According to researchers, cheese is just as addictive as heroin. So, if you are a cheese lover, beware as you might actually be addicted to your favorite food. And while eating cheese in moderation is fine, getting to much of the dairy product can actually be bad for your health.
Here is the reason why cheese is so addictive, the side effects of eating too much cheese, and some tips for quitting cheese if you are addicted.
The Addictive Power of Cheese
According to researchers at the University of Michigan, cheese has some addictive properties. The most addictive part of cheese is the protein casein. Casein creates casomorphins in the body which then attach to the opiate sensors in your brain. This creates a calming effect that is much like that imparted by the drugs morphine and heroin.
Worst of all, cheese contains little to no liquid, which in turn makes it a concentrated form of casein. Another factor in its favor as an addictive substance is that cheese is actually good for you in the proper quantities. Unfortunately, over eating cheese can lead to some serious side effects.
How Much Cheese Should You Eat
When consuming cheese, you need to keep some guidelines in mind. According to the National Institutes of Health, the recommended daily allowance of cheese is about 1.4 ounces, or about the amount of cheese you can find on one slice of pizza. While this is not a whole lot of cheese, the repercussions for eating too much cheese can be life altering and even deadly in some cases.
The Side Effects of Eating Too Much Cheese
First off, eating too much cheese increases a kid’s predisposition to get type 1 diabetes. This includes milk, cheese, and dairy in general. In fact, ingesting cow’s milk as an infant can cause colic. Young children should also avoid high amounts of cheese, and should be fed a well-rounded diet.
Cheese also contains lactose. The problem with lactose is that some people have a problem digesting it, leading to Leaky gut syndrome, autoimmune disorders, and other gastrointestinal problems. Consuming too much dairy can also make the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome worse and can curtail healing from Crohn’s Disease.
Heart disease is another side effect of consuming too much dairy. This is because of the high amount of dairy that cheese and other dairy products contain. In order to cut down on the risk of developing heart disease, cheese lovers should limit their consumption of dairy and try to eat more foods with omega-3 fats.
How to Quit Your Cheeses Addiction
Once you decide to quit eating cheese, or at least cut back on the amount you consume, you have to find the best way to do so. Quitting cold turkey is one option, though many cheese lovers might find this difficult to do. Keep in mind that the longer you go without it, the less you should crave cheese.
You can also try an alternative to cheese. This includes vegan cheeses which melt, taste, and satisfy your hunger for cheese just like the real thing. Some of the good things about vegan cheese are that many are low in fat and calcium, and are gluten-free.
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If you still are having problems getting away from cheese, you can also look for varieties of cheese that have low casein content. This can provide you with a middle ground where you can still eat the cheese you love, but find it easier to quit over time due to the decreased amounts of the addictive casein.
