# Cheese

Category: Foods & Substances

Cheese is a concentrated dairy food whose value in Ray Peat's framework rests primarily on its casein protein and calcium content, which together exert anti-stress and metabolic-regulating effects. Peat argued that the casein fraction retained in cheese is anti-inflammatory and…

9 passages · 1 author · 2009–2022 · Most-cited: [Ray Peat](https://bioenergeticoracle.com/md/voices/ray-peat/index.md)

Canonical page: https://bioenergeticoracle.com/concepts/cheese

## Synthesis

**Cheese** is a concentrated dairy food whose value in Ray Peat's framework rests primarily on its **casein protein** and **calcium content**, which together exert anti-stress and metabolic-regulating effects. [Source 4] Peat argued that the casein fraction retained in cheese is *anti-inflammatory and anti-stress*, helping to suppress cortisol production, while the discarded whey fraction lacks these protective factors and is deficient in calcium. [Source 4] He advised eating cheese specifically for its high calcium and protein, though he cautioned that its caloric density varies enormously, from nearly fat-free varieties to those resembling soft butter. [Source 8]

The metabolic benefits of cheese are inseparable from its mineral profile. Peat emphasized that the **ratio of calcium to phosphate** is more important than the absolute amount of calcium, and that hard cheeses like Parmigiano-Reggiano can supply a meaningful quantity in a typical four-ounce serving. [Source 5] He cited epidemiological evidence that when a high dietary phosphate load comes from milk and cheese, it is paradoxically associated with *reduced blood pressure*, unlike the vascular calcification and increased systolic pressure driven by phosphate from other sources. [Source 2] Mechanistically, calcium inhibits the fat-forming enzyme **fatty acid synthase** while simultaneously activating mitochondrial uncoupling proteins, which accelerate calorie burning and protect against free radical damage—a dual action Peat believed was unique to dairy. [Source 4] Fructose consumed alongside high-phosphate foods further reduces intestinal phosphate absorption. [Source 3]

Peat became increasingly alarmed by the near-total industrial takeover of cheese production by **genetically modified microbial enzymes**, marketed under labels like "vegetable rennet" or simply "enzymes." [Source 1, 5] He documented that over two-thirds of global cheese had abandoned traditional animal rennet in favor of single enzymes produced by genetically engineered microorganisms, which he argued carry allergenic debris from the source microbes such as *Aspergillus*. [Source 1, 6] Peat personally experienced intestinal inflammation after eating cheeses that had switched to these substitutes, observing that the texture became softer and moister, and he warned that even cheeses labeled "organic" could legally contain them. [Source 1] He considered real animal rennet still safe, but noted that industrial citric acid used for clotting also poses allergenic risks due to contaminants absent from natural fruit citric acid. [Source 5] When asked directly whether regularly consuming enzyme-modified cheese that is well tolerated could cause long-term damage, Peat replied that it *increases the risk of future inflammation*. [Source 7]

For individuals experiencing digestive or sinus reactions to cheese, Peat recommended systematic experimentation with different types, suggesting that homemade skimmed-milk cottage cheese might be a tolerable starting point. [Source 9] He explained that the ability to digest dairy components like lactose can often be re-induced by consuming very small amounts—two or three ounces at a meal—over a period of weeks, providing enough exposure to stimulate dormant enzyme systems without feeding problematic bacteria significantly. [Source 9] He also noted that the tryptophan content of cheese varies somewhat with the production method, though the calcium content varies far more dramatically, especially in cheeses like ricotta where separation by acid versus bacterial proteolysis determines the final mineral composition. [Source 5]

## People also ask

### How does cheese help lower stress hormones?

Peat argued that the casein protein in cheese is anti-inflammatory and anti-stress, directly helping to suppress cortisol production, while the whey fraction discarded in cheesemaking lacks these protective factors.

### Why did Peat warn about microbial enzymes in cheese?

He documented that most commercial cheese uses enzymes from genetically modified microorganisms, which he argued carry allergenic debris from source microbes like Aspergillus and increase the risk of future intestinal inflammation.

### What makes dairy calcium different from other sources?

Peat emphasized that calcium from milk and cheese inhibits the fat-forming enzyme fatty acid synthase and activates mitochondrial uncoupling proteins, a dual calorie-burning and protective action he believed was unique to dairy.

## Related concepts

- [Milk](https://bioenergeticoracle.com/md/concepts/milk/index.md)
- [Phosphate](https://bioenergeticoracle.com/md/concepts/phosphate/index.md)
- [Acne](https://bioenergeticoracle.com/md/concepts/acne/index.md)
- [Atherosclerosis](https://bioenergeticoracle.com/md/concepts/atherosclerosis/index.md)
- [Fish Oil](https://bioenergeticoracle.com/md/concepts/fish-oil/index.md)
- [Hypertension](https://bioenergeticoracle.com/md/concepts/hypertension/index.md)

## Cited passages

Passage numbers match the `[Source N]` markers in the synthesis above.

