Note: This article is based on my personal experience and research. I am not a doctor or a dietitian, and this content is for informational purposes only. Always consult with your healthcare provider before making any changes to your diet or lifestyle.
Cheese is one of the things that most of us absolutely enjoy eating. But should you eat cheese if you have a fatty liver disease?
The good news is that being diagnosed with NAFLD doesn’t automatically mean that you should completely stay away from all types of cheese. But before celebrating with a chunk of aged cheddar, know that there are some things you should consider.
We’re going to learn everything about eating cheese when you have fatty liver disease, how much you should have, which types are best for the liver, and everything else on this matter. So… let’s get cheesy!
Cutting cheese if you have NAFLD/MASLD
There are many variables that come into play when it comes to this delicate matter. As far as good news goes, we have reputable voices claiming that some cheese can actually protect the liver.
For example, a study from 2016 had some impressive findings: rats fed high amounts of Gouda cheese showed lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels and had less liver fat than the control group (note that this study was conducted on rats, not humans).
Of course, this is just one study conducted on rats, but it already offers support for the theory that cheese is not as bad for us as we previously thought.
Ideally though, at least cutting back on cheese is a smart move for anybody diagnosed with a fatty liver disease. The reason is simple: most cheeses are packed with fats, particularly saturated fats, and diets rich in saturated fats aren’t exactly friendly to your liver, despite what that initial study (on rats, I have to repeat) found.
Keto, Cheese, and Fatty Liver
While the study mentioned above is encouraging and supports the Ketogenic diet, which emphasizes consuming high-fat foods. Some people I’ve been talking to claim that they reversed their fatty liver disease by following this diet.
Personally, I’m not sold on keto, and neither are many health professionals. The jury’s still out on long-term effects, and Keto has been considered, for years, one of the worst ones to follow.
Some experts claim that even a high-fat meal can cause liver damage. Fortunately, they are not talking about cheese in particular, but since it’s in the “high-fat” category, it should be consumed in moderation.
Small Amounts of the Right Type of Cheese Are OK
From my own experience dealing with – and especially reversing – fatty liver, I can confidently say that moderation is key. Cheese is an important part of a healthy Mediterranean diet, which is what I followed to reverse my condition.
However, I haven’t touched it for the first 2 or 3 months and afterwards, I only ate very small amounts every now and then. Rather than regular, fatty cheeses, I preferred lower-fat alternatives: white cheese, cottage cheese, or feta.
So, in limited amounts, cheese alone didn’t sabotage my recovery efforts.
Also, types of fermented cheese (like Blue cheese or anything with live probiotics) are considered beneficial to one’s health. You can read some opinions about the healthiest types of cheese here.
Fatty Liver: Low Fat Cheese Options
Not all types of cheese have a ton of fat. Here’s a quick breakdown of cheese varieties that might fit better into your fatty liver diet:
1. Reduced-Fat Cheese (“Diet Cheese”):
Many cheese manufacturers offer reduced-fat versions of your favorites. Brands like Sargento produce shredded low-fat cheeses or reduced-fat mozzarella. Here are my favorites (affiliate links):
- Sargento Shredded Low Fat Cheese
- Sargento Reduced Fat Mozzarella – perfect as a snack, too
These taste similar to their higher-fat counterparts but contain significantly fewer calories and fats.
2. Cottage Cheese (Naturally Lower-Fat Cheese):
Cottage cheese deserves special mention because it naturally contains lower fat, often around 2%. It provides protein, calcium, and mild flavor, making it perfect for your meals or snacks without burdening your liver excessively.
Yes, it’s not really the “cheese” you refer to when you say the word, but it’s one of the healthiest choices you have.
3. Feta Cheese and Fatty Liver:
Feta, that salty, creamy white cheese, is my personal favorite and a common choice among Mediterranean diet enthusiasts.
I prefer it to your regular Parmesan or other types of yellow cheese because it’s saltier, and I consider it to go better with the huge variety of salads that I’m having.
It doesn’t have a ton of fat either (around 20% – but make sure to read the label as this varies from brand to brand), while having that creamy texture and strong taste that I really like.
The fact that it has probiotics makes it a bit healthier than other options (according to many articles, including this one).
This is the type of cheese that I ate almost exclusively after being diagnosed and also after reversing my fatty liver. So it’s clear that, if there are no other restrictions, consuming it in moderation won’t hurt.
IMPORTANT: In order to make the fat content appear lower than it is, many brands choose to show you nutritional info per portion. And they consider 25 grams or less one portion, so the values appear much lower than what we’re used to (which is 100 grams).
Always calculate nutritional values per 100 grams to get a true idea of how much fat and calories that particular type of cheese has.
