Why do some people on here say that cheese is unhealthy???

It_never_ends

Real cheese is fine in moderation. You don't want to eat a pound a day but who does that?

sathor

eferring to Kraft American sli

woah, how DARE you call that cheese? That is like calling 'white chocolate' chocolate. (illegal actually on that latter!)
(I actually hate white chocolate, and it isn't that much more to get sliced cheese from the store compared to the prewrapped oil crap that Kraft makes.)

MariaMariaM

I don't know. I eat cheese every day and not just light cheese. Any type of cheese. I love cheese and would never give it up.
It didn't stop me from losing weight and getting body definition.

dancecentral

I blame cheddar in part for my weight gain.. I thought of it as healthy but didn't realize I was eating hundreds of extra calories.. now I try limit it to 1 or 2 oz.

capriciousmoon

I consider it to be just as healthy as vodka. Get the good stuff, enjoy it responsibly, and move on with your life.

It's not a food that is required to maintain health, but it can help out people that need to add in more calorie dense foods and are unable to eat nuts and seeds.

chinaroad

Cheese has fat in it...you can't lose weight if you eat food with fat in it!!!


BTW not my personal opinion lol

Really?!? Pretty sure I've eaten some fat today, and I'm still losing weight.

xiala

I won't touch Kraft Singles because it's not real cheese... it's "cheese food" (whatever that is).
I like a nice slice of provolone once in a while. I also like to sprinkle mozzarella on my salad once in a while.
I'll have a nice slice of real American cheese (from the deli) in a grilled cheese sandwich once in a blue moon, too.
Cheese is good but don't overdue it, that's all.

Try spreading a wedge of Laughing Cow cheese on your sandwich instead of cheese slices. It's only 30 calories and it's plenty!

Josette89

It is alright in moderation, just like anything else. But biologically, our bodies cannot digest cheese very well. It eventually causes problems in the system. Hence, Lactose Intolerance. My bf and my sis used to love cheese so much, now they eat it and it just makes them sick. I'll eat shredded Mozzarella or Cheddar once in a while, but I would never eat it by the block like they used to. :P

Christine1110

I eat cheese...I try to keep my fat low. It's not a problem since I don't eat processed foods. I don't even but pre shredded cheese. It has starch I don't need. I shred my own. I think it's fine as long as you go easy on it. I don't eat tons of it.

MNguerita

Dunno, but I for one will never give up cheese completely! Cheese, cheese, cheesy cheese!

SPNLuver83

Because they have an unhealthy relationship with food. I love cheese and all its glory ;p

KristelRondeau

I have read that all dairy is unhealthy mainly because after the age of i think 2 we lose the digestive enzymes in our throat to break down the dairy before it hits our stomach. If that doesn't occur then our body can't properly digest it and then it is bad ( one reason why so many people are lactose intolerant)

i still eat it though, it's one of my favorite things!!

shaynak112

I find that cheese is unhealthy. It is VERY high calorie. I have almost completely cut cheese out of my diet and I'm really pleased with that. I also avoid dairy (milk, etc.). Cheese is more "calorie dense" than milk.
If you want to lose weight, it's pretty smart to not eat cheese.

Sure, cheese in moderation is OK (to some degree).

And of course processed cheese and stuff is worse. My parents always got cheese at the Bright Cheese Factory, I doubt most people have heard of that cuz it's in the middle of no where, but it's supposed to be really good quality food. Still - high calorie!

So yes, in conclusion, cheese is VERY unhealthy.

Robin_Bin

http://www.chacha.com/question/does-dairy-slow-down-your-metabolism

This looks like a very reliable source...feel free to use it as a reference :bigsmile:

What makes you think that a source called chacha is reputable? I don't know... I also don't know about this site: http://www.nutralegacy.com/blog/general-healthcare/top-10-delicious-foods-that-speed-up-metabolism/ that lists cheese as one of the top 10 foods to speed up your metabolism. Let's find a site that actually tested the claims rather than just repeating what "I heard somewhere...."

mamatafari

Cheese, well dairy, is not good for your system. It causes a lot of constipation, which in turn can lead to rectal cancer in men. Cow's have 4 (?) stomachs vs our 1, which itself shows us that we cannot digest cow's milk like a calf (who the milk is meant for). Human milk for human babies, animal milk is for animal babies..
The calcium that is found in animal milk actually gets depleted when consumed by a human (due to the acidity inthe dairy products which the body fights, so the calcium gets peed out instead of being absorbed into bones. "Consumption of dairy products, particularly at age 20 years, was associated with an increased risk of hip fracture in old age. (“Case-Control Study of Risk Factors for Hip Fractures in the Elderly”. American Journal of Epidemiology. Vol. 139, No. 5, 1994).

