Does cheese make you hungrier?

January 1, 2026 •

4 min read

According to a study published in the U.S. National Library of Medicine, highly processed, fatty foods are most often associated with addictive eating behaviors, with pizza topping the list. This raises a common question: does cheese, a key ingredient in many processed and comfort foods, actually make you hungrier or just seem that way?

Quick Summary

Cheese contains compounds called casomorphins, which trigger the brain's reward centers similarly to opioids, leading to cravings. High fat and salt content further enhance this effect, although the magnitude varies by cheese type and individual sensitivity.

Key Points

Casomorphins trigger cravings: The casein protein in cheese breaks down into opioid-like compounds called casomorphins, which activate the brain's reward system and can create cravings.
Concentrated effects in cheese: Because it takes a large amount of milk to make cheese, the casomorphins become more concentrated, intensifying the potential craving effect.
Fat and salt enhance desirability: The high fat and salt content found in many cheeses make them highly palatable and stimulate the brain's reward centers, encouraging overconsumption.
Effect varies by cheese type: Aged and highly processed cheeses tend to have more concentrated compounds that can drive cravings, while fresh, less processed types may have a milder effect.
Managing cravings is possible: Strategies like mindful eating, portion control, and pairing with more satiating foods can help control the desire to overeat cheese.
Part of a larger processed food issue: The problem often isn't just cheese itself, but its role in highly processed, hyper-palatable foods like pizza, which combine fat, salt, and concentrated compounds for maximum reward.

The Case for Cravings: How Cheese Affects Your Brain

The intense desire for cheese, especially rich, fatty varieties, is not purely psychological; it has a biochemical basis rooted in its composition. The primary protein in milk is casein, which becomes highly concentrated when liquid milk is processed into cheese. When you digest casein, your body breaks it down into smaller, opioid-like peptides called casomorphins.

These casomorphins are fascinating. They can cross the blood-brain barrier and attach to the same dopamine receptors that are stimulated by opioid drugs. This triggers the brain's reward system, releasing dopamine and creating a sense of pleasure and satisfaction. This mild euphoric sensation reinforces the desire to eat more cheese, a cycle that scientists believe evolved to promote bonding and milk consumption in mammals. In cheese, this effect is amplified because it takes roughly 10 pounds of milk to produce just one pound of cheese, concentrating the casomorphins significantly.

The Role of Fat and Salt

Beyond casomorphins, the combination of fat and salt is a major contributor to cheese cravings. High-fat, highly palatable foods are known to stimulate the brain's reward system, making them difficult to stop eating.

Fat's Impact: The high fat content in cheese is energy-dense and very appealing to the palate. Research suggests that high-fat foods were a survival mechanism for prehistoric humans, and this preference persists today. The weak satiety signals from fat can lead to what's known as "passive overconsumption".
Salt's Influence: Salt is a powerful flavor enhancer and is also linked to appetite. A high-sodium diet can cause shifts in hunger and thirst. The combination of savory saltiness with the rich creaminess of cheese creates an irresistible flavor profile that keeps you reaching for more.

Not All Cheeses Are Created Equal

The effect of cheese on hunger and cravings can depend heavily on its type, age, and processing. While aged and high-fat cheeses may be more likely to trigger a strong reward response, others may have a different impact.


Feature	Highly Processed Cheese (e.g., American slices)	Aged Hard Cheese (e.g., Parmesan)	Fresh/Soft Cheese (e.g., Mozzarella)
Casomorphin Level	Likely concentrated due to processing.	Elevated levels, as aging releases more casomorphins.	Lower concentration compared to hard cheeses.
Fat Content	Often high, designed for palatability.	Variable, but can be high.	Tends to be lower in fat, especially if made from skim milk.
Salt Content	Typically very high to enhance flavor.	Varies, can be high, driving cravings.	Generally lower, particularly in fresh varieties.
Trigger for Cravings	Strong, due to high fat, salt, and concentrated casomorphins.	Strong, especially for those sensitive to aged cheese compounds.	Milder effect due to lower concentration of key compounds.
Satiety Potential	Low, encourages passive overconsumption.	Moderate, protein provides some satiating effect.	Higher, more water content and less concentrated fat/salt.

Strategies to Manage Cheese Cravings

For those who feel that cheese drives their hunger, a few strategies can help manage the impulse to overeat:

Mindful Consumption: Pay attention to portion sizes and savor the cheese. Instead of mindlessly snacking, focus on the taste and texture of a small, high-quality piece.
Pair with Satiating Foods: Combine cheese with foods that provide greater satiety, such as high-fiber fruits (like apples) or whole-grain crackers. The fiber and bulk will help you feel full faster.
Choose Wisely: Opt for fresh, lower-fat cheeses over highly processed or aged varieties that might have a stronger effect on your brain's reward system.
Diversify Flavors: Don't rely on cheese as your only savory snack. Introduce other flavorful, but less concentrated, options like roasted nuts or hummus.
Give it Time: As with breaking any habit, it takes time for your palate to adjust. Some sources suggest it can take a few weeks to decrease intense cravings.

The Connection to Processed Foods

It is important to remember that cheese is often just one component of a larger, highly processed dish. Pizza, nachos, and cheeseburgers combine cheese with other ingredients designed to be hyper-palatable, like refined carbohydrates and additional salt and fat. A 2015 study noted that it's the combination of high fat and processing that most strongly predicts addictive-like eating behaviors, suggesting the issue isn't cheese alone, but its place within a diet rich in processed foods.

Conclusion

While cheese is not addictive in the same way as narcotics, the presence of casomorphins, along with its high fat and salt content, can make it a powerful driver of cravings and a contributor to increased hunger. This effect is a mild but real biological phenomenon, amplified in aged and highly processed cheeses. By understanding the science behind why we crave cheese, individuals can make more conscious dietary choices and learn to moderate their intake. Awareness of the reward pathways and the role of processing can help demystify the intense draw of this popular food. The ultimate goal is a balanced diet, not necessarily the complete elimination of cheese, but a more mindful approach to its consumption. For more information on the science of food and appetite, consult reputable sources such as the National Institutes of Health.

Frequently Asked Questions

Casomorphins are opioid-like peptides produced from the digestion of casein, the main protein in milk. They can bind to dopamine receptors in the brain, triggering a pleasure and reward response that can lead to cravings for cheese.

While the reward response to casomorphins and the high fat/salt content in cheese can create strong cravings, it is not considered a true clinical addiction like a drug dependency. It is more accurately described as a strong, habit-forming craving.

Yes, different cheeses can affect people differently. Aged and more processed cheeses, which have a higher concentration of casein and other flavor enhancers, may stimulate cravings more than fresh, less processed varieties.

Yes, but it's complicated. While the protein in cheese can contribute to satiety, the high fat and concentrated rewarding compounds in many types of cheese can override the feeling of fullness and lead to overconsumption.

Individual differences, potentially including genetic predisposition, can affect a person's sensitivity to casomorphins and how they respond to high-fat, high-salt foods. Some people may have more sensitive opioid receptors or different digestive enzymes.

Some researchers suggest that the casomorphin mechanism has an evolutionary basis. It may have helped to promote a strong bond between a lactating parent and an infant by making milk consumption a pleasurable and rewarding experience.

Fresh, less-processed cheeses often have lower concentrations of fat, salt, and casomorphins compared to aged or highly processed types. Opting for these and eating in moderation can be a helpful strategy.