Even then, low-fat cheese usually contains around 20 grams of fat per 100 grams – better than regular cheese but still high enough to justify cautious consumption.
Cream & Cream Cheese Are a Big No
I’m dedicating a special section to cream cheese – and cream – to highlight why they should be off your fatty liver diet, even though the latter is something we usually use in our coffee (check out healthier alternatives here).
Most supermarket versions contain additives and high levels of saturated fat, plus added sugars in some cases – and even flavors and/or preservatives.
So, I am against both cream and cream cheese. Sure, they go well in many situations, but I think that you have better options out there.
I personally switched to using low fat yogurt as a replacement for cream cheese (or butter and cream, depending on the situation) and it wasn’t very difficult to adjust to this.
So my personal recommendation here would be to completely eliminate cream cheese (and cream) from your fatty liver diet.
Don’t Eat More Than 30g of Cheese if You Have Fatty Liver Disease
Remember the portion sizes I mentioned earlier? Well, consider them as the perfect guidelines for how much you should eat.
For most cheese types, you should aim for no more than 25-30 grams per day. For cottage cheese, which is naturally lower in fat and calories, you can go up to 100 grams.
Even these lower amounts should only be had a few times per week at most. Any more, and you’re potentially hindering your liver’s recovery.
Also, aim primarily for lower-fat varieties, probiotic-rich options, or naturally lower-fat cheeses like cottage or feta.
Conclusion: Cheese Can Stay, But Choose Wisely
The bottom line is clear – having fatty liver disease doesn’t mean cheese is permanently off-limits. It does mean making wiser choices and consciously limiting intake.
Since diet is one of the most important weapons you have when fighting against NAFLD/MASLD, it’s mandatory to make the right choices for every food item on the menu.
If you have additional comments or questions, let me know and I will gladly answer.
I was diagnosed with fatty liver in 2014 and successfully reversed it by mid-2015 using a natural diet and lifestyle changes. Since then, I’ve dedicated over a decade to researching this condition and helping others navigate their own recovery. I am the author of ‘From Fatty Liver to Healthy Liver’ and the founder of this community. My goal is to translate complex medical studies into practical, real-world advice that actually works, combined with my personal experience on the matter.
I wish people would learn more about their topic before the write an article. Cheddar cheese and hard cheese are great for your fatty liver. The way they are made (fermented) is good to help with liver disease too. According to the liver foundation cheddar cheese, sauerkraut and pickles are very good for our liver
As somebody who was not only diagnosed with, but also reversed fatty liver, I can safely say I know a thing or two about fatty liver. 🙂
It’s dangerous to say that cheddar cheese is good for the liver and have patients eat tons of it daily because it’s “good”. You need to eat it in small quantities and always part of a balanced, low fat (and low carb) diet, and it won’t do you any harm if you don’t eat it at all. Actually, since over-eating is very possible, I still believe it’s safer to stay away from it.
But yes, pickles and sauerkraut, as long as they don’t have any added sugar and are naturally fermented (not in vinegar), are really good too.
How much cheese is considered a small amount? I make ahead portioned nut and cheese trays. These contain about half a cup of nuts and about 6 half inch cubes of cheddar cheese. is that too much cheese?
I try to go with no more than 50 grams per serving. I think that the amount you’re having is good and you’re not overdoing it.
I did not see the poster, me, say eat tons of it, lynn. that was just you thinking they meant that, I mean come on
I didn’t say you/the original poster, said people should eat tons of it. I meant that those who read that it’s good/healthy could end up eating a lot of it just because they think it’s healthy.
Yes, my wife has early cirrhosis of the liver. This is my question is regular cream cheese OK to eat in moderation. If so, how many grams a day or whatever can she consume?
Thank you so much
It’s best to stay away from it, but if it’s a must, she should keep the quantity to a minimum. Make sure it has no added sugar or other preservatives/chemicals, like most store-brought ones have.
She can (and should) use a tracker for her calories, fats and carbs – there are plenty of free mobile apps for that. As long as she stays within her daily limits, she could eat cream cheese, but as you will see if you use those apps, it will quickly fill up the fat meter.
Hi Lyn
You wrote a great article. I am suffering with nafld. High Alt. I love my cheeses. I have cut down a lot. Just tried Grueyere cheese recently. Good. Your article tells me to eat cheese in moderation. Lynn keep up your good work Patrick
Thank you Patrick, I am really happy to hear that my articles are helpful! Good luck in your quest to reverse this!
Lynn,
I am 71 just diagnosed with NAFLD – I just learned what this stood for.
I have no idea how to eat. Are liquid coffee creamers allowed?
