Cheese is the most popular dairy product in the world (source: this one writer’s opinion), and it’s easy to see why.
For one, it’s delicious. It’s accessible and simple to eat. It can be enjoyed in a number of ways, with its oeuvre spanning every food group. The majority of us – well, except those that are lactose intolerant – are such cheeseheads that we think we’re borderline addicted.
Is cheese addiction a thing? Is there science that supports it?
Maximum Salt Saturation: Achieved
Citing studies, Americans ate around 6 pounds of cheese per person yearly during the mid-1970s. And in 2018, that number has increased to 11 pounds.
Amongst the many possible reasons for the cheese upswing, experts say it’s partially due to a slowly-digested protein called the casein that’s found in cheese and dairy products.
Casein then gets broken down into smaller compounds called casomorphins. They cross our blood-brain barrier and latch to your brain’s dopamine receptors, causing them to release dopamine, or the hormone that gives us pleasure and feelings of being rewarded.
TLDR; cheese makes you feel good, which is why you crave more of it.
Related: 4 Ways to Make a (Healthy) Grilled Cheese Sandwich
The high fat content makes it even more appetizing, as the release of endorphins is equally satisfying and rewarding, creating a vicious, delicious cycle of cheese.
Despite being mildly addictive, thankfully, cheese isn’t a danger to your health. Eaten in sparring amounts, it’s a positive addition to most diets. So, don’t feel guilty about being a cheese lover – the food trend won’t be slowing down anytime soon!
Photo Credit: Pewara Nicropithak/Shutterstock.com; Lana K/Shutterstock.com