### Source 1 — #118 - The truth about estrogen replacement therapy, calcium and milk myths with Dr Ray Peat and Kate Deering

Ray Peat · Interview · May 23, 2022

> **Ray Peat:** About, I guess it's been more than 10 years ago. There were several brands of American cheese. imitating traditional European brands. And I was eating a particular good kind. I think it was from Vermont. And I noticed suddenly it had an unfamiliar soft, moist texture. And then after eating it for a few days, I started getting a bowel problem. inflammation symptoms. And so I checked the labels and they had suddenly changed from animal rennet to so-called vegetable rennet, which means in most cases, genetically engineered microbial enzyme producers, which always carry allergens from the microbe. So I changed to another American cheese that was traditional. And in a short time, the texture of that became softer, moister, slightly different taste. And then I got sick. That happened with three American brands before I investigated in detail and found out that by that time, two-thirds of all Cheese in the world was no longer made with animal granite, but with these genetically modified microorganisms producing only usually one single enzyme rather than the natural complex of enzymes occurring in granite. So the industry of genetically engineered enzyme production has almost completely taken over world cheese production. So you have to very carefully read the labels and interpret labels that are using the language more and more slyly so that people will not dig too deeply and find the genetic modified organisms in their food.

### Source 2 — Phosphate, activation, and aging

Ray Peat · Article · 2013 · https://raypeat.com/articles/articles/phosphate-activation-aging.shtml

> Although increased phosphate generally causes vascular calcification (increasing rigidity, with increased systolic blood pressure), when a high level of dietary phosphate comes from milk and cheese, it is epidemiologically associated with reduced blood pressure (Takeda, et al., 2012).
>
> Phosphate toxicity offers some interesting insights into stress and aging, helping to explain the protective effects of carbon dioxide, thyroid hormone, sugar, niacinamide, and calcium. It also suggests that other natural substances used as food additives should be investigated more thoroughly. Excessive citric acid, for example, might activate dormant cancer cells (Havard, et al., 2011), and has been associated with malignancy (Blüml, et al., 2011). Nutritional research has hardly begun to investigate the optimal ratios of minerals, fats, amino acids, and other things in foods, and how they interact with the natural toxicants, antinutrients, and hormone disrupters in many organisms used for food.
>
> [references]

### Source 3 — This interview has a lot of good info and I highly suggest reading it.

Ray Peat · Interview · 2012

> **Ray Peat:** Mmhm.
>
> **Andrew Murray:** All these things they never talk about that are actually good for you. Obviously, the saturated animal fats, lots of milk, calcium, cheese,…our ancestors had this figured out for thousands of years. We’re coming back now from where we came from. Thank you so much for your time Dr Peat.
>
> **Ray Peat:** Thank you.​

### Source 4 — Milk Calcium and Hormones East West Healing 2011

Ray Peat · Interview · 2011

> **Ray Peat:** The casein that you get in the cheese (and you throw away largely the albumin fraction), the casein protein turns out to be anti-inflammatory and anti-stress, helps hold down the cortisol production. And you get the opposite effect from the whey fraction. So it has many direct nutritional problems – probably the worst one is that most of the calcium stays with the cheese. And so you have a protein which is easily degraded and lacks the anti-stress factors, and is deficient in calcium. One of the reasons a lot of people give, if they have overcomen the idea that milk forms mucus, or is a risk for various diseases, and so on, one of their arguments is that it makes them fat. But all the research on animals, and as far as it goes, the human research, shows that milk is probably the best reducing food there is. Mechanisms for that are now known – not only the anti-stress effect of the casein and the good balance of the saturated fats and so on - but the calcium alone is a very important metabolic regulator. It happens to inhibit the fat-forming enzymes – fatty acid synthase - and incidentally, that’s a characteristic enzyme that goes wild in cancer. But calcium and milk inhibit that fatty acid synthase, reducing the formation of fats, and at the same time it activates the uncoupling proteins in the mitochondria, which are associated with increased longevity. Because by increasing the metabolic rate, the uncoupling proteins burn calories faster, but they protect against free radical oxidation. They pull the fuel through the oxidation process so fast in effect, that none of it goes astray in random oxidation. Whereas if you inhibit your energy producing enzymes, you tend to get random stray oxidations that damage mitochondria. So the uncoupling proteins burn calories faster at the same time that you’re reducing fat synthesis. And milk is, as far as I know, the only food that does both of those things simultaneously.

