Here are 4 things that happen when you eat too much cheese (2024)

FAQs

What happens when you eat too much cheese? ›

Cheese is a great source of protein and calcium but is often high in saturated fat and salt. This means eating too much could lead to high cholesterol and high blood pressure, increasing your risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD).

The occasional nibble or engorging is fine, as long as it doesn't become a habit. Cheese is high in saturated fats, which raises cholesterol levels that has many negative impacts. High cholesterol makes you more susceptible to such problems as heart disease and weight gain.

You could experience inflammation.

"Consuming casein, a protein found in milk and a major component of cheese, can potentially lead to various side effects and health issues. One significant side effect related to casein consumption is inflammation," says Sabat.

Similarly, cheese could cause diarrhea in some circ*mstances, especially if you have certain health conditions. For example, a dairy intolerance, sensitivity or allergy can trigger unpleasant digestive symptoms after eating cheese, like bloating, cramping, loose stools and diarrhea.

While going to bed on a full stomach is never a good idea, studies show that eating fatty foods, such as cheese, just before bedtime gives us a lower quality sleep – and we're more likely to remember our dreams if we wake up a lot.

While cheese does have several important nutrients, no one can live on cheese alone. Caspero says that even though cheese has nutrients like protein and calcium, it also contains saturated fat and sodium, which can negatively impact the body if consumed in excess.

Because cheese has little impact on your glucose, it's a great food to pair with higher GI foods to balance them out. Snacks such as an apple with cheese or a mini pizza made with a whole grain bread, fresh vegetables, and mozzarella cheese are good choices.

Lactose intolerance is a common digestive problem where the body is unable to digest lactose, a type of sugar mainly found in milk and dairy products. Symptoms of lactose intolerance usually develop within a few hours of consuming food or drink that contains lactose. They may include: flatulence (wind)

Giving children a lot of cheese may be linked to constipation. A diagnosis of constipation usually means that your child has hard, hard-to-pass stools that can also be painful. Some children will have fewer than three bowel movements a week and others will have small bowel movements frequently throughout the day.

How much cheese is OK in a day? ›

“If your diet, in general, is very low in saturated fats and sodium, having two to three ounces of cheese a day may be safe,” says Supan. “If you're trying to eat healthy or have any heart concerns, I would try to stick to one ounce of high-quality cheese a day, or maybe even less than that a few times a week.”

There's a lack of evidence on whether eliminating dairy products leads to withdrawal symptoms. Instead, you may risk developing nutrient deficiencies if you do not replace dairy products with other sources of calcium, protein, and vitamins B12 and D.

Short-term impacts. Kuman says the immediate side effects of consuming a lot of cheese can leave you feeling sluggish, at an increased risk of headaches and digestive problems from the sudden intake of high amounts of dairy.

People with lactose intolerance are unable to fully digest the sugar (lactose) in milk. As a result, they have diarrhea, gas and bloating after eating or drinking dairy products. The condition, which is also called lactose malabsorption, is usually harmless, but its symptoms can be uncomfortable.

“If your diet, in general, is very low in saturated fats and sodium, having two to three ounces of cheese a day may be safe,” says Supan. “If you're trying to eat healthy or have any heart concerns, I would try to stick to one ounce of high-quality cheese a day, or maybe even less than that a few times a week.”

Q: How do you flush dairy out of your system quickly? A: To flush dairy out of your system quickly, eliminate all dairy products from your diet and load up on vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, and seeds. These are high in fiber and acids that help break down and push out all milk proteins from your system.

If you get constipatedoften, do yourself a favor and take a look at your diet. Among the foods that may block you up: too much cheese and milk. But you may not have to give up dairy -- just eat less of it and change your choices. Try yogurt with probiotics, live bacteria that's good for your digestive system.

If you are chronically constipated, overeating fried food, processed meats, commercially baked goods and other high-fat items may be responsible. Cheese as a particular constipation culprit. Fats are tricky to digest, and take a long time for the body to break down.