Be honest, how much cheese do you eat a day? For a lot of people, cheese is their vice! You get them within reach of an appetizer tray and it’s bad news for anyone else who wants some. I get it, cheese can be delicious, but too much can do a lot of harm to your health! Let’s talk today about signs that you need to cut back on the cheese…
Are you bloated? Are you rushing to the bathroom? Has your heart been acting up? We’re talking about all this AND more, so stay tuned!
Your heart is acting strange.
admin | Most people don’t associate cheese with heart disease, but that doesn’t make it any less real. Cheese can do a lot of harm to your heart. This is if you’re eating too much of it.
You realize there’s a lot of salt in cheese, right? How much salt? Well, it all depends on the type you’re eating. Let’s take a look at what might be the most popular type of cheese in the North American diet, cheddar! Just a regular slice of cheddar cheese holds 174 mg of sodium. That’s almost 10% of your daily value! Just think about the salt you’re getting if you have a cheeseburger or something else that packs on the calories.
Now, we all need a bit of salt in our bodies, but too much can cause your blood pressure to skyrocket. This is exactly what cheese can do if you don’t learn to control your craving. Over time, your arteries will clog, forcing your heart to work much harder to pump blood. This leads to heart disease, increasing your risk of heart attack and stroke.
We’re not telling you to stop eating cheese, but if you feel like you’re experiencing symptoms, you should definitely cut back.
You’re gaining weight.
admin | I know what you’re probably thinking, “cheese can make me gain weight?” Yes it can, and in a big way.
Because cheese is dairy, most people see it as being automatically healthy for them. It also holds a lot of protein which people assume will help them with their fitness. This is one of the reasons people put cheese on things like sandwiches, burgers and crackers. While it can carry health benefits, cheese only works if you’re eating it in moderation.
You see, cheese is high in calories. Depending on the type, you’re usually getting about 100 calories per ounce. Yet, some people will sit and scarf down piece after piece without really thinking about it.
On top of the calories, cheese also carries a lot of saturated fats. If you’re eating cheese as a snack every day, this fat will accumulate, causing you to pack on the pounds. Cheese can also cause you to retain water, which we’ll be talking more about in a minute.
If you’re trying to get in shape, you’ll want to cut your cheese intake in half. Try having it only a couple times a week. You’ll notice a huge difference the next time you step on the scale.
You’re getting dehydrated.
admin | This may be another surprising one to most of you. Cheese can leave your body very thirsty. Remember, cheese has a ton of sodium. It’s recommended that you have between 1000 to 1500 mg of sodium per day. If you’re addicted to cheese, you’ll be dehydrated before you know it.
Dehydration happens when your body loses more fluid than it takes in. If your body doesn’t have enough fluids, it’s not going to be able to function properly. Sure, we need a certain amount of sodium, but too much sodium will mess with your kidneys, making you dehydrated.
If cheese is enough to make you dehydrated, just think about how dehydrated you’ll be if you’re eating it with other salty foods. Things like cheeseburgers and nachos are salty enough to leave your body feeling dry like a desert.
There are several different symptoms of dehydration to watch out for. Aside from the usual thirstiness, you’ll also feel really exhausted. Depending on the level of dehydration, the fatigue can lead you to a full on collapse. On top of that, other symptoms include dizziness, confusion, dry mouth, and yellow pee.
You’re getting really gassy.
admin | It’s not like the term “cut the cheese” came out of nowhere. Some people’s bodies don’t respond well to cheese. “What? How could somebody not like cheese?” Well, it’s not that they don’t like it. It’s that their bodies don’t. This is called lactose intolerance.
Lactose is a sugar found in milk products. When your body is unable to break down this sugar, the effects of lactose intolerance will set in. Rather than being absorbed like other foods, the cheese will drop straight to your colon. This will result in you getting really gassy.
In the case of gas, the undigested lactose will combine with bacteria in your colon. In a matter of minutes, you’ll be clearing the room out. If you find that you’re having gas immediately after eating cheese, this might be a sign that your body can’t handle it.
Now, with lactose intolerance, you can still eat cheese. You just have to stick to certain types. You’ll want to go for the kinds that are lower in lactose. Swiss, parmesan and cheddar are good examples of this.
You’re feeling bloated and gross.
admin | This is another result brought on by lactose intolerance. If your body can’t handle the lactose, it will cause your intestines to flare up. This will have you walking around feeling like you’re about to pop.
Anyone who’s experienced bloating will know how uncomfortable it is. If the cheese you’re eating is making you feel this way, you’re going to want to either cut it out entirely, or find a safer type to snack on.
You’re rushing to the bathroom.
admin | On top of the bloating and the gas, cheese can have you racing to the nearest toilet. This is just one more of many things lactose intolerance can cause.
While we’re still on the subject, there’s something I forgot to mention, lactase. This is the enzyme that helps to break down the lactose once you eat the dairy. It’s produced in the small intestine. The problem here is that some people’s intestines don’t produce enough lactase naturally. This leaves the lactose free to go crazy once it’s entered your digestive system.
This is where diarrhea sets in. As for how long it lasts, well, it all depends on the severity of your lactose intolerance. It can last one visit to the bathroom or several. Now a lot of things can give you diarrhea. Heck, drinking too much water can loosen up your bowels. But, if you notice this is happening shortly after eating cheese, you’re going to want to stop having so much.
You’re retaining more water than usual.
admin | Remember how cheese can make you dehydrated? Well, it can sometimes have the exact opposite effect. If you’re eating cheese that’s high in sodium, like halloumi (huh-loo-mee), your body may hold on to water instead of retaining it. In some cases, it’s not even the cheese responsible for this. You may just be sensitive to salt.
You’ll know your body is retaining water from several signs. For one, your face will be all puffy when you look in the mirror. It’s the puffiest in the early morning. Certain parts of your body will also swell up, including your hands, feet and ankles. This means your body is desperately trying to hold on to the water it has. You’ll also feel tightness around your fingers and joints.
Another sign of water retention you should look out for is weight gain. This increase in weight will be sudden, with your weight fluctuating shortly after. On top of that, your skin acts funny when you’re retaining water. If you poke it, you’ll notice a tiny dent that will stay there for a few seconds.
You’re getting physically ill.
admin | This perhaps the most serious repercussion to eating cheese. Even if you don’t suffer from lactose intolerance, you can still get sick from cheese. You can have the strongest immune system around, and it still wouldn’t protect you from E. coli or salmonella.
Before you head to your fridge and start throwing all your dairy out, stay calm. This doesn’t just happen with any type of cheese. Cheese that comes from unpasteurized milk can be contaminated with bad bacteria, which will absolutely wreck your insides. This brings on things like vomiting, and you guessed it, diarrhea!
Let me take a second to explain pasteurization. Most of our dairy goes through this process, yet not everybody knows how important it is. Pasteurization is a part of the production process, where the milk is heated to a certain temperature in order to kill off harmful microbes. The temperature usually goes up to about 160 degrees Fahrenheit. The heating usually lasts for about 15 seconds, followed by a rapid cooling process that brings it down to the cool temperatures we enjoy.
Dairy that doesn’t go through this process is known as unpasteurized or “raw”. This is what carries the harmful bacteria that makes you sick. Outside of the usual salmonella and E. Coli, there’s something called listeria, which is an infection caused by the germs of contaminated food. Listeria particularly affects pregnant women, babies and older adults. Anyone with a weak immune system is also vulnerable.
The next time you’re at the grocery store, look for the label on the side of dairy products that says “pasteurized”. That way, you’ll know it’s safe.
