One of the Hardest Foods to Stop Eating (cheese)
Have you ever wondered why most people who become vegan (strict vegetarian), say that cheese is the hardest food for them to give up?
I know you have, because I have wondered about this myself. I did not have a hard time giving up cheese, because I was not big cheese eater.
I recall sharing a vegan lasagna recipe on You Tube. I had a few people ask, about the cheese. I did not use cheese in the recipe and if you make the recipe you won’t miss the cheese.
We are conditioned to believe that everything taste better with a little cheese. So, we get use to adding cheese to our dishes, which result in us having to have cheese on everything.
Cheese actually is addicting. Yes, it is? I never knew that cheese was addicting until, I read By Any Greens Necessary. Even then, I still didn’t understand how cheese could be addicting.
What Makes Cheese Addicting?
All dairy products contain casein, which is a protein that breaks apart during digestion to form opiates, called casomorphins. Cheese has more casein than milk, ice cream, butter or other dairy products.
The larger amount of casein in cheese makes it more addicting. This is why it is one of the hardest foods for those becoming strict vegetarians to stop eating.
Cheese is Not Healthy
Cheese is a very fattening food, with 70 percent of the calories coming from fat. It is an artery-clogging saturated fat and has more cholesterol than a steak.
Research has shown that cheese and other dairy products do not build strong bones nor do they slow osteoporosis. Dairy products tend to pull the calcium from the bones, instead of adding to the bones.
Foods that Have that Cheese Taste
- Dairy-free cheeses – There are many brands of dairy-free cheeses that are plant-based out here. You can try soy, rice and other types of cheeses. Be sure you read the labels very closely, making sure no casein is in the product. Casein is a milk protein.
- Avocado is a rich, creamy, monounsaturated fruit. It gives you the feeling in your mouth the same as cheese does. Even though avocado is a healthier choice, eating too many and regularly could cause you to gain weight.
- Nutritional yeast (the Vegetarian Support Formula) is commonly found in natural food stores. It is a good source of vitamin B-12. Sometimes it is hard to find the Red Star Vegetarian Support Formula so I use the KAL brand
. Nutritional yeast is very versatile . You can cook with nutritional yeast, sprinkle it on salads or any food to add that cheesy flavor.
- Cheesy Sauces can be made by soaking raw cashews (or using cashew butter) and adding your seasonings. You can also use tahini. Use these alternatives for any recipe in which you want richness, creaminess and depth of flavor.
Once you have tried these foods, you will find yourself not having cravings for the animal-based cheeses as much. Soon your cravings will be a distant memory.
Source of Information: Breaking the Food Seduction: The Hidden Reasons Behind Food Cravings—And 7 Steps to End Them Naturally
Image: Naito8 / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Category: Vegan
Twitter: janc102
says:
Hi Evelyn
I do love cheese and had no idea that it was addictive. I don’t eat a lot of it myself maybe once or twice a week but my sister is a real cheese addict. Many, many years ago, my Mum, myself and a lodger ate a 10 pound (4.5 kg) block in 2 weeks! And my favourite sandwich is still a toasted cheese sandwich which I eat with a handful of sweet baby tomatoes. I used to take a big square with Sao biscuits for lunch every day. And I might add, that none of us had any weight problems back then!!
Your readers may be interested in a site called Oh She Glows at http://ohsheglows.com/ it is a site with heaps of vegan recipes and although I am not a vegan myself, i have printed off quite a few to make!!
jan recently posted..High fructose corn syrup, why all calories are not created equal
Twitter: evelyn_parham
says:
Hey Jan,
It can be hard for those who want to give it up, to give it up.
Thanks for sharing the website. I’ll check it out.
Twitter: sourav0206
says:
Cheese is a popular food. But I’m not a great cheese lover! But it can be addictive for sure.
Sourav recently posted..Best Food Sources of Vitamin E: High Vitamin E Foods
Twitter: evelyn_parham
says:
Hi Sourav,
Yes it is!
Take care,
Evelyn
Twitter: BalancedBeingNC
says:
The “cheesy” sauces you mentioned can be quite satisfying, especially if one isn’t expecting them to taste indistinguishable from cheese.
One thing to consider when making a nut-based “cheesy” sauce is that many cheeses have a sour note to them. So it’s often necessary to add some acidity to them. Vinegar and/or fresh lemon juice find their way into many of my wife’s (she provides the brains in our kitchen) nut-based sauces.
Jon-Erik Lido recently posted..What is Qigong?
Twitter: evelyn_parham
says:
Hi Jon-Erik!
Thanks for sharing the tip about adding acidity to nut-based cheesy sauces.
Take care,
Evelyn
Twitter: LovingFit
says:
I gave up cow’s cheese a really long time ago, I don’t miss it at all. I even gave up cottage cheese cause I know how bad dairy is for our bodies. But I do love goat cheese very much and my stomach never hurts from it.
Just like you Evelyn, I’ve never been a big cheese eater, quite the opposite actually. I can’t stand the melted cheese that’s dripping off pizzas, that’s why I never eat them. I think if everyone gives up cheese and dairy in general we will have a very healthy nation.
Tatianna recently posted..Hot Torture Workout
Twitter: evelyn_parham
says:
Hey Tatianna,
Goat’s cheese / milk is much easier to digest. Protein and make-up is much different from dairy.
I couldn’t agree with you more!
Take care,
Evelyn
While cheese isn’t a weakness for me (although I like cheddar), I know a lady at my job who just can’t give up cheese. She eats all kinds. I’m going to send her this post!
Twitter: evelyn_parham
says:
Hey Michelle!
That’s good to know.
Thanks for sharing this post. I hope she finds it helpful.
Take care,
Evelyn