Cheese Addiction:  Sounds Funny. But I’m Serious. It’s Real.
When talking to people about cleaning up their diet, the number one food that is brought up is cheese. “I can’t live without my cheese.” Or, “Cheese is my main downfall.”

Or simply the statement of surrender, “I can’t give up cheese.” It is never surprising to me, yet it seems surprising to them. There is a very good reason they love and “can’t” give up cheese and it is not in their “head.” Cheese addiction is scientific. It’s real—just like drug and alcohol addiction. Of course, you don’t find people losing their jobs, family, or homes over it (thankfully)! Could you imagine homeless people begging for cheese (“hey, man, got any cheddar? I really need it.”)?

What Makes Cheese Addicting?
Opiates are found in the casein, a protein present all dairy, but concentrated in cheese. It’s the same opiate found in morphine. When I found this out in my studies, it made sense to me on a personal level. I’m very sensitive to opiates and usually choose not to take them if they are prescribed to me for post-op or injury, simply because they knock me out. Cheese does the same thing to me on a smaller scale, of course. I usually avoid consuming cheese on a regular basis. But if I do, it is in small amounts. Otherwise, I find myself napping soon after I eat it and sometimes feeling headachy… not very productive. I also suffered from serious bouts of constipation as a child as I used to eat a lot of dairy. Although dairy is very binding and mucus-forming on its own, opiates also cause constipation since they slow peristalsis in the colon.

How Does the U.S. Government Fuel Cheese Addiction?
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) gives money to the dairy industry in the form of its Checkoff program. (I wish they would do that with the organic fruit and vegetable industry!). Have you noticed how restaurants, especially fast food establishments, showcase cheese or extra cheese? More cheese slices on sandwiches. More cheese sauces. More cheese crammed onto a pizza or stuffed into it’s crust. More cheese melted over any type of food. It’s on EVERYTHING and there is a lot of it (Pizza Hut’s “Ultimate Cheese Pizza” has a pound of cheese on it and the USDA helped promote it!) As stated by the Physician Committee for Responsible Medicine,

Fast food restaurants are trying to cram more cheese onto everything with the help of the USDA's Checkoff program.

The dairy checkoff is a marketing program in effect since 1984 to increase the consumption of dairy products and reduce surpluses by, inter alia, touting the purported benefits of dairy products. It is funded by a mandatory assessment (i.e., tax) on dairy producers. It is administered by USDA and managed by the National Dairy Promotion and Research Board (“Dairy Board”), which is comprised of dairy farmers who are appointed by the Secretary of Agriculture. The government has even acknowledged that cheese has addictive qualities. Rather than educate consumers to reduce or eliminate this unhealthy item from their diets, USDA instead embarked on efforts “aimed at triggering cheese lovers’ craving for cheese.” So in short, the USDA gives money to promote the sale and consumption of cheese — knowingly feeding cheese addiction.

Breaking the Addiction
It’s quite easy. Don’t eat it. No profound advice here. You won’t have withdrawals (maybe some cravings, but no real withdrawal symptoms). Don’t buy it. Start making or ordering foods without it. With the addition of sauces and condiments, you may not even miss it. For example: Use extra salsa in Mexican dishes or extra marinara sauce in Italian dishes. Eliminate cheese from sandwiches. You’ll be surprised how good food will still taste. After about two weeks, you won’t miss it at all.

My Take On Cheese Consumption
In general, I recommend minimizing all dairy intake. But cheese in particular is very calorie-dense, very high in saturated fat and a common culprit for causing constipation. Pasteurization makes it difficult to absorb the calcium contained in dairy (plant sources are much better). If consumed, it should be free of artificial hormones (rbgh) and antibiotics. Melted or cooked cheese is much harder to digest than uncooked cheese (think about it, it’s the consistency of tar!). Furthermore, cheese made with raw milk is easier to digest and more nutritious, but it should be avoided by pregnant women or those with compromised immunity. Eating it with vegetables or beans helps digest it as well (high fiber). I strongly suggest eliminating it completely from your diet if you suffer from allergies or something serious such as cancer (there is a hormone in dairy that fuels the growth of cancer cells. I’ll do a post on that later.).  As with any food recommendation, you should pay attention to how you feel after you eat it and make your own decision and personal modifications based on your physical responses and condition. For instance, if you get headaches, fatigue, or digestion problems after eating it, you should probably eliminate from your diet.

Personally – Do I Eat Cheese?
Sparingly. I really enjoy artisan cheeses once in awhile (the high price helps me avoid it too). I don’t eat cheese when I know I have to be productive since it makes me tired. Some cheese affects me more adversely than others. I’m usually OK after some mozzarella, still a bit sleepy, but no sinus headaches (maybe because of my Italian genes?) but cheddar ruins me. I love a good quesadilla, but I rarely partake since I’m on the couch napping soon after… feeling grouchy and headachy. Most of the time, it’s not worth the consequences.

Are Eggs Good or Bad? The answer is “Yes.”

