Dangerous pleasure: These cheeses are addictive – and sick

study proves
This cheese is addicting

What cheese lovers have known for a long time has now been officially confirmed

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Whether in a fondue, as a snack with wine or on pizza: cheese is simply a part of everything. Once you have enjoyed it, you can never live without it again. And for one simple reason: cheese is addictive!

A life without cheese? Unimaginable for most of us! Statistically speaking, according to the Dairy Industry Association, every German consumes an average of 24.1 kilos of cheese a year. And how often do Germans really consume cheese? In a survey, 70 percent stated that cheese is on their menu almost every day. No wonder, not only are the preparation options endless, the choice of cheese is huge too. But scientists have now found another reason why we can no longer imagine life without cheese: Cheese is addictive.

That’s why cheese is addictive

The University of Michigan research team was able to prove that consuming cheese can be just as addictive as hard drugs. The reason for the addiction is the substance casomorphin contained in the milk product. It is formed when the milk protein casein contained in cheese is digested in the stomach. It then stimulates the receptors in the brain, dopamine is released and a physical feeling of well-being arises.

Since there is relatively little casein in milk and much more casein in cheese, the researchers advise against consuming milk rather than consuming cheese. A kilo of cheese has a good ten times higher dose of casein than milk. As a result, a higher dose of casomorphine is also produced in the stomach.

This cheese is particularly addictive

According to the study, the so-called analog cheese – i.e. poorly processed cheese from mass production – is particularly addictive, as these cheese products can also contain refined carbohydrates (i.e. bad carbohydrates) and fats that can lead to addictive eating behavior. This cheese, found in slices on supermarket shelves, is also known as “plastic cheese”.

How much cheese is healthy?

However, the researchers in the study do not recommend completely avoiding cheese. Finally, it provides numerous vitamins, especially vitamin B12 against stress and fatigue. It also contains numerous minerals, such as calcium (for bone strength). But how much cheese a day is still healthy? The German Society for Nutrition (DGE) recommends a quantity of 50 to 60 grams of cheese per day. That’s two slices of Gouda, for example. If you only occasionally eat dishes with a lot of cheese, consumption is harmless. However, caution is advised if you include cheese in a large number of meals. Here you should try to eat less cheese and other fatty products, because eating too much cheese can be bad for your health.

Sources used: wmn.de, fitforfun.de

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