheese as "non-dairy." Regardless of the term used, however, cow's milk, goat's milk, and sheep's milk have some important commonalities in terms of their chemical composition and also some important differences. Because there is no simple rule about the composition of milks from different animals, there is also no simple way to predict how a person will react to cheeses made from different types of animal milks. For example one people may do better on goat's milk cheese than cow's milk cheese, but another person may not. If you are actively trying to figure out a way to include non-cow's milk cheeses in your regular meal plan, you may want to seek the help of a healthcare practitioner to help you determine your best steps in this area.
As described earlier, cheese making has been practiced in many cultures throughout the world for at least 8,000 years. The popularity of animal milk made it natural for people to try and preserve the "shelf life" of fresh milk along with its valuable nutrients. From a historical perspective, the milk used to make cheese did not come mainly from cows. Many different animals were valued for their milk, including buffalo, bison, goats, sheep, camels, yaks, horses, and reindeer. Early on in human history, cheese was made from the milk of all of these animals.
In 2012, 912 million pounds of cheese were produced in the U.S., with Italian cheeses (e.g., mozzarella, Parmesan, provolone, ricotta and Romano) and American cheeses (e.g., cheddar, Colby, Monterey, jack) each accounting for about 40% of the total. The remaining 20% included cream cheese, Nufchatel, Swiss, and Hispanic cheeses.
While you might expect production and consumption of cheese in the U.S. to follow closely after production and consumption of milk, these two dairy products have undergone a very different trend in the U.S. marketplace. Over the past 40 years, U.S. milk production has increased by about 50%, although consumption of milk as a beverage in liquid form has decreased by about 30%. By contrast, consumption of cheese in the U.S. has nearly doubled from an annual per capita rate of about 17 pounds in 1980 to nearly 34 pounds in 2012. Some of cheese's increasing popularity involves increasing availability of ethnic cuisines that include unique cheese varieties long-valued in cultural traditions.
With over 2.5 billion pounds of cheese produced in 2011, Wisconsin led the U.S. states in terms of cheese production. California was the country's second largest cheese producer at 2.25 billion pounds. Cheddar and mozzarella accounted for about two-thirds of all cheese produced.
There are different purchase qualities to look for depending upon the cheese type. Soft cheeses should be uniform in color throughout, and the cheese should fill out the crust casing, which itself should be free from cracks and not too dry. Semi-firm cheese should not be too crumbly or dry with the color being relatively uniform. Hard cheeses should be uniform in color and have a firm, uncracked rind that is not too dry or pasty. Bleu cheeses should be not too dry nor too crumbly, and should feature veining that is evenly distributed.
If your market has a cheese department, speak with the person who specializes in cheese. She or he can help you choose the best quality cheese as well as introduce you to different cheeses that you may not have yet tried, which can help you to expand your repertoire and more greatly appreciate this wonderful food.
All cheeses, regardless of variety, should be well wrapped and kept in the warmest section of the refrigerator. (The refrigerator door is often one of the warmest spots). As storage life is related to the moisture content of the cheese, the softer the cheese, the shorter amount of time it will keep fresh. In general, firm and semi-firm cheeses will keep for two weeks while soft and grated cheeses will keep for about one week.
If your recipe calls for grated cheese, use cheese that has a firm texture since it is the only kind suitable for grating. It will be easier to grate if it is cold, right out of the refrigerator, rather than if it has been at room temperature for a while. For all other purposes, as the flavor of cheese is more intense when it is a bit warmer, remove it from the refrigerator at least thirty minutes before using.
When considering any of the serving ideas below, please continue to select grass-fed versions of all cheeses whenever possible.
Combine feta cheese with chilled cooked lentils, minced red onion and diced green pepper for a delicious cold salad.
Enjoy a classic Italian salad—sliced onions, tomatoes and mozzarella cheese drizzled with olive oil.
For a quick, healthy "pizza," sprinkle mozzarella cheese on a whole wheat pita, top with tomato sauce and your favorite vegetables and cook briefly in toaster oven, just until the cheese melts.
Enjoy this refreshing salad—combine sliced fennel and orange pieces together and top with grated Parmesan cheese.
Small amounts of cheese makes a delightful pairing with fruits such as apples, pears and melons. Serve as appetizer or dessert.
Cheese is a complicated food in terms of potential adverse reactions. We'd like to give you some detailed information that you may find helpful if you want to include cheese in your meal plan but are also concerned about this food as a good fit for you individually.