Any suggestions on diet and meal plans?
Thanks,
Robin
Robin, you will find the answers to your questions on this website – just use the search function and things will slowly start to make sense.
To answer your questions, liquid coffee creamer is not allowed (plenty of sugar, also fat).
Diet: https://www.fattyliverdiary.com/whats-the-best-fatty-liver-diet/
Meal plan: https://www.fattyliverdiary.com/fatty-liver-meal-plan-for-a-week/
Since you were just diagnosed, this would be a good place to start your journey: https://www.fattyliverdiary.com/just-diagnosed-with-fatty-liver-here-is-what-to-do/
Hi Lynn, love all you articles. Have a question for you, if you can answer.
I was listening to a podcast one evening and someone on it mentioned that one should take, Glycimate in the morning and L-Threonate in the evening, what do you know about doing this? I started with the brand name Cymbiotika, do you know anything about them?
Thank you for the nice words, Lydia! You were probably listening to the Huberman Lab, which is one of my favorites and one from which I have learned many useful things over the years. As far as the particular advice goes for Magnesium, I see no reason why it would be a bad idea, if Magnesium supplementation is required. I don’t know the brand you have mentioned, but as long as it is FDA-approved, it should be good.
Hi Lynn,
I was diagnosed with diffuse steatosis. My liver assays have always been normal. I had pain in the upper right quadrant & thought for years it was because I had my gallbladder out in 2014 & couldn’t process foods. My GI & her PA both said it was probably constipation (it wasn’t), so I had to literally beg for an U/S based on the fact that my father died of pancreatic cancer.
It was on the U/S that the liver issue showed up. I believe there needs to be much more education on liver disease. I had an MRI & US elastography subsequent to that. Thankfully I’m not fibrotic. I had gained 50lbs after the death of my husband and yet no one ever suggested it could be anything other than insulin resistance. Suffice it to say, I started with Liver 101 (your blog has helped so much) & lost 20lbs within the first two months.
I’m Italian and it’s been a bit tough to cut out nearly all the sausage & peppers and other goodies, but I DID IT. I’ve eaten more beans & lentil stew & love it. I’m doing the Mediterranean diet. I eat non-fat dairy yogurt with flax & chia seeds w/berries. Is organic half & half w/ morning coffee ok? How about ricotta & goat cheese? I use Feta as well. My question is have you (or anyone else) experienced pain in the URQ even while on the diet?
I don’t get it daily but on occasion, I will. Also, what do you think of liver supplements? I’m taking a liver cleanse, NAC, glutathione along with magnesium glycinate, D3, methyl B12 & methyl folate, a good probiotic, omega 3’s, CoQ10, selenium & GTF chromium (the latter two intermittently since they’re heavy metals). Would love your thoughts.
Thank you so much,
Denise
Hello, Denise! Happy to hear that you’re doing better now and taking steps to regain your health. It’s clear that you’re on the right track – just stick to it!
Half & half is best avoided – but a bit in your morning coffee, if you eat clean otherwise, shouldn’t be a problem. Just make sure it has no added sugars/additives.
Cheese is OK – high fat one in moderation (like Feta or goat cheese). Pain also comes and goes, even in my case, even after reversing fatty liver. But just occasionally (and usually related to eating stuff I shouldn’t). So even though no pain should be considered normal, it’s common to still have it now and then even when dieting.
As for supplements, you should definitely talk to your doctor and only take those that your body really needs and lacks. My opinion is that you’re taking a bit too much – for example, probiotics shouldn’t be taken constantly after your gut flora is established. Since you’re doing so well with losing weight and getting back on track, I would definitely reassess the supplements and only keep the most important ones, ideally recommended by a doctor. Either way, losing 20lbs is impressive, so keep it up!
Thank you Lynn. My daughter and I used to take probiotics twice a day per our Dr when we had a grave form of Lyme (spread to the brain & heart). We had IV antibiotics, so we had to counter it. We take a good quality probiotic bc I still suffer with stomach pain & GERD. Of course, most mainstream Drs don’t believe in any supplements but for us D3 & K2 are mandatory & K2 has kept our arteries clean per our carotid u/s & calcium CT. However, so many of the natural websites recommend the liver cleanse & NAC for liver healing… as mentioned… Gastros will roll their eyes on supplements. I do have to say I had an unintended effect from NAC. It has helped my dry eyes. I have Sjogren’s & waking up in the morning felt like cut glass in my eyes. Nothing helped… eye drop wise. Suddenly my eyes were back to normal after 20yrs w/this insidious disease. I happen to read that NAC helps with that. We are going to see a Naturopath next month for supplement guidance. Thanks again for all your help! Denise