When I share my eating style, many people respond with a common answer that they cannot give up meat, eggs, cheese and overall dairy.

Let’s focus on cheese this round. I admit, I use to love cheese and thought the very same. I’m not one to replace a food with what I call a “fake” version that is suppose to have the same texture and similar taste. The concept of “substitute” products in place of a once loved food reminded me of a story shared by a friend that invited life long vegans over for dinner. She was so proud of herself for making a tofu “meatless” meal. After the dinner, she asked her guests how they liked the meatless substitute and if it tasted similar to meat. They explained that they had never tried meat and had nothing to compare to the taste. However, over time, I have learned that not all substitute products are harmful and can be quit tasty.

Many foods have ingredients that make people crave them. These ingredients connect with the brain creating temporary feelings of joy and comfort in some cases. This is the intended response and what large companies want you to feel because you’ll buy more and more. Many ingredients are not even on the label.

Cheese for example, has aluminum added to give it a creamier consistency. European cheeses do not add this ingredient. Some studies suggest that there is a correlation between Alzheimer’s disease as well as slow growth-in children, seizures, bone pain, muscle weakness, confusion, anemia, impaired iron absorption, lung problems and nervous system issues. Now how much aluminum do you have to ingest or be exposed to cause these issues? Well, that all depends on the study you read. Remember, aluminum is also found in deodorants.

Here’s a quote from PETA with this same information covered by other documentaries. I noted “other documentaries” because PETA may be too extreme for some folks.

“Many cheeses are made with rennet, an enzyme that comes from calves’ stomach lining. … Cheese—like all dairy products—contains pus from cows whose udders get bacterial infections when the cows are treated like milk machines by the dairy industry. Cheese is loaded with artery-clogging saturated fat and cholesterol.”

Cheese falls into the dairy category and has been considered the culprit for acne and other skin issues, respiratory conditions, inflammation in the joints and throughout the body along with weight gain.

Below is a video interviewing, Dr. Neal D. Barnard, MD, FACC, where he explain why we become so addicted to cheese. His book, The Cheese Trap, is also a best New York Times seller. It talks about how breaking this addiction will help you lose weight, gain energy and get healthy.