A scientific study has revealed that eating cheese regularly may reduce the risk of developing gallstones, a painful condition that occurs when large amounts of cholesterol accumulate in the bile and gallbladder.
The study, conducted by researchers from Lanzhou University in China, found that people who ate cheese at least once a day were more than 26% less likely to develop this problem.
Even eating cheese as a snack once a week was enough to reduce the risk by 13% compared to those who do not eat cheese at all.
Researchers say one theory to explain these findings is that the calcium in cheese may help the gallbladder empty more regularly, preventing cholesterol from crystallizing and forming gallstones. Cheese may also increase levels of "good" cholesterol, known as HDL-C, which helps the body transport cholesterol safely, meaning less cholesterol is deposited in bile.
Gallstones can cause severe pain if the stones, which are primarily composed of cholesterol, accumulate and block the bile ducts. These stones are also linked to rapid weight loss; studies indicate that approximately 1 in 100 people who use weight-loss injections such as Mongaro may develop gallbladder problems.
Stones can also develop in people who consume large amounts of highly refined carbohydrates, as well as in patients with type 2 diabetes.
Health experts advise those with a history of gallstones to avoid foods high in saturated fat, such as cheese, as these can trigger gallbladder pain in some people. However, growing evidence suggests that cheese may also protect against this condition in people who have never had gallstones.
In the largest study of its kind to date, researchers compared the diets of 400,000 British adults with their risk of developing gallstones. Over a 10-year period, 4% of them developed the condition. They found that eating cheese once a week was associated with a 13% lower risk, eating it two to four times a week reduced the risk by 20%, while those who ate it daily saw the greatest benefit, with a 26.3% reduction in risk.
The researchers wrote in the journal NPJ Science of Food, a publication of Nature: "These findings highlight the potential role of cheese as a modifiable dietary factor for gallstone prevention, partly through its effects on HDL-C cholesterol." They added: "Further research is needed to explore additional biological mechanisms and validate these associations to support public health recommendations
