Can You Have Cheese on Carnivore Diet?

You’ve probably already seen the fights in carnivore forums when someone asked - can you have cheese on carnivore diet? This is one of those things people ust don’t agree on. Some say it's fine - it’s an animal-derived product, after all. Others act like you suggested putting ketchup on a ribeye. 

So is cheese carnivore-friendly or not? Short answer: yes, but the type matters more than anything else. There's a full carnivore diet cheese list below that covers which cheeses work, which you should avoid, and why cottage cheese is one of the most interesting varieties out there.

You want the carnivore diet benefits but you don't want to give up cheese to get them. Fair enough. Whether you're melting cheddar on a burger patty or just want something to complement your meat chips for a carnivore-friendly charcuterie board, learn more below!

Understanding Dairy on the Carnivore Diet

The carnivore diet food list is animal products only. Meat, fish, eggs. Fruit, veggies, grains, and everything else is gone. Dairy comes from animals, so it should be simple. Yet, you’ll see more debate on the dairy topic than pretty much everything else in the carnivore kingdom. 

The problem isn't whether cheese counts as an animal product. Obviously, it does. The problem is what happens in your gut after you eat it. A lot of people can't handle lactose. You know that all too well if you're one of them - bloating, gas, and sometimes worse. 

Then there's casein. This dairy protein gives some people trouble even if they handle lactose just fine. Casein is probably the culprit if cheese makes you feel off and you've ruled out everything else. 

So, Can You Have Cheese on Carnivore Diet?

Can you have cheese on carnivore diet if you're actually following the rules? Depends entirely on which version of the rules you follow. Let’s start there.

Standard vs Relaxed Carnivore Diet Rules

Strict carnivore is meat, water, and salt. Nothing else. Cheese is out under those carnivore diet rules. So are eggs and coffee. But most people don't follow strict carnivore. 1) it’s not very practical (or enjoyable), and 2) you’re more likely to develop nutritional deficiencies on it.

The relaxed version includes dairy, eggs, and usually coffee because most people aren't interested in giving up every single thing that isn't a steak. Cheese is fair game under this version as long as you're picking varieties that don't cause you problems (more on that in a moment).

Where you fall on this is your call. Nobody's grading your carnivore diet. Does cheese make your meals better, and not result in your stomach doing flips? Probably no harm in indulging every so often. On the other hand, you’ll want to skip it if you feel sharper and lighter without it. 

The diet works either way. Just be honest with yourself about how you're feeling. A lot of people convince themselves cheese isn't causing them any issues because they don't want to give it up. Cut it for a week and see what changes if you're genuinely not sure.

Comparison With Keto or a Simple Low-Carb Diet

Cheese was probably half your diet if you came from keto. Nobody on keto questions it. The macros work, the fat is high, and the carbs are low. What more could you ask for?

Carnivore is just about eating exclusively from animals and cutting everything else out. Yet, we see keto vs carnivore compared all the time. They’re totally distinct from one another. 

Cheese qualifies as an animal product. But the lactose and casein concerns don't come up on keto the same way they do here. People on the carnivore diet pay closer attention to how individual foods make them feel because the whole point is stripping the diet down to what the human body actually runs well on. Of course, that’s not one-size-fits-all. There is going to be some trial and error, and that’s perfectly fine!

Our advice if you’re coming from keto - test with less cheese than you're used to before sticking with the same portions. The adjustment period is real. Don't assume you’ll have the same relationship with cheese on carnivore as you did on keto.

The Type of Cheese Matters

So can you have cheese on carnivore diet? The real answer is probably. You know it depends on your body by this point. But the type of cheese is just as important. Dare we say more important?

A wedge of aged parmesan and a pack of Kraft singles don’t belong in the same conversation. One is an animal product with almost no lactose left in it. The other has a paragraph of ingredients on the back that reads like a chemistry experiment. 

So, what cheese can you eat on carnivore diet? 

