Can cheese be as addictive as drugs?

Hyderabad: A post claiming that cheese can be as addictive as drugs, alcohol, and sex is being shared on social media. The claim was made by an Instagram user, drpedinaturalhealth, who is reportedly a doctor.

Is this true? Let's find out.

Fact Check

First of all, what is addiction?

The National Institute on Drug Abuse defines addiction as a chronic disease characterised by drug seeking and use that is compulsive, or difficult to control, despite harmful consequences. The initial decision to take drugs is voluntary for most people, but repeated drug use can lead to brain changes that challenge an addicted person's self-control and interfere with their ability to resist intense urges to take drugs.

I agree that many of us cannot say no to cheese but the viral claim is taking this cheesy love way too far.

According to Healthline, "Cheese may be mildly addictive due to its protein casein, which your body breaks down into casomorphins. These compounds attach to dopamine receptors in your brain, possibly triggering cravings for similar foods. However, cheese is nothing like addictive drugs and isn't dangerous in any way."

Houston Methodist Leading Medicine also states, "There's no scientific evidence that cheese is addictive or that it significantly affects the brain similar to drugs or alcohol. That's not to say that eating cheese can't affect your brain's reward center, which may even cause you to crave it from time to time. But food cravings aren't the same as addictions. And they're also not specific to cheese."

To conclude, there is no conclusive study to prove cheese can be as addictive as drugs or alcohol.

Hence, the claim is false.