In this blog we are going to tell you about Difference between Cheese and Paneer, so read this blog carefully to get the complete information.
Introduction
Cheese and paneer are milk products that form after coagulation of milk. Paneer has a different taste and texture when compared to cheese that has its own wide variety and could even taste like paneer. Although both products exhibit many similarities, there are different characteristics which are discussed below. The main difference between cheese and paneer is that cheese is made after curdling the milk using a rennet enzyme, while paneer is curdled using vinegar, yogurt or lemon juice.
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What is Cheese?
Cheese is a sweet tasting milk product which is made through the process of acidification. It is prepared using bacteria so as to ensure that acidification takes place within a short period. Cheese contains a high level of calories and is a very important ingredient in many foods like pizzas, pasta, sandwiches, cheese cake, cheese balls and others.
Cheese has a mild taste and soft texture. It is a rich source of protein, zinc, calcium, vitamin A, fat, etc. and is very healthy for bones and teeth. However, it may lead to various health risks if consumed in large quantities.
What is Paneer?
Paneer is a variety of cheese, which is produced through the churning of milk with vinegar, lemon juice and some acids through acidification. It can be made easily at home by solidifying hot milk using lactic acids. It is consumed majorly in Asian countries like India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, etc. Being a very good source of protein, paneer is widely used in a majority of dishes.
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Difference between Cheese and Paneer
- Nutritional Composition – Cheese is known for the high amount of protein composition, which is suitable for people looking forward to gaining weight and muscles. On the other hand, cheese contains a high amount of calcium, which makes it a good choice for people who wish to increase the strength of their bones.
- Popularity – Cheese is one of the least popular among other milk products in the market. It ranks behind other milk products like yogurt, butter and ghee. Paneer is most popular in the Asian region due to its vegetarian aspect.
- Storage – Cheese can be stored in the refrigerator for a more extended period thus it saves much time and cost during its preparation while it is opposite with paneer that cannot be stored for a long period of time.
- Nature of Preparation – The methods used for the preparation have brought different tastes, health benefits, nutritional composition and the popularity of the product. Paneer is prepared by beating or pressing of the milk to form a butter-like product while cheese is made up of milk through the process of acidification in which bacteria are used to acidify the milk.
- Emulsification – It is the process of breaking large fat molecules into small fat droplets to increase surface area for digestion hence improving the product. While preparing cheese, emulsification is highly used to prepare the product. On a whole, it helps in ensuring that the products can stay for a long time. This process is not used during the preparation of paneer.
- Health Benefits – Paneer has a low concentration of fats and calories, therefore it is a very healthy option for people with heart problems. Cheese contains a high level of fat and calories, which is not suitable for people with heart problems.
Final words
Both cheese and paneer are the food products that are prepared from the primary raw materials of milk through coagulation and acidification or emulsification. These products are consumed on a daily basis and popular all over the world.
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Conclusion
We Hope this blog is sufficient enough to provide the information about Difference between Cheese and Paneer. Thanks for reading this blog.