Soy cheese

Soy Cheese is a dairy cheese analogue made from soy, available in many of the same varieties as its dairy counterpart. This product is usually consumed due to certain dietary restrictions, like veganism, religious restrictions (soy cheese is in general kosher pareve, after approval of a Rabbi), lactose intolerance or milk allergy, or a severe disease affecting the intestinal tract, which destroys the entire production of the lactase enzyme, necessary to digest the milk sugar / lactose found in dairy products.

Different brands of soy cheese may or may not be entirely free of dairy ingredients, since many of them contain casein [ [http://www.naturalnews.com/003217.html Soy cheese products deceive consumers, violate vegans ] ] . The following most widely known soy cheese brands contain no casein: Cheezly [ [http://www.redwoodfoods.es/cheezly.php About: Cheezly is vegan certified] ] , FYH Vegan Gourmet Cheese [ [http://www.followyourheart.com/cheese.php About: FYH Cheese is casein free and vegan] ] , Sheese [ [http://www.buteisland.com/index.htm About: Sheese is vegan certified] ] , Teese [ [http://www.teesecheese.com/ Teese Vegan Cheese from Chicago Soydairy] ] , and Tofutti. Other casein-free vegan cheeses which are not soy products include: Chreese and Veganrella [ [http://urbanvegan.blogspot.com/2007/07/great-vegan-cheese-meltdown.html Comparison of 4 vegan cheese brands] ] (all are certified vegan and therefore 100% casein free).

Soy cheese is especially available in these types:
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* Blue Style [ [http://www.buteisland.com/a_blue_sheese.htm Blue Sheese] ]
* Cheddar [ [http://www.buteisland.com/a_med_sheese.htm Medium Cheddar] ]
* Sheese [ [http://www.followyourheart.com/cheese_products.php FYH Cheddar] ]
* Chesire [ [http://www.buteisland.com/a_cheshire_sheese.htm Cheshire Sheese] ]
* Edam [ [http://www.buteisland.com/a_edam.htm Edam Sheese] ] ColBreak
* Garlic/Herb flavor [ [http://www.buteisland.com/a_cheddar_chives.htm Cheddar Sheese with Chives] ]
* Gouda [ [http://www.buteisland.com/a_gouda.htm Gouda Sheese] ]
* Mozzarella [ [http://www.buteisland.com/a_mozzarella.htm Mozzarella Sheese] ]
* Monterey Jack flavor [ [http://www.followyourheart.com/cheese_products.php FYH Monterey Jack] ]
* Parmesan A variety of soy cream cheeses [ [http://www.buteisland.com/a_cream_sheese_home.htm Creamy Sheese] ] [ [http://www.tofutti.com/ Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese] ] can be also purchased in most health food stores and the health food sections of larger supermarkets.

Nutrition

Soy cheese usually has a lower fat content than its dairy counterparts [ [http://www.buteisland.com/a_cream_sheese_chives.htm Chives in creamy Sheese] ] [ [http://www.followyourheart.com/cheese_nutrition.php Dairy free cheese nutrition] ] . Besides its low-fat content, soy cheese is also cholesterol-free and is a source of soy protein and isoflavones.

Soy Cheese Nutrition Facts, per 100 grams (3.5 oz.) Sources: Followyourheart.com - Nutrition facts [http://www.followyourheart.com/cheese_nutrition.php] , Sheese - Nutritional Information [http://www.buteisland.com/a_cream_sheese_cheddar_spread.htm]

Comparison to dairy cheese

Some soy cheese brands melt similar to dairy cheese when heated [ [http://www.followyourheart.com/cheese_faq.php#melt Follow Your Heart / Earth Island: Cheese FAQ ] ] , while others stay mostly firm, or melt only when grated into tiny slices. As for the taste, soy cheese has been reported to taste from similar, to slightly different, to completely different from dairy cheese. It is thus an important step to find a soy cheese brand which can provide a proper replacement for its dairy counterpart, both in taste and cooking, seasoning or melting abilities. Some soy cheeses have been named to have a very unpleasant or very uncommon taste for those being used to consumption of dairy cheese. Additionally, soy cheese may lack the typical cheese aroma, or develop it only when melted / baked.

References