Looking for replacement for milk? Almond, oat, hemp, hazelnut etc.
Looking for excellent sources of calcium that will not harm you, but will actually boost your health?
-collard greens, blackstrap molasses, kale, turnip greens, tempeh, soybeans, okra, bok choy, mustard greens, tahini, brocoli, almonds..
Note, none of this will make you unhealthy!!

miracle4me

I've read a couple of comments recently on here that have flat out said cheese is a "naughty" food and "unhealthy". I understand the argument for American cheese since it's processed, but fresh cheese is considered unhealthy? Enlighten me, because outside of it being a calorie dense food (as are nuts, but people don't consider that unhealthy), I don't see the problem.

The only reason I'm even questioning it is because when I saw those comments, no one disputed their claim so it has me wondering if my thought process towards cheese is incorrect.

Edit: I'm not referring to people on a low fat diet. I understand their reason for not wanting cheese. I'm referring to people who eat a moderate or high level of fat.

I don't understand it either. To be honest, I've read so much different stuff about low fat vs. high fat vs. low carbs vs. no carbs vs... all these other things. My head is SO confused with all of this conflicting information.

I've been stuck at the same weight for quite some time now. I look back at when I was losing lots of weight and I usually had a CHEESE quesadilla for dinner every night (though within my calorie goal). I'm almost about to start doing this for dinner again, since it seems like it worked back then!

I love cheese it is low carb and high in protein, I just count it in my calorie count. I also get dairy this way. When you lost the weight with the quesadilla was it a low carb tortilla shell? If so which one? This sounds so good I am making one now. Thanks

pkfrankel

Here is the nutritional content of three cheeses per 1 ounce serving

Cheddar = 0 carb, 9 fat, 7 protein = 110 cal
Swiss = 0 C, 6F, 6P = 78 cal
Mozzarella = 1 C, 5 F. 7 P = 73 cal

The fat content is rather high. If you consider the percentages then fat makes up about 60% of intake and protein 40%. the average person should get 55% carbs, 35% protein and 20% fat so cheese really puts your fat out of balance.

I have a terrible time trying to keep my fat consumption below 20% but I also have many days where I have excess calories due to my exercise regimen so I'm not concerned

Cheese is a great food to eat if you have excess calories to consume.

MoreBean13

the average person should get 55% carbs, 35% protein and 20% fat

Says who? Those numbers are fine but they're not my goals at all.

TheBraveryLover

Definitely didn't expect this many responses but I'm very glad to have them. I appreciate everyone (from both sides of the coin) for answering.

The people who call it unhealthy tend to mention saturated fats, high calorie, and lactose intolerance as the reason. I don't equate calorie dense food with unhealthiness, I don't think fats are bad for our system in moderation, and I'm not lactose intolerant and if anything, eating cheese causes me to use the bathroom more. If these are the main reasons cheese is "unhealthy" I think I'll stick with my original conclusion; that it is part of a healthy diet for the average person.

Thank you all for contributing!

Robin_Bin

Ok, I should just leave this one alone, but I can't resist. (Better I save my resistance for other things.)

...
Cow milk is meant for baby cows, just like human milk is meant for baby humans. We are the only species that drinks another animals milk.
...
Not only that: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) allows 750 million pus cells in every liter of milk (about two pounds). In Europe, regulators allow 400 million pus cells per liter.
...

There are many things human do that other animals don't. Joining MFP for one. So, just because other animals don't do it, doesn't mean it's unhealthy or bad.

A liter of milk weighs roughly 35 ounces, just a bit more than water (also about 35 ounces). I'd guess pus isn't much denser than milk. So, there's about 32 ounces of pus in milk and just 3 ounces of other stuff? Hmmm... I would doubt it even if another response hadn't provided additional information. As I read it, and I'm not an expert on this, the PETA statement confuses somatic cells with pus. Pus is found in some milk, but not at the quantities implied, and it can be in human, mother's milk too. More sources (on both sides):

http://www.med.nyu.edu/healthwise/article.html?hwid=hw98039
http://milk.procon.org/view.answers.php?questionID=000969
http://www.ansci.umn.edu/dairy/dinews/12-1-confidence.htm
http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/404/404-038/404-038.html
https://scholarsbank.uoregon.edu/xmlui/bitstream/handle/1794/5539/Pathogenic_streptococci_and_milk_pasteurization.pdf?sequence=1 (Apparently this topic has been popular before. This article is from 1923).
https://scholarsbank.uoregon.edu/xmlui/bitstream/handle/1794/5539/Pathogenic_streptococci_and_milk_pasteurization.pdf?sequence=1
https://www.msu.edu/user/galljas1/paper2.htm
http://ahdc.vet.cornell.edu/sects/qmps/Internal/WDM/5 Proactive Milk Quality Monitoring SCC.pdf

