Fatty Liver? Avoid These Cheeses at All Costs (and Which Ones You Can Enjoy)

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.