Ah, the good ol’ egg. To eat or not to eat? There is a lot of contradicting information about eggs. And that is a HUGE understatement. Even cardiologists are giving out misinformation. “What?! Can’t Be!” You may exclaim. Of all people, shouldn’t they know the answer? Well, not necessarily. Most don’t study nutrition on an in depth level. Even prestigious websites such as the Mayo Clinic has false information given by one of its cardiologists that has a column (I emailed them about it).

Eggs can be either good or bad depending on several factors. Specifics such as, what the chickens are fed, how they are raised, and how the eggs are cooked can determine if eggs are healthy or unhealthy for a person. And, of course, if an individual has adverse reactions to them such as an allergy. But let’s focus on cholesterol.

Do Eggs Raise Cholesterol?

There is no evidence that fresh eggs (not powdered) raise cholesterol (If I’m wrong, please prove this to me. Show me the studies!). In fact in a recent British study where people were put on calorie restrictive diets, but one group ate 2 eggs a day, both groups lowered their cholesterol, showing that the eggs had no detrimental effect. Eggs are high in cholesterol, so people falsely think that means it raises their blood (serum) cholesterol. Cholesterol in food, otherwise known as dietary cholesterol, and serum cholesterol are two different things. Cholesterol found in food does not affect blood cholesterol, but rather, saturated fat and transfat raise bad cholesterol in the blood (low density lipids – LDLs). But not all eggs have the same amount of saturated fat and it’s usually low. Some have a good amount of omega-3 fatty acids which actually lower bad cholesterol.

Are Some Eggs Better Than Others? Yes. (Hint: The Deeper Gold the Yolk, The Better.)

The darker gold the yolk, the more nutritious the egg.

I try to buy 100% cage-free chicken eggs. That means the the chickens were never confined and able to eat what chickens normally eat when outdoors (i.e. insects, worms, grains). That, sometimes combined with a high quality chicken feed which is usually organic (so it’s pesticide free), creates eggs with a better nutritional content, lower in saturated fat (bad), higher in omega-3 fatty acids (good). The yolks should be a deeper yellow or orange than commercially raised eggs. The shells are usually thicker as well due to higher calcium intake. Commercial eggs are from chickens that are cramped in a cage all day and usually fed corn. Even nationally commercial organic eggs (usually fed organic corn) are not as good as local cage-free eggs. Compare the yolks for yourself. Think about it — healthier, happier chickens produce healthier eggs!

Why Did Eggs Get An Overall “Bad” Reputation?

In short, it was the cereal industry (go figure). Back in the 1950’s, the cereal industry wanted people to eat more cereal. So they conducted a study on eggs and why people should not eat them. Their study, however, was not done on fresh eggs, but rather on powdered egg yolk. Why should that make a difference? Well, if a yolk is exposed to oxygen and high heat, it becomes oxidized which makes it toxic to our blood and raises blood serum cholesterol in a bad way. Powdered egg yolk is exactly that — oxidized. That’s when eggs are “bad.” BUT, a fresh egg that is cooked so the yolk is not exposed to high heat and oxygen does not have a detrimental effect on the blood and arteries, and therefore does not raise cholesterol like that of an oxidized egg yolk.

The foods typically eaten with eggs at breakfast are the culprits for raising bad cholesterol — not the eggs.

Eggs are typically eaten with unhealthy items that are high in saturated fat (bacon, sausage, butter, etc.) or are refined carbs (biscuits, pancakes, white bread, etc.), which raise bad cholesterol levels. The association of eggs with these items may contribute to their bad reputation (they’re “hanging out with the wrong crowd”). The company that eggs keep are the culprits of high serum cholesterol, not the eggs themselves.

The Healthiest Ways to Eat or Cook Eggs (when yolks are not exposed to oxygen at high heat)

• Poached
• Boiled (hard or soft)
• Fried, yolk intact (use a good fat such as expeller pressed canola oil which is monounsaturated. a.k.a. good cholesterol)

The Unhealthiest Ways to Eat or Cook Eggs (when yolks are oxidized by exposure to oxygen at high heat)

• Scrambled (this is why using just egg whites in omelets is beneficial)
• Powdered
• In processed foods

The Basic Nutrition of Eggs – What’s Good About Eggs?

Eggs are a germinative food. That means it has everything needed to create life, just like nuts and seeds (makes sense). They are a very good source of quality protein that is easily digestible and absorbed (albumen) which makes them great if you want to build muscle. They are nutrient dense with vitamins A, B’s (especially b12), D, E, and K; minerals such as calcium, iron, phosphorus, zinc, iodine, and trace minerals; as well as essential fatty acids. The white is mostly protein and most of the nutrients are found in the yolk. Again, the amount of nutrients and fat depends on what the chicken was fed and how it was raised. The calories found in an egg varies on its size, of course. One large egg is approximately 80 calories, give or take.

Personally – Do I Eat Eggs?

Yes! I eat eggs (1 or 2) a few times a week. I don’t try to limit my intake, that’s just how often I want them. I love a good runny yolk over wheat toast! I also love to eat them with a side of sautéed veggies (either á la Mexican style with fajita seasoning, or French style with tomatoes, basil and spinach.) I always feel good and satiated after I eat eggs and my energy remains steady, if not elevated. For me, cheese is the “bad guy” and that’s what I usually avoid. More on the detriments of cheese coming soon.