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According to experts, there are 7 incredible side effects to giving up cheese.

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By ShashiniPublished 2 years ago 5 min read
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You're not the only one who enjoys cheese. According to studies, each American consumes up to 40 pounds of cheese per year on average. This, on the other hand, should be expected. Cheese appears to be everywhere, whether it's stuffed into sandwiches, melted over pizza, or piled high on charcuterie boards. While cheese is unquestionably delectable, it does have some drawbacks and unforeseen health consequences.

To begin with, many varieties are high in calories, fat, and sodium, all of which are harmful to your physical health. Others contain high levels of tyramine, a known migraine and headache cause. And, while the evidence linking cheese consumption to chronic diseases is mixed, it's still crucial to keep track of how much of this dairy product you're consuming on a regular basis if you're having difficulties that aren't clearly caused by something else.

Dr. Akua Woolbright, the national nutrition program director of Whole Foods' non-profit Whole Cities Foundation, recommends limiting cheese consumption to 1-ounce hard cheese meals or 12-cup soft cheese servings at a time due to its sodium and fat levels. "One way to do this is to get kinds with stronger flavors," she explains, "so you can add more flavor to your cuisine with smaller amounts." Parmesan, feta, and Swiss are three wonderful hard cheeses to try. "You can go it even farther by substituting low-fat or reduced-fat cheeses for whole milk cheeses. Also, feta and hard cheeses should be avoided if you want to cut down on sodium."

If you're thinking about cutting back on cheese or giving it up entirely, take a look at the list below for some of the advantages you might reap. Giving up cheese can have some fantastic advantages on both the body and the mind, from enhanced skin tone to less headaches.

1 Your skin tone and texture may improve

Lowering your cheese and dairy intake may improve the tone and texture of your skin. This is due to the fact that dairy products have been related to an increase in oil production. "Reducing cheese consumption may assist to improve skin tone because cheese may lead to excessive sebum production, which can cause breakouts or clogged pores," explains Dr. Mya Bellinger, an internal medicine specialist.

2 You may experience fewer headaches and migraines

If you suffer from migraines frequently, a high-cheese and dairy diet could be to blame. "Reducing cheese consumption may help to alleviate headaches and migraines caused by the effects of tyramine present in cheese," Bellinger adds. Tyramine is a naturally occurring chemical that can be found in both plants and animals. High levels of tyramine in the body, according to study, can cause headaches and migraines in people.

3 You may lose weight

Excessive cheese consumption can also sabotage whatever weight-loss goals you may have. "Reducing your cheese intake may help you lose weight," Bellinger explains. This is because cheese contains a lot of sugar, fat, and calories. One 100-gram serving of cheddar, for example, may contain up to 33 grams of fat. Cutting back on cheese or switching to low-fat or fat-free alternatives may help.

4 You may lessen your risk of cancer

Cheese, and dairy in general, should be consumed in moderation to reduce cancer risk. This is due to the fact that consuming less cheese reduces your intake of casein, a protein found in milk that has been linked to disease.

"Casein has been shown to increase tumor-growth rates for certain types of tumors, such as prostate cancer and possibly breast cancer," says Dana Ellis Hunnes PhD, MPH, RD, a senior dietitian at UCLA Medical Center, assistant professor at UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, and author of the new book Recipe for Survival published by Cambridge University Press (2022). "We might enhance that risk by eating a lot of cheese, which is predominantly created with the casein portion."

5 You'll be living more eco-friendly

Eating less cheese may not only be good for your health, but it may also be good for Mother Nature. "Milk production in general necessitates a lot of water," Hunnes points out. She claims that producing dairy milk uses three times the amount of water as producing plant-based milk.

"From an environmental standpoint, cheese is an extremely resource-intensive product," Hunnes explains. "It takes a lot of land to produce enough milk to make a pound of cheese, thousands of gallons of water to make a pound of cheese, and the cows themselves emit a lot of methane."

6 You may lower inflammation in your body

Cheese and dairy, according to Bess Berger, RDN, CDN, owner of Nutrition by Bess, include a lot of chemicals, preservatives, and hormones, which can induce inflammation in the body. "As a PCOS nutritionist, I've seen women who eliminate dairy report a reduction in headaches and other inflammatory responses," Berger adds. "Unfortunately, the quality of dairy products is much lower and more manipulated today than it was even twenty years ago—this impacts a lot of us, and I see it all the time with women," says the author.

If you insist on eating cheese, Hunnes suggests selecting varieties with less additives. "Less-processed cheeses are healthier than others," Hunnes suggests. "If you're going to eat cheese, choose one with the fewest ingredients possible and from a humanely raised farm if at all possible."

7 You may experience less bloating

If you have digestive problems and experience a lot of bloating, cutting down or restricting cheese and dairy may help. "Dairy can induce stomach distress and bloating for many people," explains Trista Best, a Registered Dietitian at Balance One Supplements, an environmental health specialist, and an adjunct nutrition professor.

"Those with insufficient quantities of lactase, the enzyme that digests milk sugar, are said to be lactose intolerant and have significant GI discomfort and bloating after consuming dairy," says Best. If you suspect this is the case, try dairy-free cheese.

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