Just to clarify. Kraft singles are healthier than "real" cheese. Milk consists of fat, sugar (lactose), whey protein and casein protein. Traditionally, pastoral peoples have mostly been interested in the fat, which is hard to find in nature, whereas protein and carbs are readily available. The whey, which is the healthiest part of the milk, was usually fed to the dogs. The casein, which causes constipation and other problems, was kept because it makes the cheese solid. The lactose, which many people can't digest, is used by the bacteria that makes cheese.

Kraft singles use extra whey protein, the healthy part of milk, to keep costs down. Protein powders also use whey protein, partly to save money and partly because it is healthier than casein. To replace the casein, Kraft singles use gummy vegetable substances, guar (from the locust bean) and caraageen (from seaweed). Many yogurts also use these vegetable substances to make them more solid. Kraft singles also include plain and skim milk, so they have more lactose than real cheese, and that is why I qualified by saying "if you can DIGEST". Most people of northern European ancestry can digest lactose as adults, at least in small quantities.

Bottom line, Kraft singles have more and higher quality protein than real cheese, more carbs (which is good when you are exercising heavily), less fat. Kraft singles and similar store brand processed cheese products are NOT petroleum based. There are some ultra-cheap store brand processed cheese products which are based on soybean oil--these taste horrible and are probably unhealthy as well. Read the labels.

If you are lactose-intolerant or want extra fat in your diet, then real cheese is better than Kraft singles.