Countries Who Eat the Most Cheese

Did you know that the word cheese is derived from a Latin word "caseus” which means to ferment? However, the more modern meaning comes from the word “chese” which is from the ancient English meaning “product derived from sour milk.” Cheese is a hard consumable by-product of milk which is made by coagulating milk into solid form. The cheese making process involves subjecting milk to high temperatures while adding substances like culture and bacteria to bring the desired taste and make the end product durable. The curds are separated from the watery substance and then subjected to higher temperatures until it solidifies. The end product is a hard substance ready for consumption.

Top Cheese Consuming Countries in the World

The Top Five Consumers

The top cheese consumer is Denmark. The country consumes 28.1 kilograms of cheese consumption per capita. The second highest consumer is Iceland followed by Finland at 27.7 kilograms and 27.3 kilograms of cheese consumption per capita respectively. France follows closely at 27.2 kilograms of cheese per capita. The French keep high breed dairy cattle which contribute significantly to high production of cheese. At position five is Cyprus which consumes 26.7 kilograms of cheese consumption per capita.

Other Top Cheese Consuming Countries

Cheese is also a major product in Germany, Switzerland, and the Netherlands. The average per capita consumption of cheese in Germany is 24.7 kilograms per capita while Switzerland and Netherlands consume 22.2 and 21.6 kilos per capita respectively. Italy is the ninth highest consumer of cheese at 21.5 kg per capital followed closely by Austria at 21.1 kg per capita. Sweden is at position eleven with a consumption of 20.5 kilos per capita. At position twelve is Estonia at 20.0 kilograms of cheese eaten per capita.

Latvia and Norway consume below 20 kilos per capita. Research shows that both rate at 19.8 kilograms per capita each. Israel follows closely at 18.9 kilograms per capita. Other smaller consumers are the United States at 16.8 kilograms per capita with the Wisconsin region leading with California and Idaho states in position two and three respectively. In all these countries, cheese is eaten regularly with meals and in between the meals.

Why Do Countries With Cold Climates Eat More Cheese?

The top consumers of cheese are mainly countries in the cold region of the world mainly because cheese can be chilled and preserved for future use. The cold weather requires high protein levels which the cheese provides. Cheese is also processed in smaller quantities from milk obtained from other mammals such as the sheep, goats and even donkeys. The institutions that carry out a survey on the rate of consumption in various countries are the Global dairy sector, the United States Department of Agriculture, the international dairy foundation and the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). These bodies have rated the highest consumers of cheese as below.