miracle4me

Cheese, well dairy, is not good for your system. It causes a lot of constipation, which in turn can lead to rectal cancer in men. Cow's have 4 (?) stomachs vs our 1, which itself shows us that we cannot digest cow's milk like a calf (who the milk is meant for). Human milk for human babies, animal milk is for animal babies..
The calcium that is found in animal milk actually gets depleted when consumed by a human (due to the acidity inthe dairy products which the body fights, so the calcium gets peed out instead of being absorbed into bones. "Consumption of dairy products, particularly at age 20 years, was associated with an increased risk of hip fracture in old age. (“Case-Control Study of Risk Factors for Hip Fractures in the Elderly”. American Journal of Epidemiology. Vol. 139, No. 5, 1994).

Looking for replacement for milk? Almond, oat, hemp, hazelnut etc.
Looking for excellent sources of calcium that will not harm you, but will actually boost your health?
-collard greens, blackstrap molasses, kale, turnip greens, tempeh, soybeans, okra, bok choy, mustard greens, tahini, brocoli, almonds..
Note, none of this will make you unhealthy!!

This ^^^^^^^
When you write "Cheese, well dairy, is not good for your system. It causes a lot of constipation, which in turn can lead to rectal cancer in men." :noway: where is the facts for this not just opinions? No way that statement is true for majority of people. Unless lactose intolerance it does not harm people and has been eaten for thousands of years. Lets just say I respectfully agree many of us disagree with your statement. :grumble:

One more thing thanks to the poster who said he ate Cheese Quesadilla every day and lost weight. I just had a Cheese Quesadilla for breakfast it was awesome! My new favorite breakfast I get bored with eggs everyday. I also added, salsa, slices of avocado on top plus dollop of plain Greek Yogurt. I had some left over jalapeño hummus from 2 tbls last nights meal that I had counted the calories in the meal but did not eat it all, so I dipped my Quesadilla in it for more flavor. I used flatout low carb tortilla wrap with a little butter on top for frying. This is Low carb, and very healthy, cheese and all, plus very filling. :happy:

Sarauk2sf

OMG have you guys ever grilled feta cheese? You wrap it in parchment paper and throw it on the grill- and it gets delicious grill marks and melts to cheesy salty perfection. Serve over a balsamic marinated grilled portabella mushroom and watch panties drop.

YUM!! Have you had haloumi? Its a cheese that you always grill, yum!

I absolutely love haloumi.

CoderGal

Cheese, well dairy, is not good for your system. It causes a lot of constipation, which in turn can lead to rectal cancer in men. Cow's have 4 (?) stomachs vs our 1, which itself shows us that we cannot digest cow's milk like a calf (who the milk is meant for). Human milk for human babies, animal milk is for animal babies..
The calcium that is found in animal milk actually gets depleted when consumed by a human (due to the acidity inthe dairy products which the body fights, so the calcium gets peed out instead of being absorbed into bones. "Consumption of dairy products, particularly at age 20 years, was associated with an increased risk of hip fracture in old age. (“Case-Control Study of Risk Factors for Hip Fractures in the Elderly”. American Journal of Epidemiology. Vol. 139, No. 5, 1994).

Looking for replacement for milk? Almond, oat, hemp, hazelnut etc.
Looking for excellent sources of calcium that will not harm you, but will actually boost your health?
-collard greens, blackstrap molasses, kale, turnip greens, tempeh, soybeans, okra, bok choy, mustard greens, tahini, brocoli, almonds..
Note, none of this will make you unhealthy!!

This ^^^^^^^
When you write "Cheese, well dairy, is not good for your system. It causes a lot of constipation, which in turn can lead to rectal cancer in men." :noway: where is the facts for this not just opinions? No way that statement is true for majority of people. Unless lactose intolerance it does not harm people and has been eaten for thousands of years. Lets just say I respectfully agree many of us disagree with your statement. :grumble:

One more thing thanks to the poster who said he ate Cheese Quesadilla every day and lost weight. I just had a Cheese Quesadilla for breakfast it was awesome! My new favorite breakfast I get bored with eggs everyday. I also added, salsa, slices of avocado on top plus dollop of plain Greek Yogurt. I had some left over jalapeño hummus from 2 tbls last nights meal that I had counted the calories in the meal but did not eat it all, so I dipped my Quesadilla in it for more flavor. I used flatout low carb tortilla wrap with a little butter on top for frying. This is Low carb, and very healthy, cheese and all, plus very filling. :happy:

Man I have a quesadilla maker and my bf fried one in a pan for me. First time I had a homemade one done like that. It was soooo good. Now I am going to be fat because cheese makes you fat and fat makes you fat and lookimg at these forums make you fat. ...that last one might actually be true

Rilke

If you want to lose weight, it's pretty smart to not eat cheese.

