Researchers at the University of Nottingham and a company called The Good Pulse Company have created a vegan cheese made from yellow split peas. This cheese, called “Cheese from Peas,” has more protein than regular vegan cheese, which is usually made from coconut oil and has less protein. The researchers think that many companies rushed to make vegan products without thinking about the nutrition, but now they are focused on making healthier and more sustainable options. Yellow split peas are naturally high in protein, which makes them a great ingredient for vegan cheese.

To make Cheese from Peas, the researchers grind the peas into flour, which they use to make a powdered cheese mix. This mix is about 90% yellow split peas and is mixed with water and cooked for a certain amount of time. The cheese is then shaped and left to ripen overnight. The researchers are excited about this product because it lets people eat legumes in the form of cheese, which is healthy and nutritious.

Right now, Cheese from Peas has about 4-5% protein, but the researchers are working on changing the recipe to increase the protein to 9-10%. This is still less protein than regular cheddar cheese, which has about 25% protein. However, most mass-produced vegan cheese only has about 0.2% protein. Some homemade and fancy vegan cheeses made from nuts can have around 10% protein, but they aren’t good for people with nut allergies and can be expensive.

The researchers haven’t said exactly how they made the cheese taste like cheese, because they have a patent that is being reviewed. But they did get rid of the “earthy” flavors that yellow split peas usually have, and manufacturers can add different flavors to make it taste more like cheese. The researchers also think that their cheese is better for the environment, because peas and other legumes have a smaller carbon footprint than milk and cheese.

The Good Pulse Company wants to sell the powdered cheese mix to cheese and vegan cheese makers so they can make different kinds of cheese with it. They are looking for a partnership with a dairy or vegan cheese maker in the UK. The researchers got funding from Innovate UK to keep developing their technologies.

Original news source: Could cheese made from peas be a healthy alternative for vegans? (BBC)

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Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– News Summary
Instructions: In pairs, students will read the article and then summarize the main points in their own words. They will take turns sharing their summaries with the class.

– Opinion Poll
Instructions: Students will create a poll with questions related to the article, such as “Do you think vegan cheese made from peas is a good alternative to regular cheese?” They will then survey their classmates and tally the responses. They will share the results and discuss their opinions as a class.

– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Divide the class into teams. Give each team a list of vocabulary words from the article. One student from each team will come to the front of the class and draw a picture to represent one of the words. The team members must guess the word based on the drawing.

– Future Predictions
Instructions: In pairs, students will discuss and make predictions about the future of vegan cheese made from peas. They will use phrases like “I think,” “I believe,” and “I predict” to express their opinions. They will then share their predictions with the class.

– Keyword Hangman
Instructions: Write a keyword from the article on the board, leaving out some of the letters. In teams, students will take turns guessing letters to complete the word. Each correct guess gets them closer to solving the word, and each incorrect guess adds a body part to the hangman. The team that correctly guesses the word first wins.

Comprehension Questions:

1. What is the name of the vegan cheese made from yellow split peas?
2. How does “Cheese from Peas” differ from regular vegan cheese in terms of protein content?
3. Why do the researchers believe many companies rushed to make vegan products without considering nutrition?
4. What is the main ingredient used to make “Cheese from Peas”?
5. How is the powdered cheese mix for “Cheese from Peas” made?
6. Why are the researchers excited about “Cheese from Peas”?
7. How does the protein content of “Cheese from Peas” compare to regular cheddar cheese?
8. Why do the researchers believe their cheese is better for the environment compared to milk and cheese?
Go to answers ⇩

Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

Researchers at the University of Nottingham and a company called The Good Pulse Company have created a (1)______ cheese made from yellow split peas. This cheese, called “Cheese from Peas,” has more protein than regular vegan cheese, which is usually made from coconut oil and has less protein. The (2)______ think that many (3)______ rushed to make vegan products without thinking about the nutrition, but now they are focused on making healthier and more sustainable options. Yellow split peas are naturally high in protein, which makes them a (4)______ ingredient for vegan (5)______.

To make Cheese from Peas, the researchers (6)______ the peas into flour, which they use to make a powdered cheese mix. This mix is about 90% yellow split peas and is mixed with water and cooked for a (7)______ amount of time. The cheese is then shaped and left to ripen overnight. The researchers are excited about this product because it lets people eat legumes in the form of cheese, which is healthy and nutritious.

Right now, Cheese from Peas has about 4-5% protein, but the researchers are working on changing the (8)______ to increase the protein to 9-10%. This is still less protein than regular (9)______ cheese, which has about 25% protein. However, most mass-produced vegan cheese only has about 0.2% protein. Some (10)______ and fancy vegan cheeses made from nuts can have around 10% protein, but they aren’t good for people with nut allergies and can be expensive.

