HEALTH
Energy: queso is bad for / increases the risk of diarrhea, inflammation, migraines
Longevity: queso is bad for / increases the risk of antibiotic, diabetes, dioxin and artificial hormone ingestion, high blood pressure, prostate cancer, unhealthy pH levels in body
Appearance: queso is bad for / increases the risk of bloating, dull completion, flatulence, obesity, skin issues, weight gain
Queso is…
- Acidic 3.0 pH level once digested
- Gluten-free (typically)
- Common food allergen: MILK
ENVIRONMENT
Water footprint: moderate, 5,060 liters of water used to produce 1 kilogram of cheese / 606 gallons of water used to produce 1 pound of cheese
Carbon footprint: high, 13.5 CO2e to produce 1 kilogram or 2.2 pounds of cheese, a car driving equivalent of 31 miles or 50 kilometers
Destruction: high, queso production is relatively destructive, land usage for pasture, grain and forage, solid waste (excrement/manure) runoff into soil and freshwater, deforestation for feed crops, animal agriculture leading cause of: species extinction, ocean dead zones, water pollution and habitat destruction, responsible for up to 91% of Amazon destruction
Queso is…
- Unsustainable
ANIMALS
Killed: in most cases and unless stated otherwise cheese production involves rennet (rennet = the lining of the fourth stomach of young goats, calves and lambs) meaning cheese typically cannot even be considered “vegetarian”
Harmed: cows, calves mother cow and calf are distressed due to separation within 24 hours after birth, male calves are slaughtered for veal (dairy industry can only use females), female calves fed artificially, locked in tiny cages, cows genetically modified to grow so obese that many become lame (unable to walk), cows are shocked with electric prods, shackled with chains and dragged, beaten, prods poked up rectums, cows live their last few months in crowded feedlots with hundreds or thousands of others, without pasture, often without shelter, must stand in mud, ice and their own waste, dairy cows are slaughtered for beef once milk production has ended
Indirectly killed or harmed: the dairy industry sells “unwanted” male calves to be slaughtered for veal (pregnancy must occur for female cows to lactate and produce milk) habitat contamination (water and soil pollution from animal waste), wildlife habitat destruction (deforestation/land clearing), wolves and coyotes killed to prevent predation on livestock
Queso is…
- Not vegan
- Harmful to wildlife and ecosystems
LABORERS
Health and safety: varies, overall, agriculture continues to be one of the most dangerous industries, farmworkers may be subject to dehydration, heat stroke, unprotected exposure to harmful, toxic chemicals and pesticides, unsafe machinery and clean drinking water may not always accessible
Living conditions: varies, laborers are often exploited, they may face tough working conditions including long hours in the sun and heat performing physically exhausting tasks, labor laws and rights may or may not be in place, even if worker protection exists, employer violations may go unreported, refugees and migrant workers are especially vulnerable to abuse and mistreatment, fearing consequences of job loss or deportation
Wages: varies, generally farmworkers earn meager wages, there are many cases of underpaid agricultural workers, wage theft and no overtime payment or benefits
Queso…
- Involves worker exploitation, laborer issues, human rights concerns
Is queso nutritious?
No. Queso is high in cholesterol, saturated fat and often contains antibiotics and hormones such as rBGH (recombinant bovine growth hormone) which is a genetically engineered synthetic hormone by Monsanto to increase milk production levels, resulting in cow mastitis infections, ultimately requiring more antibiotics. Additionally, queso is typically made of Velveeta or American cheese.
What are some queso substitutes and queso alternatives?
Use this Dairy Foods + Substitutes List to quickly see alternatives.
queso is acidic.
Is queso alkaline or acidic? Queso is acidic. Dairy, cheese and processed foods are acidic food groups.
When you eat food, it is broken down to an ash residue that can be neutral, acidic or alkaline. Minerals such as potassium, calcium, magnesium, sodium, zinc, silver, copper and iron produce an alkaline ash; whereas sulfur, phosphorus, chlorine and iodine, which are found in meat, coffee, dairy and alcohol, leave an acid ash.
Going alkaline easier than ever with this: Acidic and Alkaline Foods List
queso is typically gluten free.
Is queso gluten free? Typically, queso is gluten free. Queso typically does not contain gluten. Queso is a type of cheese, therefore making it a gluten free food.
While celiac disease may not be as rampant as many marketing trends lead us to believe, you may have a gluten sensitivity…
Celiac and gluten sensitivity symptoms are similar and may include: recurring abdominal pain, chronic diarrhea, constipation, tingling, numbness in hands and feet, chronic fatigue, joint pain, unexplained infertility and low bone density (osteopenia or osteoporosis).
There are hundreds of potential symptoms, many of which are also symptoms of other conditions.
Going gluten-free easier than ever with this: Gluten and Gluten-Free Foods List
queso is a common food allergen: milk.
Is queso a common food allergen? Yes, queso contains a common food allergen: milk. Many people experience allergic reactions to queso.
A group of the eight major allergenic foods is often referred to as the Big-8 and includes milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat and soybeans.
