Americans consumed 5.3 billion pounds of cheese in 2021 so we know that it is a popular food in the U.S., but like any food, eating too much of it could have some detrimental effects. Some varieties of cheese are high in fat and sodium content and the national program director of Whole Foods’ nonprofit Whole Cities Foundation, Dr. Akua Woolbright, Ph.D., recommends limiting cheese intake for a healthy diet. She says that hard cheeses like feta, Swiss, or Parmesan may be the way to go and even says that you may want to replace whole milk cheeses with reduced-fat or low-fat substitutes. If you decide to give up cheese altogether, here are 8 surprising side effects that you could benefit from.
- Skin tone and texture may improve – dairy products can lead to excess oil production and studies show that insulin levels can rise with dairy consumption which could lead to acne because of the hormones produced.
- You may experience less bloating – Trista Best, MPHJ, RD, LD at Balance One Supplements says that dairy and cheeses in particular lack adequate amounts of lactase, and GI upset and bloating can occur with certain cheeses.
- You could have fewer headaches and migraines – some cheeses contain tyramine which is an amino acid that is linked to headaches and migraines. The cheeses that contain the highest amount include Parmesan, Swiss, blue cheeses, and Camembert and you may want to avoid these.
- You could lower your cholesterol and risk of heart disease – since cheese is high in saturated fat it could lead to an increase in the bad or LDL cholesterol. High LDL levels can lead to a buildup of fatty deposits in your arteries, a risk factor for stroke and heart disease.
- You may lose weight – since some cheeses are high in sugar, fat, and calories a side effect of limiting cheese intake could directly lead to weight loss. If you don’t want to give up cheese entirely go for fat-free or low-fat varieties.
- You may lower your risk of cancer – cheese contains casein which is a milk protein that has been shown to increase growth rates of certain types of tumors including prostate cancer and potentially breast cancer.
- You might reduce inflammation in your body – since cheese and dairy have additives, preservatives, and hormones if you take cheese out of your diet completely or opt for ones with the fewest number of ingredients you could benefit from reduced inflammation.
- You may live a lifestyle that is more eco-friendly – it takes three times as much water to produce dairy milk versus plant-based milk and Dana Ellis Hunnes Ph.D., MPH, RD, senior dietitian at UCLA Fielding School of Public Health says “It requires a lot of land to produce enough milk to make a pound of cheese, it requires thousands of gallons of water to produce a pound of cheese, and it emits a lot of methane from cows themselves.” So if you are eco-conscious you may want to think about consuming less or even no cheese at all.
Source: EatThis,NotThat!
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