The researchers haven’t said exactly how they made the cheese taste like cheese, because they have a patent that is being reviewed. But they did get rid of the “earthy” (11)______ that (12)______ split peas usually have, and manufacturers can add (13)______ flavors to make it taste more like cheese. The researchers also think that their cheese is (14)______ for the environment, because peas and other legumes have a smaller carbon (15)______ than milk and cheese.

The Good Pulse Company wants to sell the powdered cheese mix to cheese and vegan cheese makers so they can make different kinds of cheese with it. They are looking for a (16)______ with a dairy or vegan cheese maker in the UK. The researchers got funding from Innovate UK to keep developing their technologies.
Go to answers ⇩

Discussion Questions:

Students can ask a partner these questions, or discuss them as a group.

1. What is vegan cheese and how is it different from regular cheese?
2. How would you feel if you found out that the vegan cheese you were eating had less protein than regular cheese?
3. Do you like eating vegan cheese? Why or why not?
4. Do you think it’s important for vegan products to be nutritious? Why or why not?
5. What is a legume? Can you name any other legumes besides yellow split peas?
6. How would you feel if you had a nut allergy and couldn’t eat vegan cheese made from nuts?
7. Do you think it’s a good idea to make cheese from peas? Why or why not?
8. What do you think are the advantages of using yellow split peas to make vegan cheese?
9. How would you feel if you tried Cheese from Peas and it tasted just like regular cheese?
10. Do you think it’s important for vegan cheese to taste like cheese? Why or why not?
11. What do you think about the idea of adding different flavors to the vegan cheese to make it taste more like cheese?
12. How would you feel if you found out that Cheese from Peas is better for the environment than regular cheese?
13. Do you think it’s important for food products to have a smaller carbon footprint? Why or why not?
14. What do you think about the idea of selling the powdered cheese mix to cheese and vegan cheese makers?
15. How would you feel if you could buy Cheese from Peas in your local supermarket?

Individual Activities

Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. vegan
2. protein
3. coconut
4. nutrition
5. ingredient
6. recipe
7. flavors
8. partnership

Meanings:
(a) A type of fruit that is used to make oil
(b) Different tastes that a food can have
(c) The things that your body needs to be healthy
(d) A set of instructions for making a dish
(e) Something that is used to make a food or product
(f) A business agreement between two companies
(g) Someone who doesn’t eat animal products
(h) A nutrient that helps build and repair the body
Go to answers ⇩

Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What is the main ingredient in the vegan cheese called “Cheese from Peas”?
(a) Coconut oil
(b) Nuts
(c) Yellow split peas
(d) Milk

2. Why do the researchers think that many vegan products are not very nutritious?
(a) They are made from coconut oil
(b) They are made from nuts
(c) They have a small carbon footprint
(d) Companies rushed to make them without thinking about the nutrition

3. How do the researchers make the powdered cheese mix for “Cheese from Peas”?
(a) They grind yellow split peas into flour
(b) They mix coconut oil with water
(c) They grind nuts into flour
(d) They mix milk with water

4. What percentage of protein does “Cheese from Peas” currently have?
(a) 25%
(b) 4-5%
(c) 0.2%
(d) 10%

5. Why are some homemade and fancy vegan cheeses not suitable for people with nut allergies?
(a) They have a small carbon footprint
(b) They are made from coconut oil
(c) They are made from nuts
(d) They are made from yellow split peas

6. What did the researchers do to get rid of the “earthy” flavors in “Cheese from Peas”?
(a) They added different flavors to make it taste like cheese
(b) They haven’t said exactly, because they have a patent being reviewed
(c) They mixed it with coconut oil
(d) They mixed it with milk

7. Why do the researchers think their cheese is better for the environment?
(a) Peas and other legumes have a smaller carbon footprint than milk and cheese
(b) It is made from coconut oil
(c) It is made from nuts
(d) It is made from yellow split peas

8. What is The Good Pulse Company looking for?
(a) Funding from Innovate UK
(b) A patent for their cheese recipe
(c) More protein in their cheese recipe
(d) A partnership with a dairy or vegan cheese maker in the UK

Go to answers ⇩

True or False Questions:

1. The researchers believe that many companies carefully considered the nutritional value of vegan products before rushing to make them.
2. Researchers at the University of Nottingham and The Good Pulse Company have created a vegan cheese made from red split peas.
3. The Good Pulse Company is looking for a partnership with a dairy or vegan cheese maker in the UK to sell their powdered cheese mix.
4. The current version of Cheese from Peas has about 4-5% protein, but the researchers are working on increasing it to 9-10%.
5. Yellow split peas are naturally low in protein, making them a poor ingredient for vegan cheese.
6. This vegan cheese, called “Cheese from Peas,” has more protein than regular vegan cheese made from coconut oil.
7. To make Cheese from Peas, the researchers grind the peas into flour and create a powdered cheese mix.
8. The researchers have developed a way to make the cheese taste completely different from cheese, but the details are currently under review for a patent.
Go to answers ⇩

Write a Summary:

Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.

