Cheese may be loaded with fat, cholesterol, and sodium
and smell like old socks, but many people still have trouble
saying no to it. The reason, apparently, is casomorphins, the
opiate chemicals that are released as casein, the milk protein in
cheese, is digested. Casomorphins pass through the bloodstream
and into the brain, where they attach to the same receptors that
heroin and morphine attach to. While these opiates are present in
milk, they are concentrated as milk is turned into cheese, making
cheese especially attractive and, dare we say, addictive.
But it pays to break up with cheese. Chances are you’ll lose
weight, trim your cholesterol, and improve other health issues.
Give it a try and see what going dairy-free will do for you.
—Neal D. Barnard, MD, FACC, adjunct associate professor of medicine at
George Washington University School of Medicine and president of the Physicians
Committee for Responsible Medicine
WHY IS IT SO HARD TO
GIVE UP CHEESE?
We’ve been so conditioned
to think that calcium comes
primarily from milk and dairy products
that few of us realize it actually comes
from the earth and is abundant in all
whole foods.
Dairy products may be high in
calcium, but the nutrient package is
problematic, with no antioxidants,
no fiber, high levels of saturated fat
and cholesterol, and acidity levels
that lead to calcium leaching out of
bones and eventually weakening
them. In fact, studies have shown that
rates of bone fractures, an indicator
of osteoporosis, are highest in
countries that consume the most
dairy, calcium, and animal protein.
Bottom line: When making food
choices, consider the overall package.
The fiber, carbohydrate, protein,
antioxidants, and other nutrients that
come along with the calcium in
plant-based foods are much more
beneficial to your overall health—
including your bones—than any
animal-based food.
—Alona Pulde, MD, and Matthew Lederman,
MD, co-authors of The Forks Over Knives Plan
and Forks Over Knives Family
WILL I GET ENOUGH
CALCIUM ON A
PLANT-BASED DIET?
Q
Q
A
A
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