People all across the globe share a love-hate relationship with cheese. You either love it or hate and (generally) there&rsquos no in between. Consumed in various forms, quantities, varieties &mdash over 2,000 with mozzarella being a world favourite and the most consumed &mdash as well as shapes, cheese has a longstanding history. While there may be many stories floating about its creation, consumption and distribution, here are five cheese facts that you probably didn&rsquot know about
No exact information about its origins
While cheese continues to be widely enjoyed across the globe, the information regarding its origins remains hazy. Some archeological studies show that its roots go as far back as 6000BC and some point out its origins back in Mesopotamia.
It helps prevent tooth decay and helps sleep better
Yes, you read that right. Cheese being a milk product has amounts of calcium and is beneficial for bones and teeth. Some varieties also help in production of saliva, eliminating sugar and acids from the mouth and ultimately preventing tooth decay. Also, according to a study by British Cheese Board, cheese also help you sleep better at night due to the presence of an amino acid.
It was Queen Victoria&rsquos wedding present
It was 1840 that Queen Victoria got married and at the time received the world&rsquos largest wheel of cheddar cheese as a wedding present. The wheel was over nine feet in circumference and 20 inches deep and was also exhibited for all to see. However, after the exhibit the Queen did not take back the wheel.
World&rsquos most expensive variant is made inside a donkey
We all know the world&rsquos most expensive cheese is pule, costing around $600 per pound. And the reason behind this is because it partially made inside the belly of a donkey. Almost 100 donkeys are milked for pule and after being made, the cheese is smoked, lending it the taste.
Some cheese have molds
While generally anything that has a mold is not considered fit for consumption, cheese lies on the opposite end of the spectrum. In order to lend a unique flavour to some cheeses, they are artificially injected with air and preserved for a long time before their sale. Cheese with a mold has a different flavour to it and is absolutely safe for consumption. Think blue cheese.