Cheese isn't inherently inflammatory for most people; research suggests dairy, including cheese, often has neutral to anti-inflammatory effects, but individual sensitivities (like milk allergy or intolerance) can trigger inflammation. Some studies point to potential anti-inflammatory benefits, while others highlight issues with poor-quality or processed dairy, which can be inflammatory, especially for sensitive individuals.
Inflammatory Foods
Symptoms of dairy intolerance
Since everyone's biochemistry is different, dairy inflammation symptoms can manifest in a wide-variety of problems that can seem unrelated. Digestive distress (bloating, constipation, gas, etc.)
Cheese and High-fat Dairy Are Big Inflammation Triggers
Eat cheese and high-fat dairy sparingly if inflammation causes you major problems. Saturated fats and advanced glycation end products (AGEs) are in most cheese, butter, cream cheese, margarine, and mayonnaise.
Dietitians recommend opting for feta, gouda, goat, fresh mozzarella or any grass-fed cheese. Pair these cheeses with lifestyle habits, like exercise and sleep, to help lower inflammation.
To quickly reduce inflammation, use the RICE method (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation) for acute injuries, combine with anti-inflammatory foods like fatty fish, leafy greens, and berries, get enough sleep (7+ hours), manage stress, and incorporate gentle exercise like brisk walking. Reducing processed foods, sugar, and unhealthy fats while increasing omega-3s, antioxidants, and fiber provides a powerful, faster response for chronic issues.
Yet most cheese varieties contain a fair bit of saturated fat and sodium — two things people with heart disease are often urged to limit. Still, there's no need to banish cheese from your diet. In fact, a daily serving of this popular dairy product may be good for your heart.
Milk, cheese, and yogurt are good sources of nutrition, but they contain a protein that may irritate tissues around your joints. Foods to consider as non-inflammatory substitutes include spinach, nut butter, tofu, beans, lentils, and quinoa.
When they become inflamed, often from repetitive movement or pressure, you can develop sudden pain even without recent injury. Tendinitis, caused by irritation or overuse of tendons, can present similarly. Sometimes, joint pain without an apparent injury is linked to infection, gout, or other systemic conditions.
Foods to Avoid
The five cardinal signs of inflammation, first described by the ancients and later expanded, are redness (rubor), heat (calor), swelling (tumor), pain (dolor), and loss of function (functio laesa), resulting from the body's protective response to injury or infection, characterized by increased blood flow, fluid buildup, and chemical signals affecting nerve endings.
“Controlling weight is important in terms of reducing inflammation,” she says. Sticking to low-fat dairy choices can help control weight and help reduce inflammation. If you decide to cut back on dairy, make sure you're choosing other foods with those nutrients.
People with lactose intolerance often have diarrhea, gas and bloating after eating or drinking foods containing lactose. The condition is usually harmless, but its symptoms can cause discomfort. Too little of an enzyme made in the small intestine, called lactase, is usually responsible for lactose intolerance.
Inflammation doesn't always need treatment. For acute inflammation, you can usually relieve discomfort in a few days by: Resting that part of your body. Applying ice or a cold pack to the affected area for 15-20 minutes every four hours or so.
Inflammation is part of the process by which the immune system defends the body from harmful agents, such as bacteria and viruses. Acute inflammation is triggered by injury, infection, or exposure to substances, and presents itself as pain, redness, swelling, loss of function, and heat.
Orange, tomato, pineapple and carrot juices are all high in the antioxidant, vitamin C, which can neutralize free radicals that lead to inflammation.
The Role of Vitamin D
Furthermore, some research suggests that vitamin D deficiency may be linked to an increased risk and severity of osteoarthritis, a common cause of joint pain. Ensuring adequate vitamin D levels through sunlight exposure, diet, or supplementation can be a crucial step in managing joint discomfort.
Joint pain and inflammation can occur with leukemia-related anemia as the cancer causes abnormal white blood cells to accumulate in the joints and bone marrow. Additionally, anemia can reduce blood oxygen levels, which can contribute to body aches and general discomfort, including joint pain.
Do
Dairy. You may be surprised to see dairy on this list, since it has many beneficial nutrients like calcium and protein. But it also contains casein, which may contribute to inflammation. Limiting the amount of dairy products you consume could reduce inflammation in your joints.
If you're lactose intolerant, you may get bloating, tummy pain and diarrhoea after drinking milk or eating dairy products. Your GP will usually suggest trying a lactose-free diet to confirm whether your symptoms are due to lactose intolerance. Sometimes you may need some tests too.
Acute pain in multiple joints is most often due to inflammation, gout, or the beginning or flare up of a chronic joint disorder. Chronic pain in multiple joints is usually due to osteoarthritis or an inflammatory disorder (such as rheumatoid arthritis) or, in children, juvenile idiopathic arthritis.
The unhealthiest cheeses are generally highly processed varieties like American cheese singles or cheese spreads (due to high sodium, additives, and lower nutrients) and very rich, creamy soft cheeses like Brie, Camembert, or triple-crèmes, which are packed with saturated fat and calories, making them best as infrequent treats, says sources 1, 5, 6. Harder cheeses like Stilton and Roquefort can also be high in saturated fat and sodium, respectively, notes sources 4, 8.
Digestive Distress (Bloating, Gas, Constipation)
Eating too much cheese can cause significant digestive discomfort, primarily due to its lactose content and lack of dietary fiber. Lactose Intolerance: Cheese contains lactose, a sugar found in milk.
“If your diet, in general, is very low in saturated fats and sodium, having two to three ounces of cheese a day may be safe,” says Supan. “If you're trying to eat healthy or have any heart concerns, I would try to stick to one ounce of high-quality cheese a day, or maybe even less than that a few times a week.”