Cheese is one of those foods almost everyone loves. We all have a favorite — whether it’s cheddar, mozzarella, brie, or gouda — but there’s a lot more to cheese than amazing flavor.
Behind every slice is a fascinating story filled with history, science, and even a few strange traditions. Some of these facts sound almost too crazy to be true.
We at AdmiGram.com found 20 surprising facts about cheese that might change the way you look at your favorite snack.
20 Most Amazing and Unexpected Facts About Cheese
1. Cheese is one of the world’s oldest foods. Nobody knows exactly who made the first cheese, but historians believe people were producing it over 7,000 years ago in ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt.
2. The oldest surviving cheese is nearly 4,000 years old. Archaeologists discovered ancient cheese buried alongside mummies in China, estimated at around 3,800 years old. Egypt has also produced ancient cheese finds dating back more than 3,000 years.
3. Making cheese takes a lot of milk. It takes about one gallon of milk to make one pound of cheese. While most cheese comes from cow’s, goat’s, or sheep’s milk, people have also created cheese-like products from soybeans, peas, and other ingredients.
4. Cheese may actually boost romance. Folklore in many cultures has long cast cheese as an aphrodisiac, and its rich aroma is often credited with stimulating the senses — one reason cheese frequently appears on traditional wedding menus in Mediterranean countries.
5. Even cheese wasn’t safe during the French Revolution — or so legend has it. According to popular lore, several famous cheeses were temporarily renamed to remove connections with the French aristocracy, with Brie briefly dubbed “Liberty Cheese.”
6. Cheese is packed with nutrients. Around 7 ounces (200 grams) of cheese provides plenty of protein, calcium, healthy fats, and essential minerals, making it one of the most nutrient-dense dairy foods.
7. The color depends on what cows eat. The more carotene cows get from fresh grass, the more yellow their milk — and the cheese made from it. Some cheesemakers also use natural coloring like annatto to create richer shades.
8. Wine and cheese became a classic pairing for a reason. People have enjoyed wine with cheese for centuries because the flavors complement each other perfectly. Today it’s one of the world’s most iconic food pairings.
9. Mice don’t actually love cheese. Cartoons convinced us that mice can’t resist cheese, but scientists say wild mice usually prefer grains, seeds, and fruit over strong-smelling cheese.
10. Americans make more cheese than anyone else. The United States produces more cheese than any other country, making millions of tons every year.
11. There are nearly 2,000 varieties of cheese. From creamy brie to smoky gouda and spicy pepper jack, cheese comes in almost 2,000 different varieties around the world.
12. One cheese costs more than luxury steak. Serbia’s famous Pule cheese, made from donkey milk, is among the world’s most expensive cheeses and can sell for hundreds of dollars per pound.
13. Wisconsin holds the record for the mightiest cheese wheel. In 2018, Wisconsin cheesemakers built a mammoth cheddar wheel weighing more than a ton, the centerpiece of a Guinness World Records cheese board that totaled over 4,400 pounds of cheese in all.
14. Cheese may influence your dreams. Some studies suggest that eating cheeses like Stilton before bed can lead to unusually vivid dreams. Scientists still debate why.
15. Gouda gets better with age. Unlike many foods, aged Gouda can continue improving for years, developing a richer flavor and a firmer texture over time.
16. Blue cheese shares a surprising connection with penicillin. Blue cheeses are made using Penicillium mold — the same genus of mold that led to the discovery of penicillin.
17. Cheddar has been colored for over 150 years. Cheesemakers have used natural ingredients like annatto to give cheddar its familiar orange color since the 19th century.
18. The first cheese factory opened in Switzerland. Modern industrial cheese production began in Switzerland in 1815, helping cheese become available to people around the world.
19. Cheese label collectors have their own name. People who collect cheese labels are called tyrosemiophiles — and yes, that’s a real word.
20. “Say cheese!” Photographers ask people to say “cheese” because the word naturally creates a smile. It’s a simple trick that’s been making photos look happier for generations.
