Cheese: A Longer, Tastier Life

Cheese is a staple in many diets. It's melted on pizzas, sprinkled on pastas, and enjoyed as a snack. But what happens when you take cheese out of the equation? Is it possible to live a life without cheese?

For some, the idea of giving up cheese seems daunting, if not impossible. Cheese is comforting, tasty, and versatile. It can be challenging to imagine favourite dishes like macaroni, lasagna, or pizza without it. However, there are several reasons why someone might consider cutting cheese out of their diet.

One reason is health. Cheese is high in fat, particularly saturated fat, which has been linked to an increased risk of heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. Additionally, many people are lactose intolerant or have a dairy allergy, making cheese a problematic food.

Another reason to consider a life without cheese is the impact of dairy production on the environment. Dairy farming requires a significant amount of water and contributes to greenhouse gas emissions, climate change, and the loss of ecologically important areas.

Finally, there are ethical concerns surrounding the dairy industry, including the treatment of cows, who are kept perpetually pregnant and separated from their calves, and the use of rennet, which is extracted from the stomachs of slaughtered calves.

So, what's life without cheese like? It can be challenging at first, especially for those who are used to eating it regularly. However, there are now many plant-based alternatives that can take the place of cheese in meals. These alternatives are constantly improving, and there are also many recipes available for making vegan cheese at home. While it may take some time to adjust, it is possible to live a fulfilling and delicious life without cheese.

Cheese is one of the main suppliers of calcium

Cheese is indeed one of the main suppliers of calcium, especially if you don't drink milk or eat enough calcium-rich foods like spinach, sesame seeds, or collard greens. Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the body and is essential for strong bones and teeth, which we need to function well throughout our lives. It also contributes to muscle, nerve, and hormone health.

The amount of calcium in cheese varies depending on the brand, weight, and cheesemaking process, but hard cheeses like Parmesan, cheddar, Swiss, Edam, gouda, Gruyere, or blue cheese tend to pack the most calcium because they have less water content. According to Osteoporosis Canada, a 3 cm cube of these hard cheeses has 245 mg of calcium, which is nearly a quarter of the recommended daily intake.

Other calcium-rich cheeses include mozzarella, cottage cheese, goat cheese, ricotta, mascarpone, and Camembert. While soft cheeses like Brie and Camembert have about 50% less calcium than hard cheeses, they still provide a good source of calcium. Low-fat and fat-free cheeses are also sources of calcium, just in less concentrated amounts.

In addition to cheese, other dairy products like milk and yogurt are also excellent sources of calcium. For those who don't consume dairy, there are plenty of plant-based sources of calcium, including vegetables, legumes, seeds, nuts, and fruits.

Cheese is extremely high in fats

Cheese is extremely high in fat. In fact, around 23% of the average American's daily intake of saturated fats comes from cheese. Eating too much saturated fat increases your risk of high LDL cholesterol, high blood pressure, and heart disease.

The fat content of cheese varies depending on the type of milk used and the cheese-making process. For example, the fat content of cheddar cheese can range from 33% to 45% of calories.

Full-fat dairy foods, including cheese, contain a high amount of saturated fat and some cholesterol. Milk fat is about 70% saturated fat, 25% monounsaturated, and 5% polyunsaturated. Because a high intake of saturated fat can increase LDL cholesterol levels, and because cheese is often high in sodium, it is generally recommended to eat cheese in limited amounts as its components may exert a negative health effect.

However, there is ongoing debate about the impact of cheese on health. Some studies suggest that full-fat dairy may lower the risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. It is suggested that perhaps specific nutrients in cheese, such as calcium and conjugated linoleic acid, may be protective of the heart. Additionally, the types of saturated fatty acids in cheese may have a different effect on the heart than other types, such as those found in red meat.

Ultimately, while cheese can be a part of a healthy, well-balanced diet, it is important to pay attention to how much cheese you are eating and choose lower-fat options when possible.

Cheese is addictive

It's hard to imagine life without cheese. Whether it's a gooey topping on a hamburger, a sprinkle on a salad, or melted on nachos, cheese is everywhere. But is there a nefarious reason why cheese has become a staple in many of our diets? Could there be a problem with our obsession with cheese? In other words, is cheese addictive?

Cheese Addiction: Is It Real?

Some articles claim that cheese is addictive. And it certainly feels like it too. After all, who can resist the offer of extra cheese? Cheese makes everything tastier—even things that already taste good. But "addiction" is a serious word that shouldn't be taken lightly.

The American Society of Addiction Medicine defines addiction as a medical condition involving complex interactions between your brain, body, environment, and even your genetics. Addiction manifests as a compulsive behaviour that a person finds hard to resist despite knowing its harmful consequences. There are also often symptoms of withdrawal when discontinuing an addictive behaviour.

So, can eating cheese become an addiction?

The Science Behind Cheese Addiction

No, there is no scientific evidence that cheese is addictive or that it significantly affects the brain similarly to drugs or alcohol. That said, eating cheese can affect your brain's reward centre, which may cause you to crave it from time to time. But food cravings aren't the same as addictions.

