Is Cheese 'Clean Eating'?

A couple of days ago I posted the meal plans for this months Clean Eating Challenge Group participants, and for the first time ever I actually had a legitimate arguments happening in one of my groups! Usually people are excited, happy, and just can't wait to get started, but this group was heated... over CHEESE.

Yep, you heard that right. The argument was about if cheese is considered "clean" or not, and allowed in my 30 day group. I love my friends and clients from this group because they were being proactive about their health and taking the group seriously, but it was a little intense.

For anyone who has followed the recipes I have been making throughout my weight loss journey, You know that I am a cheese lover. I did some research and saw that just like my group, there are a ton of varied opinions on this subject. A lot of people ban cheese completely, and others say that it's A-Okay.

So, let's actually break it down a little bit:

Here are the ingredients in Kraft Natural Colby and Monterey Jack (Block) :

Pasteurized Cultured Milk, Salt, Enzymes, Annatto, Natamycin.

According to Wikipedia: Annatto is made from the seeds of the achiote tree. It is often used to impart a yellow or orange color to foods, but sometimes also for its flavor and aroma.

Natamycin is a natural mold inhibitor. It's tasteless, non-toxic, and naturally occurring, and has been used in food production for ages.

Organic Valley Mozzarella (Block):

Organic Cultured Pasteurized Part Skim Milk, Salt, Enzymes.

Market Pantry Cheddar (Shredded):

Cheddar Cheese (Pasteurized Milk, Cheese Culture, Salt, Enzymes, Annatto, Potato Starch, Starch and Cellulose Powder, Natamycin.

Kraft Mild Cheddar (Shredded):

Cheddar Cheese (Pasteurized Milk, Cheese Culture, Salt, Enzymes, Annatto, Potato Starch, Cellulose Powder, Calcium Sulfate, Natamycin.

Potato Starch is - surprise! - made from potatoes, and used as a thickener for sauces, soups, and stews. It tolerates higher temperatures than cornstarch when used as a thickener.

Powdered cellulose is minuscule pieces of WOOD pulp fibers that coat the cheese and keep it from clumping by blocking out moisture. Since the wood pulp is not toxic, the FDA okayed it to be used in food (plus it saves the companies $$$).. But it's not exactly considered "food". Humans can't digest cellulose and it has no caloric value. And honestly, when I want a snack, I NEVER think "Oh yum.. tree branches", so I don't REALLY want wood in my cheese, either.

Calcium sulfate is a common laboratory and industrial chemical. According to WebMD, there are quite a few side effects caused by calcium sulfate, including gas, swelling of the abdomen, feeling like throwing up, intense abdominal pain, and even kidney stones. LiveStrong states "In the amounts typically found in food and supplements, calcium sulfate isn't likely to cause adverse effects and is generally regarded as safe by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration."

Looking over the facts here, I can say with 100% certainty that I am not going to kick my cheese habit anytime soon. It's delicious, and I truly think that it's fine in moderation. And yes, I am allowing my group to have cheese, just not as an everyday thing. BUT... We are sticking to full-fat block cheese, since shredded and low-fat varieties have so many more ingredients, some of them being the same and some of them being less than ideal. Plus, according to Men's Health, full-fat cheese (although higher in calories), isn't a bad thing. It can help you feel full since it has protein and fat, which are satiating, and scientists have found that while people ate 10 ounces of full-fat cheese over the course of three weeks, their LDL (bad) cholesterol did not raise.

Conclusion: There are definitely worse things for you than cheese. As I am writing this, I am halfway through my weight loss journey at 20 lbs down, feeling healthy, energized and incredible. I think that making smarter choices about what you put in your body is important, so reading lables and choosing brands that offer the least amount of ingredients on the label seems like the way to go. So now I am going to go make my clean eating mini pizza, WITH cheese!

#cleaneating #nutrition