What Cheese Can You Eat on Carnivore Diet?

Not all cheese belongs on this diet - or any diet, for that matter. Some of it barely counts as food. Here's how to sort the good from the garbage.

Soft vs Hard Cheese

This is the defining split between cheeses, and the easiest way to figure out the best carnivore diet chees. Hard cheese vs soft cheese.

Hard cheeses are your best option on the carnivore diet cheese list. A cheese has less lactose in it the longer it has to age. Parmesan and aged cheddar have almost none. That’s why most people can eat them without any issues, even if other dairy gives them problems. Parmesan, gruyere, aged gouda, and Swiss all belong on the list without much debate.

Soft cheeses are another story. Less predictable. Brie and feta have more lactose, but some people still tolerate them just fine. Start with a small amount and give yourself a day before deciding. 

Cream cheese falls even further down the list. It’s not a deal-breaker if you just use it as an ingredient for other dishes (sparingly). But don’t eat it by the spoonful if you’re serious about following the carnivore diet.

What you skip entirely: processed cheese, cheese spreads, anything with an ingredient list longer than this paragraph. Anything that comes individually wrapped in plastic and doesn't need to be refrigerated is absolutely not real cheese. It doesn't belong on your carnivore diet cheese list. 

Use This Carnivore Cheese Chart

Can You Eat Cottage Cheese on Carnivore Diet?

Now, let’s pivot to a very specific question we get asked all the time. Can you eat cottage cheese on carnivore diet? This variety is closer to yogurt than hard cheese. It’s different from everything in the chart above. It's a fresh cheese, totally unaged. That means it still has a lot of lactose in it. But we’re not here to tell you that cottage cheese is evil. It absolutely has its place.

Benefits of Cottage Cheese on Carnivore Diet

Cottage cheese on carnivore diet is actually a great staple if you tolerate dairy without issues. A half cup of full-fat cottage cheese has about 14g of protein. That’s pretty solid for something you eat cold straight out of the container with zero prep. No pan, heat, or cleanup. 

Cottage cheese is also one of those things you can eat at any time of day. Throw it in a bowl next to some bacon in the morning or eat it cold at midnight when you're hungry and don't want to cook anything. 

People who can’t find snacks they love find that cottage cheese on carnivore diet is a great option. Some people mix in crumbled bacon or shredded beef. Cottage cheese has a mild flavor that works perfectly as a carrier for whatever protein you pair it with.

So, what’s the catch?

Considerations With Cottage Cheese on Carnivore Diet

We’re not even going to talk about the texture. Some people just can’t handle it. It’s lumpy, and the only word some carnivores can describe it as is nasty. 

But honestly, lactose is the downside of cottage cheese on carnivore diet. Fresh cheese has way more of it than aged cheese. Cottage cheese will probably give you bigger problems than any other form. Some people who eat cheddar all day without a thought still can't handle cottage cheese.

The other issue is what brands put in it. A lot of grocery store cottage cheese has gums, thickeners, modified food starch, or sugar hiding in the ingredient list. None of that belongs on carnivore. 

You need to look for a brand that keeps it simple if you’re going to add cottage cheese to your meal plan. Milk, cream, salt, cultures are the only four ingredients you should see. Be super strict here. 

Potential Benefits of Eating Cheese on Carnivore Diet

Now, why add cheese to your rotation in the first place? It does a lot more than just taste good and scratch that itch that pretty much nothing else can. 

It adds fat to cuts of meat that are a little too lean on their own. Fat is your body’s new source of fuel since you’ve pretty much eliminated all carbs. You’d be surprised how difficult it can be to eat enough fat since the general carnivore meal plan is so filling.

Cheese also solves the boredom problem. The repetition starts wearing on you around the third or fourth week of steak and eggs every day. Here are some fun additions you can try:

• Shredded parmesan on ground beef. 
• A slice of brie after dinner as a closer. 
• Cream cheese stuffed inside a burger patty that melts when you bite into it.