Milk and the foods made from it, including cheese, are among the eight food types considered to be major food allergens in the U.S., requiring identification on food labels. Some people also have an intolerance to cheese owing to the lactose sugar that it contains. For helpful information about this topic, please see our article, An Overview of Adverse Food Reactions.
In general, the longer a cheese is aged, the more digestible it becomes. The reason for this increased digestibility is simple—more of the fats and proteins in the cheese are broken down over time by living bacteria and other microorganisms present in the cheese. It wouldn't be wrong to described highly aged cheeses as "pre-digested," in the sense of having many of their proteins and fats already broken down before the cheese is consumed as a food.
While generally more digestible and less likely to cause an adverse reaction for this very reason, aged cheeses are problematic for some individuals who experience adverse reactions to protein-related substances called "amines." One of the changes that can happen during cheese aging is conversion of protein building blocks—called amino acids—into amines. Many bacteria are able to trigger this conversion process. These bacteria can take an amino acid like tyrosine and convert it into the amine called "tyramine." Similarly, they can take the amino acid tryptophan and convert it into the amine called "tryptamine." And they can take the amino acid histidine and convert it into the amine called "histamine." Tyramine, tryptamine, and histamine are examples of molecules sometimes referred to as "bioactive amines." This term is used to indicate the ability of tyramine, tryptamine, and histamine to influence nervous system and brain metabolism in susceptible persons. A migraine headache is a prominent example of the unwanted effect that dietary amines can sometimes have on a person who is sensitive to their presence in food. If you already know that you are sensitive to amines in food, you may want to avoid all cheeses in your meal plan. If you experience adverse reactions to cheese, do not know why, but still want to include cheese in your meal plan if possible, you will probably need the help of a healthcare practitioner to figure out whether amines in fermented cheeses are an issue, or whether you are experience adverse reactions for other reasons.
As described earlier, rennet is an enzyme often used to help trigger coagulation of casein proteins in milk and the formation of cheese curds. Researchers have actually pinpointed the exact role of rennet in this process. There are typically four basic types of casein proteins found in cow's milk, and they are often found floating around throughout the milk in small clusters called micelles. One specific type of casein protein—called kappa casein—is found on the surface of these clusters.
Kappa casein has a small hair-like projection that sticks out into the watery fluid portion of the milk and attracts water. This characteristic of the kappa casein allows the casein clusters to stay dispersed throughout the milk. The rennet enzyme, when added to milk, works to cut the kappa caseins hairs in such a way that the casein clusters begin to repel water rather than attracting it. Once the clusters begin repelling the water, they naturally start clumping together and forming "curd." By altering the kappa casein molecules, rennet is able to trigger a more gel-like formation of curd that is also relatively sturdy. For these reasons, cheese makers often prefer to include some rennet when beginning the curding process.
In order to help them digest their mother's milk, calves naturally produce rennet in their stomachs. In the cheese-making industry, rennet has often been obtained from the stomachs of young calves slaughtered for production of veal, usually between 16-18 weeks of age. For ethical reasons, some individuals seek to avoid cheeses produced with the use of rennet from slaughtered calves. These individuals draw a distinction between the obtaining of milk from animals in a non-harmful way and the making of cheese from this milk, versus the harm done to animals to obtain an enzyme for the cheese-making process. In the U.S. marketplace, more and more cheeses are becoming available which feature alterntatives to calf-based rennet. Some of these cheeses are produced with plant-based rennet. Examples of plants that can serve as a source for rennet include nettle, thistle, safflower, and fig (leaf or bark). Bacterially derived rennet is also used in the production of some cheeses as an alternative to calf rennet. We've also seen cheeses made with genetically modified rennet, but these cheeses would be prohibited from sale as organic since certified organic foods cannot contain genetically modified components, and we do not recommend cheeses made in this way. Look for the terms "rennet free" or "vegetarian rennet" on the label of your cheese if you are seeing to avoid calf-based rennet.
Some animal foods and some plants foods have been the subject of ongoing controversy that extends well beyond the scope of food, nutrient-richness, and personal health. This controversy often involves environmental issues, or issues related to the natural lifestyle of animals or to the native habitat for plants. Cheese has been a topic of ongoing controversy in this regard. Our Controversial Foods Q & A will provide you with more detailed information about these issues.
In addition to the nutrients highlighted in our ratings chart, here is an in-depth nutritional profile for Cheese, grass-fed. This profile includes information on a full array of nutrients, including carbohydrates, sugar, soluble and insoluble fiber, sodium, vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, amino acids and more.