Vegetarian cheese is cheese that is not curdled with

rennet, an enzyme that occurs naturally in animal stomachs.

Most vegetarian cheeses are curdled with either plants,

fungi, or bacteria.



Vegetarians who do not consume cheese with rennet

generally choose not to because it involves slaughtering

animals to extract the enzymes.



Vegetarian cheese is hard to distinguish from cheese made

with rennet. This lack of distinguisability often forces

vegetarians who are ethically-opposed to harming animals

to consume cheeses that contain rennet.



Even though more cheeses are being made with vegetable

rennet, it is usually impossible to spot the difference,

unless the package is clearly labeled "vegetarian cheese."

Recently, some grocery stores have started doing this

to aid vegetarian shoppers, who would not otherwise be

able to distinguish the difference between the vegetable

and animal rennet cheeses.



In addition to eating cheeses made with vegetable rennet,

there are more alternatives to eating regular cheese.



Vegans, for instance, do not consume cheese at all because

it is an animal byproduct and subsequently requires animals

to be caged and suffer. Many vegans, however, do

consume cheese substitutes.



Chreese (www.chreese.com) is one of these substitutes.

Chreese is an all natural, non-soy, cheese replacement

that requires substantially less natural resources

and energy to create than cheese with rennet.



And chreese is just one substitute. There are a number

of other all natural alternatives you can find

at local organic and health food stores.



If you are a vegetarian and you don't support animal

suffering on your behalf in any capacity, you may

also want to consider adjusting your dietary habits

if you consume cheese made with animal rennet.



To reiterate, you have three basic options: you can

look for grocery stores that label vegetarian cheese;

you can purchase vegetarian cheese online; or you can

purchase cheese alternatives online or at your local

organic or health food store.



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