Cheese slices

[Tricon7]

How many pre-packaged cheese slices are allowed a day during the Induction phase? Not that I eat a huge amount, but I don't remember limiting them when I was on Atkins once before and I did well.

[SunnySmile501]

None. Packaged cheese slices are processed cheese and not allowed. You are allowed to have 3 to 4 ounces of full-fat aged cheese: cheddar, Swiss, mozzarella, goat cheese, cream cheese, Gouda, blue cheese.

Edited to add: I assume you are speaking about American cheese slices. Pre-sliced aged cheese slices are allowed, but they have starch on them to keep them from sticking together, as does the bagged shredded cheeses.

[Miss Phode]

Wait! Can we determine what kind of packaged cheese slices you're referring to? Processed American cheese isn't allowed, but packaged sliced cheddar, swiss, mozzarella, etc is! My grocery stores sells tons of "real" cheese sliced and sold in packages.

[Tricon7]

Originally Posted by Miss Phode

Wait! Can we determine what kind of packaged cheese slices you're referring to? Processed American cheese isn't allowed, but packaged sliced cheddar, swiss, mozzarella, etc is! My grocery stores sells tons of "real" cheese sliced and sold in packages.

It seems to me that as long as I look at the nutritional amounts on the package and it's ok, I could get it.

Miss Phode, on the sliced cheeses you do buy, what about them are different from the not-allowed American cheese slices? Less carbs or something?

[Georgiana]

Originally Posted by Tricon7

It seems to me that as long as I look at the nutritional amounts on the package and it's ok, I could get it.

It's not only about what appears on the nutritional label, but also about the ingredients. Processed cheese has stuff like whey or milk protein concentrate in it -- this kind of cheese is not allowed.

[Elizellen]

And as sunnysmile said - check the ingredients list for the added starch they sometimes use to stop it sticking together - especially important with shredded cheeses which usually have this.

[Tricon7]

I bought some Sargento "Natural Mozzarella" cheese today. The listed ingredients are:

1 Slice = 1g Carb
5g Protein
4g Fat
---------------------------
Pasteurized milk
Cheese culture
Salt
Enzymes
Natamycin (a mold inhibitor)

No mention of whey or "milk protein concentrate." Other than limiting the carb count, is there anything in these ingredients prohibited on Induction?

Also,as long as I keep my carb count under 20g/day, why couldn't I have as much cheese as I wanted?

[Slapshot]

Because there are carbs in cheese and over half of your 20 must come from vegetables. Plus, too much cheese is a well-known staller for many folks.

[msanjelpie]

1 slice of cheese is 1 ounce. So you shouldn't have more than 3-4 'slices' of cheese per day according to the rules of induction.

[Slapshot]

And, to my surprise, one "ounce" of cheese is the same size as a pair of dice. I.e. very small.