There are two things people usually say when I first mention that I eat a plant-based diet. Number one is, But, where do you get your protein? And the number two thing people say is, “I could never give up cheese!”  If you are already eating a plant-based diet, then I bet those two phrases sound familiar!​

Does just looking at this photo make you crave cheese? Do you think you might be addicted to cheese? Chances are the answer to both of those questions is yes. Here’s the reason you have such a hard time saying no to that creamy, gooey, buttery, salty, greasy food.

Why does cheese “call to me”?

Cheese is particularly addictive because it contains something called casein. Casein is the main protein found in milk. According to the online dictionary description it is also an ingredient found in some plastics!  I did not know that—eek! 😲

After you eat cheese and during the digestion process, some of the casein fragments release opiates called casomorphins (morphine-like compounds).  The casomorphins increase dopamine activity in the brain and cause you to desire more cheese. In other words, they work just like morphine or opiates do by triggering the excitable parts of your brain.

Dr. Neal Barnard, author of The Cheese Trap has this to say about casomorphins –

“These opiates attach to the same brain receptors that heroin and morphine attach to. They are not strong enough to get you arrested, but they are just strong enough to keep you coming back for more, even while your thighs are expanding before your very eyes.”

So, when you say you could never live without cheese, this is the reason you think that is true! There is an actual, physiological response in your brain!  When you feel pleasure, you want more of what is causing that pleasure. However, I know for a fact that you can live without cheese—I promise!

How to break your cheese addiction

Gradually – One way you can try to break the addiction, is to start leaving cheese out of food items where it won’t be noticed. For example, I bet you can’t really taste the cheese inside of a burrito. Fill a tortilla full of beans, rice, salsa, veggies, topped with avocado and the cheese won’t even be missed. Or consider leaving the sprinkle of cheese off the top of your salad. Each day, you can look for ways to eliminate the cheese from your diet until you’re no longer consuming it.

Quit Cold Turkey – While you can drop cheese gradually, I personally think it’s best to just quit all at once. Since cheese is so addicting, just having a little here and there can lead you right back into eating it full time again. The first couple of weeks might be challenging, but believe me, it will get easier.

Replace with alternatives – There are many (and the list is growing) cheese alternatives out there now. I am really not a fan of fake cheeses, but some people find them tasty. Do keep in mind that most are quite processed and full of a lot of oil.

Make your own – One way plant-based folks deal with not having cheese is by making their own. I haven’t done much of this, but have tried a few recipes using cashews and they were pretty yummy.

Nooch – I 💚 nooch! Nooch (aka: nutritional yeast) is a great way to get that cheesy, unami flavor in your foods. I add it to soups, sauces, and tofu scrambles or sprinkle it on spaghetti, salad or popcorn.

Other reasons to drop the cheese:

Who cut the cheese? (and other smelly issues) About 65% of humans worldwide become lactose intolerant after they are infants. Symptoms of lactose intolerance include stomach pain, bloating, diarrhea, and gas. For those people, cutting cheese and other dairy from their diet will cause the symptoms to disappear.

Prostate cancer – There have been many studies showing the connection between consumption of dairy (and all animal) foods and prostate cancer. One large study also showed that the calcium from dairy foods and a diet high in dairy protein were both associated with an increased risk of prostate cancer.

You can read more about the connection between eating animal products and prostate cancer here: Worst Foods for Prostate Health

Our love-affair with cheese is killing us. Learning the truth about cheese may save your life.” – Joel Fuhrman, MD

True Confessions

I won’t lie to you—cheese still smells really good to me. The smell of cheese pizza makes my mouth water. And on rare occasion, I have given into the temptation and have eaten cheese pizza. Wanna know what happened…..?

I wanted more–the reaction was immediate! One piece wasn’t enough, my brain was telling me to eat more. Then I felt just gross and bloated. I realized, it really isn’t worth that one minute of pleasure anymore. Plus, now I have fallen in love with my own pizza recipe and I don’t miss the cheese one bit!

And if we go out for pizza, we choose one of the build-your-own pizza restaurants where I can pile-on a ton of delicious toppings and avoid cheese all together.

The cheesy conclusion

Cheese addiction is a real thing. Once you break free from the addiction, the cravings will go away. It won’t be super easy at first, but I promise it will get easier! Your body will thank you! 😘

And finally, consider buying and reading Dr. Neal Barnard’s book, The Cheese Trap: How Breaking a Surprising Addiction Will Help You Lose Weight, Gain Energy, and Get Healthy

Thank you for sharing! 💚