Writing Questions:

Answer the following questions. Write as much as you can for each answer.

1. What is the vegan cheese made from at the University of Nottingham?
2. Why do the researchers think that many companies rushed to make vegan products?
3. How do the researchers make the Cheese from Peas?
4. How does the protein content of Cheese from Peas compare to regular cheddar cheese?
5. Why do the researchers believe their cheese is better for the environment?

Answers

Comprehension Question Answers:

1. The name of the vegan cheese made from yellow split peas is “Cheese from Peas.”
2. “Cheese from Peas” has more protein than regular vegan cheese, which is usually made from coconut oil and has less protein.
3. The researchers believe that many companies rushed to make vegan products without considering nutrition because they were focused on meeting the demand for vegan options, rather than creating healthier and more sustainable options.
4. The main ingredient used to make “Cheese from Peas” is yellow split peas.
5. The powdered cheese mix for “Cheese from Peas” is made by grinding the peas into flour, which is then mixed with water and cooked for a certain amount of time.
6. The researchers are excited about “Cheese from Peas” because it allows people to eat legumes in the form of cheese, which is healthy and nutritious.
7. The protein content of “Cheese from Peas” is about 4-5%, which is less than regular cheddar cheese that has about 25% protein.
8. The researchers believe their cheese is better for the environment compared to milk and cheese because peas and other legumes have a smaller carbon footprint than dairy products.
Go back to questions ⇧

Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) vegan
(2) researchers
(3) companies
(4) great
(5) cheese
(6) grind
(7) certain
(8) recipe
(9) cheddar
(10) homemade
(11) flavors
(12) yellow
(13) different
(14) better
(15) footprint
(16) partnership
Go back to questions ⇧

Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. vegan
Answer: (g) Someone who doesn’t eat animal products

2. protein
Answer: (h) A nutrient that helps build and repair the body

3. coconut
Answer: (a) A type of fruit that is used to make oil

4. nutrition
Answer: (c) The things that your body needs to be healthy

5. ingredient
Answer: (e) Something that is used to make a food or product

6. recipe
Answer: (d) A set of instructions for making a dish

7. flavors
Answer: (b) Different tastes that a food can have

8. partnership
Answer: (f) A business agreement between two companies
Go back to questions ⇧

Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What is the main ingredient in the vegan cheese called “Cheese from Peas”?
Answer: (c) Yellow split peas

2. Why do the researchers think that many vegan products are not very nutritious?
Answer: (d) Companies rushed to make them without thinking about the nutrition

3. How do the researchers make the powdered cheese mix for “Cheese from Peas”?
Answer: (a) They grind yellow split peas into flour

4. What percentage of protein does “Cheese from Peas” currently have?
Answer: (b) 4-5%

5. Why are some homemade and fancy vegan cheeses not suitable for people with nut allergies?
Answer: (c) They are made from nuts

6. What did the researchers do to get rid of the “earthy” flavors in “Cheese from Peas”?
Answer: (b) They haven’t said exactly, because they have a patent being reviewed

7. Why do the researchers think their cheese is better for the environment?
Answer: (a) Peas and other legumes have a smaller carbon footprint than milk and cheese

8. What is The Good Pulse Company looking for?
Answer: (d) A partnership with a dairy or vegan cheese maker in the UK
Go back to questions ⇧

True or False Answers:

1. The researchers believe that many companies carefully considered the nutritional value of vegan products before rushing to make them. (Answer: False)
2. Researchers at the University of Nottingham and The Good Pulse Company have created a vegan cheese made from red split peas. (Answer: False)
3. The Good Pulse Company is looking for a partnership with a dairy or vegan cheese maker in the UK to sell their powdered cheese mix. (Answer: True)
4. The current version of Cheese from Peas has about 4-5% protein, but the researchers are working on increasing it to 9-10%. (Answer: True)
5. Yellow split peas are naturally low in protein, making them a poor ingredient for vegan cheese. (Answer: False)
6. This vegan cheese, called “Cheese from Peas,” has more protein than regular vegan cheese made from coconut oil. (Answer: True)
7. To make Cheese from Peas, the researchers grind the peas into flour and create a powdered cheese mix. (Answer: True)
8. The researchers have developed a way to make the cheese taste completely different from cheese, but the details are currently under review for a patent. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