### Source 5 — Email Exchanges — Cheese

Ray Peat · Email · 2015

> # Cheese
>
> [In cheese,] When the label says 'enzymes,' it is likely that they are using one of the new products; lots of people are having serious intestinal reactions to commercial cheeses. Real animal rennet is still safe, as far as I know. Industrial grade citric acid is a serious allergen for some people, because it contains contaminants that aren't in natural fruit citric acid, but it's probably safer than the industrial 'enzymes.' The producers of the enzyme products claim they are highly purified, but some people react as though they still contain some antigens from the microorganisms. The traditional cheeses were made with milk that soured with the bacteria that lived in the cows, but now it's common to sterilize the milk, and then add cultures, or enzymes, or citric acid, for standardization---but they often put their faith in a commercial product that seems to work well, but that could have serious allergenic contaminants. The same thing has been happening with aged cheeses, many places are no longer letting the native molds infect the cheese curds. Homogenizing doesn't cause any problems---unless they use solvents/detergents for adding the vitamins A and D that are required in milk with reduced fat. The vitamins aren't normally added to whole milk or cream.
>
> [TRYPTOPHAN CONTENT OF CHEESE] It varies a little with the method of making cheese, and the calcium content varies even more.
>
> The calcium content [of ricotta cheese] can vary greatly, depending on whether the whey is separated by acid or by bacterial proteolysis.
>
> The ratio of calcium to phosphate is more important than the absolute amount of calcium. 4 ounces [Parmegioanno Regiano] would usually be enough.

### Source 6 — Ask the Herb Doctor: Food Additives

Ray Peat · Interview · Oct 1, 2009

> **Sarah Murray:** Even on the labels for cheese, sometimes it just says "rennet." That could mean animal rennet, or it could mean vegetable rennet, which never really comes from a vegetable source—it is usually genetically modified or grown on a mold. Of course, there are natural rennets available like fig juice and cardoon thistle, but no companies use those anymore. So you are saying not only are these enzymes problematic, but also the carriers used to make it convenient for the cheese maker.
>
> **Ray Peat:** Yes, and they are being used as carriers for other foods. It is increasingly common to use seaweed materials, which are potentially deadly. One of the other most deadly allergens was sulfite, which killed a few people eating restaurant salads or seafoods that had been deodorized with it. Even after it was recognized that it could be deadly, it was still used in drugs sold for treating asthma patients. There was a product called Alupent. A girl who had almost died in the hospital after being treated once was about to be treated with it again. She grabbed the bottle and ran; right on the bottle, it said "contains sodium metabisulfite." I wrote to the FDA, the drug companies, and the *Journal of the American Medical Association*. They all admitted it was a problem that could kill people, but they went on selling it for years without publishing warnings.

### Source 7 — Ray Peat Email Advice Depository — Post 641

Ray Peat · Email · Mar 22, 2021

> **Question:** Do you think it is safe to regularly consume cheese made with enzymes/vegetarian rennet if it is well tolerated? Or, will regular consumption cause some damage long term?
>
> **Ray Peat:** I think it increases the risk of future inflammation.

### Source 8 — Weight Loss — KMUD Herb Doctors, 2013

Ray Peat · Transcript · 2013

> **Ray Peat:** University of Oregon. I graduated in 1972 specialising in physiology and biochemistry. Worked with a diet company, counselling people in weight loss, 42 years ago
>
> **Andrew Murray:** You do have a very active Facebook page. There’s a pretty lively debate and forum. How can people adopt your diet and not expect any weight gain? Extra weight around the abdomen in relation to your specifics to diet.
>
> **Ray Peat:** I advise eating cheese because of its high calcium and protein content, but you have to consider the calories cause some cheese has practically no fat and some are like a soft butter. Functional energy reserve coupled with a healthy metabolism and this is your expertise. What constitutes as a healthy metabolism, as we know it. Glucose oxidation versus the opposite the fatty acid metabolism that occurs with stress?
>
> **Andrew Murray:** If somebody has an unhealthy metabolism, someone will have a hard time burning a 1200, 1000 calories a day?

### Source 9 — Politics & Science: Two Hour Fundraiser I

Ray Peat · Interview · Feb 22, 2012

> ## Caller: Dairy Intolerance and Sinus Issues
>
> **Ray Peat:** I've never heard of anyone trying that, but I would say try some homemade skimmed milk cottage cheese first.
>
> **John Barkhausen:** Is there any use in sneaking up on the milk consumption? Just doing a little bit at a time.
>
> **Ray Peat:** If a person thinks they might have a problem digesting the lactose or any food that's chemically different, then if you drink two or three ounces at a meal, that exposes the intestine to the new chemical. In a week or two, or at most a month or two, the enzymes usually will express themselves, even though they might have been gone for years. You can usually induce them in a few weeks by these small samples, just a half a glass at a time. There's not enough to feed the bacteria significantly, but enough to sort of tickle the enzyme system into getting active.

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