Hasn't stopped my weight loss, nor that of many many others.

Still - high calorie!

So yes, in conclusion, cheese is VERY unhealthy.

Macadamia nuts are high calorie. Avocado is high calorie. Olive oil is high calorie. Does that make those things unhealthy?

Rilke

the average person should get 55% carbs, 35% protein and 20% fat

Why?

bcattoes

The saturated fat in dairy has been linked to increased risk of disease.

once again source? if you are going to quote something like this - no offense but back it up

I didn't quote anything, I answered the OP's question.

I don't owe you or anyone a source and the tone of your reply suggests you are unwilling to listen to any opinion other than your own. Since everyone on here has Google I don't see why you can't find this stuff yourself, but here a few.

http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/what-should-you-eat/fats-full-story/index.html#the-bottom-line
http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/healthy-eating-cutting-unhealthy-fats-from-your-diet#
http://www.pcrm.org/search/?cid=252
http://www.ajcn.org/content/86/4/929.abstract
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-mark-hyman/dairy-free-dairy-6-reason_b_558876.html

None of these sources are reliable. The Harvard article says soy is healthy. Enough said.

Show me some credentials that makes your opinion more valid than the scientists and doctors at Harvard and then I'll consider listening to you over them. They list their credentials and the studies to back up their recommendations.

ahamm002

The saturated fat in dairy has been linked to increased risk of disease.

once again source? if you are going to quote something like this - no offense but back it up

I didn't quote anything, I answered the OP's question.

I don't owe you or anyone a source and the tone of your reply suggests you are unwilling to listen to any opinion other than your own. Since everyone on here has Google I don't see why you can't find this stuff yourself, but here a few.

http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/what-should-you-eat/fats-full-story/index.html#the-bottom-line
http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/healthy-eating-cutting-unhealthy-fats-from-your-diet#
http://www.pcrm.org/search/?cid=252
http://www.ajcn.org/content/86/4/929.abstract
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-mark-hyman/dairy-free-dairy-6-reason_b_558876.html

None of these sources are reliable. The Harvard article says soy is healthy. Enough said.

Show me some credentials that makes your opinion more valid than the scientists and doctors at Harvard and then I'll consider listening to you over them. They list their credentials and the studies to back up their recommendations.

I already posted a link showing that the recomendations from the Harvard article were garbage.

Livingdeadgirl44

I find it so hard to stick to a resonable serving size with cheese not gonna stop eating it though

justal313

Here's the funny thing about cheese. If I eat fruit without some cheese (or heaven forbid NUT BUTTER) I'm hungry again fairly soon after. It's almost like eating chineese food. If I have my cheese stick with some fruit I'm not hungy and I have a nice slow steady stream of energy.

However, I'm lactose intolerant so if I forgot my daily lactose therapy pill it's unhealthy for YOU to be in the room with me.

bcattoes

The saturated fat in dairy has been linked to increased risk of disease.

once again source? if you are going to quote something like this - no offense but back it up

I didn't quote anything, I answered the OP's question.

I don't owe you or anyone a source and the tone of your reply suggests you are unwilling to listen to any opinion other than your own. Since everyone on here has Google I don't see why you can't find this stuff yourself, but here a few.

http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/what-should-you-eat/fats-full-story/index.html#the-bottom-line
http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/healthy-eating-cutting-unhealthy-fats-from-your-diet#
http://www.pcrm.org/search/?cid=252
http://www.ajcn.org/content/86/4/929.abstract
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-mark-hyman/dairy-free-dairy-6-reason_b_558876.html

Your science is outdated and based primarily on the old "sat fat is evil" garbage. Dairy fat has been found to be pretty much neutral. Overall dairy's health benefits probably outweight it's risks. Plus it's a good source of CLA. And oh yeah, it tastes frickin great.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3289141/?tool=pubmed
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16407709
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22081693
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3299312/

You post 4 individual studes as "proof"? Science doesn't work that way, my friend. Just becasue a study is more recent, does not make it more or less valid. Considering how many studies have been done on fat, how can 4 be relevant, except as pieces of a big puzzle?

One must consider all the studies, all the information gathered, not just the information from a few hand-picked in an attempt to prove a point. This is what the scientists who make recommendations do. They look at all information avialable to formulate those recommendations. And this is why I choose to stick with the recommendations of the medical science community over a few random internet users/bloggers.

That said, I love cheese and eat it. But like all foods that have been linked to increased risk of disease, I limit how much I eat. Given all the information at hand, that seems the most reasonable thing to me.