5 good reasons you might consider cutting the cheese out of your regular diet:
1. Cheese can Contain Bacteria Transferred from the Cows It Comes From
Although it can be a little weird to think about, cheese is a byproduct of cows. Made from cow’s milk, cheese can contain anything stuff that the cow it came from had in its system –including synthetic hormones and bacteria.
It has long been suspected that synthetic hormones and bacteria transferred from cows to humans contribute to health problems, including memory and mood problems along with infections. Further, because cheese is made from milk that has not always been pasteurized, it may contain more bacteria than other cow products. For instance, it may harbor puss from a cow’s bladder infection.
2. Cheese is Really, Really Fattening
To many people, cheese seems like a healthy food. People on diets often eat cheese as a “light” snack to get the dairy in for the day. Unfortunately, cheese wrecks diets. Full of saturated fat, cheese instigates weight gain. The body also tends to digest cheese in such a way that it turns into stubborn, hard to lose fat.
Apart from causing weight gain, saturated fat is also known for wreaking havoc in the cardiovascular system. It can significantly influence cholesterol levels as well, which can be a bad for a person’s health.
When choosing to eat cheese, it is best to consider the fat content of each type and select accordingly. Mozzarella cheese, for example, only contains about 6 grams of fat per serving. Cheeses like Brie and Sharp Cheddar tend to contain more like 9 grams of fat.
3. Cheese is Very Salty
Another nutrient cheeses are often full of is sodium. Though necessary to the body, sodium is often consumed in excess. Regular consumption of cheese can increase the amount of sodium a person eats drastically. Unfortunately, the excess sodium can cause several health issues, including:
- High Blood Pressure
- Diabetes
- Kidney Disease
- Weak Bones
- Stiff Blood Vessels
- Stroke and Heart Attack
4. Cheese Can Contribute to Cardiovascular Issues
As a result of the high-fat nature of many kinds of cheese, eating cheese regularly can significantly contribute to obesity and thus to cardiovascular issues. Add in the amount of sodium that most cheeses contain and it’s clear that cheese can really be terrible for heart health.
By affecting the cholesterol levels and a person’s weight, cheese consumption can also put people at higher risk of heart disease. Regular consumers of cheese may also be at higher risk of diabetes and other similar issues. Since high sodium levels and saturated fat put people at greater risk of heart attack, cheese can increase a person’s risk significantly.
5. Cheese Can Ruin Your Diet
On top of being really fattening, cheese can be a complete diet-wrecker because it is commonly paired with other carbohydrate-rich foods. Generally served with bread, crackers, and other “heavy” carb dishes, cheese often contributes to packing on the pounds. Think about it –one slice of pizza with an average amount of cheese can be 2/3 of a person’s daily recommended saturated fat limit. Considering the fat in cheese is also a “bad” fat that tends to stick around, it really isn’t surprising that cheese contributes so much to the obesity epidemic.
