Wisconsin is the land of cheese and a holy grail for those who worship curds. You’d assume that finding a vegan in America’s Dairyland is a rare occasion. But, to the dismay of locals, 2010 MVP Green Bay Packers quarterback, Aaron Rodgers, is turning his back on his fellow citizens by going dairy-free. This would be understandable if he found out he was lactose-intolerant, but Rodgers claims that it’s for his health. He’s been advised that it will be beneficial for him and his career to cut cheese altogether from his diet. (Clearly he’s just bitter that last year Wisconsin residents voted that they held cheese in a higher regard than the football player.)

Considering the fact that Wisconsin is heavily reliant on the export of cheese, Rodgers has the state panicking. Stephanie Klett, Wisconsin’s Travel and Tourism secretary, sent Rodgers a cheese basket in an attempt to repair his relationship with dairy.

The next time Wisconsin reaches out with a cheddar basket, they might want to include the truth about cheese:

• Soft cheeses are actually good for your belly and all the organisms inside. Soft cheeses have tons of probiotics and keep your gut healthy.
• Cheese also helps diabetes. Those with the illness can eat most kinds because of the lack of carbs, and this can keep their blood sugar in check.
• A nutritionist for Men’s Health took on the anti-milk debacle and explained why most anti-dairy folks have the wrong idea. Milk helps to build muscles (which I imagine is important to Rodgers).
• Goat cheese is low in calories, and contains protein, calcium and iron. Also, it’s delicious.

Almost anythingcan be unhealthy in excess. Water, the one thing that every doctor says we need more of, can kill you if you drink too much of it. Live a little, Mr. Rodgers, and put some gouda on your sandwich.

Feature Photo Credit: Evantravels | Shutterstock

Becca McGilloway

Becca McGilloway studied Writing, Literature, and Publishing at Emerson College. When she isn't on the hunt for the latest cheese-permeated vegetarian recipe on Pinterest, she's probably binge-watching Gilmore Girls on Netflix.