9 Things That Can Happen To Your Body If You Overindulge In Cheese

Written by Niharika Nayak, BA (Media & Communication)  • 

Cheese and its food combos are definitely hard to resist. Cheese and wine are two dishes that go together extremely well. Whether cheese is melted on pizza or served between two slices of bread in a burger, it’s truly something that can complete a dish. While cheese can be a great source of calcium, protein, and phosphorus, eating it in excess can lead to certain side effects like gaining excessive weight, digestive issues, acne breakouts, and many more. It’s important that you combine your consumption of cheese with vegetables, meat, and other foods of the food triangle. It’s also important that you read up on the type of cheese you’re consuming as some types of cheese are better than others. If you are suffering from a curious case of cheese obsession, here are a couple of things that can happen if you eat cheese in excess:

1. You Will Gain Weight

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Cheese can be pretty high in fat and contain more calories than one may think. You might have noticed, after a satisfying round of cheese-laden pizza, your stomach feels bloated and at times, extremely uncomfortable, even after hours of eating. It will be a while before you’re able to calm down your stuffy belly. If you eat an excessive amount of cheese, your body will start to pack on the pounds and you will end up gaining more weight than you would think. People who are already overweight or suffering from obesity will be at an increased or higher risk of gaining weight as well as several other diseases and other unhealthy conditions (1).

2. Too Much Cheese Can Cause Digestive Issues

Too Much Cheese Can Cause Digestive Issues
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Many people suffer from a condition called “lactose intolerance”. If you notice that you tend to have gas or other digestive issues after consuming milk, you might be suffering from it yourself. Those who have an intolerance to dairy products can have digestive issues because of the consumption of cheese. Hence, if you notice these issues, it is important that you don’t eat cheese in excess. Foods like pesto, sweet potato sauce, and mayonnaise can be good replacements for cheese.

3. You Will Have An Increased Risk Of Heart Disease

You Will Have An Increased Risk Of Heart Disease
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Of course, you cannot blame cheese as a sole contributor to heart disease but eating it in excess can cause an increased risk of suffering from heart disease. Saturated fats that are present in cheese have also been linked to an increased risk of obesity and other major health conditions. If you eat cheese every day, you would be eating far too much saturated fat than is recommended and thus you would put yourself at the risk of suffering from heart disease (2). Even though this is a slow process and for some people who show symptoms past their middle age, these early precautions can let you have a long and healthy life instead.

4. Cheese Can Be High In Saturated Fats

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One of the biggest drawbacks of eating cheese is that it has a high dose of saturated fats. Most dietary guidelines recommend that you keep your consumption of saturated fats within a certain limit. It should be less than ten percent of calories consumed. If you replace saturated fats with unsaturated fats you might have a lower risk of getting heart disease.

5. It Can Increase Your Chances Of Getting Dietary Cholesterol

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For a majority of those who have dietary cholesterol, it doesn’t cause too much of an issue with the system. However, for others, the blood cholesterol levels in your body can have a significant rise and drop depending on the amount of cholesterol-rich foods that are present in your diet. Most kinds of cheese are high in cholesterol and thus consuming it every day is a very bad idea. (3). If you crave cheese regularly, start by reducing the intake to once a week slow and steady.

6. Cheese Can Increase Blood Pressure

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Another thing that can lead to an increase in blood pressure is a diet that is high in sodium. You must have seen your grandparents avoiding too much salt intake. That is advised by doctors to keep the blood pressure at bay. This is why those who have high blood pressure are asked not to consume too much salt or other sodium-heavy food items. If you eat cheese in one of your meals, it’s best that you avoid sodium heavy meals through the rest of your day (4).

7. You Could Have Severe Breakouts

You Could Have Severe Breakouts
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Acne and breakouts are quite common around the time of puberty due to the massive hormonal changes that one goes through. However, if you find yourself suffering from adult acne, this might be due to having a bad diet. If you have a diet that is rich in fatty dairy products like cheese or even paneer, you might find yourself breaking out more often. Hence, avoiding the consumption of cheese and other dairy products may actually help fix your acne problems a great deal.

8. Cheese Can Disrupt Your Hormonal Balance

Cheese-Can-Disrupt-Your-Hormonal-Balance
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Every dairy product that you consume will contain some amount of hormones. These hormones can be highly irritating and can cause inflammation in your gut and all kinds of other issues. Some dairy products contain antibiotic residue and also contain bovine growth hormones. If you notice your skin breaking out when you consume dairy products it can be because of the hormones present in the dairy products.

9. Saturated Fats Can Eventually Cause Liver Failure

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Another dangerous symptom of excessive consumption of saturated fats is liver failure. Your liver is one of your most essential organs as it detoxifies your body and helps you digest your food better. However, if you eat too much cheese, you run a high risk of suffering from liver failure, which can be life-threatening. Although eating cheese daily might not immediately lead to liver failure, the saturated fats present in the cheese will eventually take a toll on your body. Hence it is highly crucial to monitor your consumption and not overindulge (5).

Cheese is extremely beneficial for our diet but it’s always a good idea to watch your consumption to avoid health issues. Like any other fatty food, it tastes like literal heaven but can be very harmful to your body if taken regularly. Make sure that you do not overindulge and like with every food item, eat it in moderation. Do let us know all of your thoughts on this article in the comment section below!

References

Articles on StyleCraze are backed by verified information from peer-reviewed and academic research papers, reputed organizations, research institutions, and medical associations to ensure accuracy and relevance. Read our editorial policy to learn more.

  1. Effects of dairy intake on body weight and fat: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3441106/
  2. Dairy Fats and Cardiovascular Disease: Do We Really Need to Be Concerned?
    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5867544/
  3. Effect of a high intake of cheese on cholesterol and metabolic syndrome: results of a randomized trial
    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4543447/
  4. Emerging Innovations to Reduce the Salt Content in Cheese; Effects of Salt on Flavor Texture and Shelf Life of Cheese; and Current Salt Usage: A Review
    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5932950/
  5. The Influence of Dietary Fat on Liver Fat Accumulation
    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4245577/
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