The narrative of cheese being addictive seems to have started with a 2015 study that investigated whether certain foods are associated with "addictive-like" eating behaviours. Cheese was one of the foods examined in this study. Participants were asked to self-report on their "addictive-like" eating behaviours and to make decisions about how "problematic" they found certain foods. In short, they had to answer whether they found it "troublesome to cut down on the food or lost control over how much of the food" they ate.

The study found that not all foods are associated with self-reported "addictive-like" eating behaviours. Unsurprisingly, highly processed foods (like french fries and cookies) were most frequently reported as problematic, while less processed foods (like cucumbers and beans) weren't.

Where did cheese fall on this list of problematic foods?

The data was sliced a few different ways, but cheese itself was reported to be less problematic than chocolate, ice cream, fries, pizza, cookies, chips, cake, cheeseburgers, popcorn, muffins, breakfast cereals, gummy candy, fried chicken, rolls, and soda.

The Chemistry of Cheese

While the 2015 study might be the origin of the cheese-is-addictive confusion, the study didn't actually suggest that cheese itself is addictive. Cheese contains casein, a dairy protein that releases casomorphins, which are plant compounds that trigger dopamine production in your brain. This makes cheese mildly addictive.

When you digest casein, your body breaks it down into smaller compounds called casomorphins. Casomorphins can cross the blood-brain barrier and attach to dopamine receptors in your brain. This causes your brain to release dopamine, a neurotransmitter related to feelings of pleasure and reward.

Casomorphins are thought to have an important evolutionary purpose in mammals by promoting the strong bond between mother and baby and ensuring that infants keep drinking their mother's nutrient-rich milk. Essentially, the more casomorphins your brain is exposed to, the more pleasure you experience. This may lead you to crave foods like cheese.

Final Thoughts

While cheese may contain compounds with mildly addictive and pleasure-inducing properties, it doesn't threaten your health. In fact, this ubiquitous dairy product is linked to numerous benefits due to its healthy fats, protein, and calcium. Certain high-fat types of cheese also contain conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), which may lower inflammation and promote heart health.

However, certain individuals may want to avoid this dairy product. Most cheese harbours lactose, a milk sugar that some people cannot tolerate. Its saturated fat and salt content may also cause problems for people sensitive to dietary fat or those who have high blood pressure.

Cheese is bad for the environment

It takes a lot of milk to make a little cheese

Cheese is a dairy product, and dairy comes from milk produced by cows. Cows release methane, a greenhouse gas that is significantly worse than carbon dioxide. Cows also require a lot of feed and antibiotics.

The American diet includes a lot of dairy

Dairy is a staple in the American diet, and Americans eat a lot of it. According to one source, the average American eats more than 33 pounds of cheese a year. This is a problem because, as mentioned, the production of dairy has a harmful impact on the environment.

Dairy has a high rate of waste

Dairy has a high rate of waste, especially at the consumer level. This means that a lot of the dairy we produce ends up going bad and being thrown out, which is not only wasteful but also contributes to environmental harm.

Dairy production is increasing

The emissions of the dairy industry are increasing, and this is a problem because we are trying to reduce emissions to combat climate change. According to one analysis, the overall emissions of the dairy industry increased by 11% between 2015 and 2017, while milk production only increased by 8%.

Soft cheeses are better for the environment than hard cheeses

The production of soft cheeses requires less heat and time, making them slightly more environmentally friendly than hard cheeses. Additionally, soft cheeses tend to be younger and therefore require less electricity to keep them cool during the aging process.

There are many plant-based alternatives to cheese

The good news for anyone considering a life without cheese is that there are plenty of plant-based alternatives to choose from. Whether you're looking for a vegan option for a grilled cheese sandwich, a pizza topping, or something to sprinkle over a salad, there's a dairy-free cheese for you.

Vegan cheeses are usually made from nuts and seeds, like cashews, almonds, and walnuts, plus a combination of spices, herbs, and nutritional yeast. Some vegan cheeses are also made with aquafaba (the liquid inside canned chickpeas) and tofu.

In terms of health, vegan cheese is generally considered better for you than dairy cheese as it’s lower in saturated fat and often has added vitamin B12, which contributes to a healthy nervous system. However, do watch out for a higher sodium content and it doesn’t contain the same amount of protein as regular dairy cheese.

Violife, Sheese, Green Vie, Nush, and Daiya are some popular brands offering vegan cheese.

• Vegan Parmesan Cheese: Nutritional yeast flakes, ground cashew nuts, and a pinch of salt.
• Vegan Mozzarella Cheese: Tapioca starch, lactic acid, nutritional yeast flakes, and carrageenan.
• Vegan Cottage Cheese: Silken tofu, cashews, and almond milk.
• Vegan Feta Cheese: Almonds, garlic, and nutritional yeast.
• Vegan Cream Cheese: Plant-based yogurt and plant-based milk.
• Vegan Roquefort Cheese: Cashew nuts and penicillium roqueforti.

Frequently asked questions