These foods account for about 90% of all food allergies in the United States.
Severe food allergies can be life threatening. Following ingestion of a food allergen, a person with food allergies can experience a severe, life-threatening allergic reaction called anaphylaxis.
Persons may still be allergic to and have serious reactions to foods other than the eight foods identified by the law.
Be aware of common dietary restrictions and food allergens with this: The Big 8 Most Common Food Allergens List
queso likely has a moderate water footprint.
Does queso have a high or low water footprint? Queso likely has a moderate water footprint compared to other foods.
What is the water footprint of queso? It takes 5,060 liters of water to produce 1 kilogram of cheese / 606 gallons of water to produce 1 pound of cheese.
Did you know that water is a finite, non-renewable resource?
We must do what we can to conserve fresh water and a major way to reduce needless water consumption is to change the way we eat. That’s not to say we need to reduce our water intake….quite the opposite. It’s important for our health to drink lots of water and eat foods that hydrate. The kind of water conservation we’re talking about here is behind the scenes.
How much water does it take to produce an apple? A serving of rice? A steak dinner?
We need to be aware of something referred to as a “water footprint”. That is, the amount of fresh water utilized in the production or supply of goods we consume. As it turns out it takes significantly more water to yield foods that come from animals than foods that come from plants. Imagine how much water a cow needs to consume to generate a piece of beef. Not only how much water a single cow drinks, rather all the water that went into producing the crops that the cow ate.
Find out how much water your food consumes with this: Water Footprints of Foods and Ingredients List
queso likely has a high carbon footprint.
Does queso have a high or low carbon footprint? Queso has a high carbon footprint.
What is the carbon footprint of queso? It takes around 13.5 CO2e to produce 1 kilogram or 2.2 pounds of cheese, a car driving equivalent of 31 miles or 50 kilometers.
Food not only has a water footprint but also a carbon footprint, known as CO2e, which stands for carbon dioxide equivalent. Since carbon measurements are a bit more difficult to comprehend, it is common to equate CO2e to the distance which a car drives in miles or kilometers.
When calculating carbon emissions, some factors may include…
- farm equipment
- animal feed production
- hothouses (greenhouses)
- food processing
- packaging
- transport
- refrigeration
- freezing
- package waste and more
There are a number of steps we can take to reduce energy output. According to Oxford Martin School researchers, if the world went vegan, eliminating animal-derived products, it could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by two thirds and avoid climate damages of $1.5 trillion.
But that’s not all!
It’s best to keep the following in mind when grocery shopping:
- shopping locally reduces transportation emissions
- food without packaging reduces waste as well as the carbon footprint
- refrigerated and frozen foods increase carbon emissions
- seasonal foods reduce carbon emissions from hothouses (greenhouses)
- growing plant-based foods at home is the most environmentally sustainable method with zero carbon footprint
Find out how much carbon your food emits with this: Carbon Footprints of Foods and Ingredients List
queso is unsustainable.
Overall, is queso eco friendly? Is queso sustainable?
Queso production is relatively destructive. Cow pasture, grain and forage requires land usage. Solid waste (excrement/manure) runs off into soil and freshwater. Deforestation occurs for cow feed crops. Animal agriculture is the leading cause of: species extinction, ocean dead zones, water pollution and habitat destruction, responsible for up to 91% of Amazon destruction.
A 2018 Oxford University study – which is the most comprehensive analysis to date of the damage farming does to the planet – found that ‘avoiding meat and dairy is the single biggest way to reduce your impact on Earth’ as animal farming provides just 18% of calories but takes up 83% of our farmland.
Consuming animal products and byproducts is not environmentally friendly and is one of the worst things for the Earth. Not only is meat production wasteful, it causes enormous amounts of pollution. The industry is one of the biggest causes of climate change.
A 2010 United Nations report said that a global shift towards a vegan diet is vital to save the world the worst impacts of climate change.
queso is not vegan.
Is queso vegan? No, queso is not vegan. Queso is made from cheese, dairy, the byproduct of a cow, sheep or goat, therefore making it an animal-derived food. A mother cow, mother sheep or mother goat’s milk must be used in order to produce.
Animals of factory farming are suffering. They live in horrific conditions that often include confinement, physical abuse and unnatural environments…so much so that they need to receive antibiotics to keep from getting ill or spreading disease. Growth hormones allow all kinds of animals to become fatter faster and live short lives.
Because we cannot see for ourselves how these animals live and what they endure does not mean it isn’t happening. The meat, poultry and dairy industries do everything they can to distance us from knowing how our food comes to be in order to keep us in the dark about what we support each time we buy animal derived products and byproducts.
Go vegan for animals!
It’s the best way to help animals and it’s not as difficult as you may think. Speak for animals with your actions, for they cannot speak at all.
Going vegan is easier than ever, at a glance with this: Vegan and Non-Vegan Foods List
Sources:
Cheese, mexican, queso asadero – FoodData Central
Outbreak Investigation of Listeria monocytogenes – US Food