Sounds like a little detail, but it can make a world of difference and prevent you from ordering a pizza because you can't look at another plain steak.

Eating cheese on the carnivore diet also makes the transition easier if you're coming off a standard diet. Having at least one familiar food category available makes the whole thing feel less extreme during the first few weeks when everything else is changing. 

Moderation Matters With Carnivore Diet Cheese Consumption

The beauty of the carnivore diet is you can enjoy your meals fit without stressing too much about portion control. Yet, how much you eat still matters with something like cheese. 

An ounce of cheddar has about 115 calories. Eat five ounces without thinking about it, and you've added almost 600 calories on top of whatever else you had that day. It can really sneak up on you.

Too much cheese is the easiest place to derail your goals if weight loss is part of why you're doing this diet. Treat cheese like a condiment or a side. Not the main event.

Our Favorite Ways to Incorporate Cheese on Carnivore Diet

Here are a few creative ways you can make cheese part of your carnivore diet meal plan:

• Melt brie or camembert and dip leftover steak bites into it. The warm cheese with cold meat is ridiculous - it’s the perfect contrast.
• Shred parmesan over ground beef while it's still hot in the pan. Let it get crispy around the edges before you plate it.
• Stuff burger patties with cream cheese before cooking. It melts inside and hits you when you bite in.
• Roll sliced deli meat around a stick of string cheese. Sounds like a school lunch but it works when you need something quick and mindless on the go.
• Cottage cheese with salt alongside bacon for breakfast. Half the plate requires zero cooking.
• Create your own charcuterie board with our carnivore chips and your favorite cheese varieties. The way the meat chips start out light and crunchy before melting in your mouth is to die for, and the cheese only makes them that much better.

Speaking of Carnivore Snax, they’re a staple as you set out on this journey. These carnivore diet snacks skip dairy altogether. In fact, they’re only made from two ingredients - meat and salt. That’s it. Find your new favorite variety below: 

• Ribeye Chips: the one people come back to every single time
• Steak Chips: NY Strip with the fat left on
• Brisket Chips: low and slow flavor without needing a smoker
• Beef Chips: bite-sized, dip them in anything
• Pork Chips: pork fat sweetness that melts on your tongue
• Chicken Chips: protein without the heaviness

Wrapping Up Our Carnivore Diet Cheese Guide

In closing, can you have cheese on carnivore diet? Yes - with some caveats, of course. The aged hard cheeses from the carnivore diet cheese list above are your safest picks. Can you eat cottage cheese on carnivore diet? Test it and see. Skip anything processed. It doesn't belong on any version of this diet.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does cheese mess up a carnivore diet?

Not if you pick the right kinds. Aged hard cheeses have pretty much no lactose. Processed cheese and high-lactose stuff is another story. Stick to the carnivore diet cheese list above.

What kind of cheese can you have on the carnivore diet?

Parmesan, aged cheddar, gruyere, Swiss, Gouda. Hard cheeses are aged long enough for the lactose to break down. Brie and feta work for some people too.

Should I eat cheese even if I'm lactose intolerant?

Aged cheeses like parmesan and Swiss have a little bit of lactose, but even most intolerant people handle them fine. Fresh cheeses and cottage cheese should almost certainly be avoided.

Will cheese make me gain weight?

It can if you overdo it. Cheese can sneak up on you when you're snacking on it all day. An ounce of cheddar is about 115 calories. Use it like a topping or a side.

What is the best type of cheese for carnivore diet?

Parmesan has the least lactose, the highest protein per ounce, and goes on everything. Aged cheddar is a close second. 

Sources

• What is the carnivore diet? - Harvard Health
• Behavioral Characteristics and Self-Reported Health Status among 2029 Adults Consuming a "Carnivore Diet" - NIH
• USDA FoodData Central - Cheese Nutrition
• Lactose Intolerance - MedlinePlus