Introduction
“Cheese is milk’s leap toward immortality.”
Clifton Fadiman
Cheese is comprised of the coagulated, compressed, and usually ripened curd of milk separated from the whey. In simple words, cheese is a dairy product that is mainly made of milk. Cheese is produced in various flavors and textures. It possesses great nutritious value due to protein and fat, and is also a good source of calcium. In this article, we will discuss American and Cheddar cheese in detail.
American cheese originated in America during the 1970s. It is a processed cheese with a smooth texture and mild flavor. Cheddar cheese originated in Cheddar(Somerset), England during the 12th century. It is a natural cheese with a crumbled texture and sharp taste.
So, American cheese and cheddar cheese are two different cheese varieties due to their different flavor and textures.
American Cheese vs. Cheddar Cheese
American cheese is a processed cheese made by blending many other cheeses. It is not like normal cheese that is directly made from milk. The other ingredient of American cheese is an emulsifying agent, salt, artificial flavor, and color.
This type of cheese has low carb and high protein. American cheese is somewhat criticized due to its high fat and sodium content. It is supplied in three varieties- wrapped cheese slices, small pre-sliced blocks, and large blocks.
Cheddar cheese is a natural cheese prepared directly from milk. The process of its production, that is, cheddaring, improves the quality of cheese. Cheddar is one of England’s oldest cheeses. Cheddar cheese is made from cow’s milk. It is supplied in blocks and then shredded for easy melting.
Differences Between American Cheese and Cheddar Cheese (Tabular Form)
| Parameters | American Cheese | Cheddar Cheese |
| Origin | In 1903, James Kraft invented the American Cheese. | Cheddar cheese originated from the town of Cheddar (England) in the 12th century. |
| Flavors | American cheese has a creamy and slightly salty flavor. | It has a tangy flavor, fresh cheese is mildly tangy with a buttery flavor. |
| Texture | Smooth and soft. | Semi-soft and crumble cheese. |
| Color | American cheese comes in yellow, white, and orange cheese forms. | Cheddar cheese is available from pale yellow to off-white color. |
| Production | It is a processed cheese, due to the addition of milk, whey proteins, emulsifiers, food coloring, flavoring agents, and salt. | Its preparation process is named Cheddaring, where milk is curdled, then cut into pieces, and whey is pour-off to make it dry crumble cheddar cheese. |
| Aging Period | American cheese has 60-90 days for aging. | Cheddar cheese has 3 to 8 months of aging. |
| Nutritional Value | One slice of American cheese contains 70 calories, 6 g fat, 2 g proteins, and 3.5 g saturated fat. | One cup of Cheddar cheese contains 400-450 calories, 30-40 g fat, 20-30 g protein, and 6 g saturated fat. |
What is American Cheese?
American cheese is an artificially processed cheese. It has been originated in America during the 1970s. The critical ingredients of American cheese are milk, whey proteins, emulsifiers, and food color with various other kinds of cheese.
American cheese is also known as Canadian or Pasteurized Processes cheese. It can be substituted with Swiss or Cheddar cheese.
Nutritional Value: One slice of American cheese contains 70 calories, 6 g fat, 2 g proteins, and 3.5 g saturated fat. It is high in Vitamin A, phosphorus, calcium, and zinc.
- White American Cheese – It is whitish in color, which is created by the citric acid-treating process. White American cheese has a mild and slightly salty flavor with a dry, crumbled texture.
- Yellow American Cheese – American cheese is available in yellow color, due to the food coloring ingredient known as Annatto. The fat content in yellow cheese is higher than that of white cheese.
- Orange American Cheese – It is orange in color and similar in taste to white cheese. Orange American cheese is much smoother and softer in texture than white cheese.
What is Cheddar Cheese?
Cheddar cheese originated in the 12th century in the town of Cheddar in England. It is one of the oldest cheeses in England. Cheddar cheese is a semi-hard cheese made from cow’s milk. It requires a long aging period for its sharp flavor; the aging period ranges between 3 to 8 months.
Cheddar cheese is prepared by a process that involves the addition of rennet into milk to create curdles. The curd is then cut into pieces and pressed to remove the whey. Thereafter it came into its crumbled cheese appearance.
Nutritional Value: One cup of Cheddar cheese contains 400-450 calories, 30-40 g fat, 20-30 g protein, and 6 g saturated fat.
Main Difference Between American Cheese and Cheddar Cheese(In points)
- American cheese originated in America, whereas Cheddar cheese originated in England.
- American cheese is a processed cheese, while cheddar cheese is a natural cheese.
- American cheese is not made by naturally aging and thus has few flavors compared to cheddar cheese.
- American cheese has a smooth texture, whereas cheddar cheese is firm.
- American cheese has a mild flavor, while cheddar cheese is sharp in flavor.
- American cheese has about 60-90 days of aging, and Cheddar cheese has 3 to 8 months of aging.
- American cheese comes in Yellow, White, and orange cheese forms. Whereas, Cheddar cheese is available from pale yellow to off-white color.
- American cheese is lower in calories and protein, while cheddar cheese has higher calories and protein.
- American cheese has the highest carbohydrate and calcium content than Cheddar cheese.
- Cheddar cheese is somewhat more expensive than American cheese because of its processing style.
Benefits of Cheese
- Cheese has high nutritional value due to its high content of protein, fat, calcium, and phosphorus.
- The presence of calcium in cheese is good for healthy bones and teeth, wound healing, and maintaining normal blood pressure.
- American Cheese has a long shelf life as compared to other cheeses.
- Due to the emulsifier in American cheese, it can melt smoothly without any greasy mess.
- Cheddar Cheese comprises Vitamin K, which plays a crucial role for bones.
- Cheddar cheese is a source of probiotics, which is beneficial for gut health.
Conclusion
Cheese is a food that is loved by people of all ages. It is used in burgers, pizza, macaroni, etc. American and cheddar cheese have distinct flavors and textures, and even their place of origin is also different.
It is thus concluded that American cheese is less healthy than cheddar cheese because American cheese is highly processed and made by combining different cheeses and possesses emulsifying agents which can cause health issues. As a dairy product, these are good sources of calcium and high-quality protein. However, cheese should be consumed in moderate quantities to prevent its side effects.
References
- https://www.cheese.com/american-cheese/
- https://www.merium-webster.com
- https://www.wedmd.com
- https://www.lacademie.com
