The cheese paradox: How do vegetarians justify consuming non-meat animal products?

Psychological differences and similarities between vegans, prospective vegans, and vegetarians. Motivation, knowledge, vegan literacy – and cheese

“…Some of the participants even described their inability to resist cheese as addiction-like (“Cheese is addictive […].,” “Craving, I’d say. Just like a dry alcoholic.”; see also similar statements as reported in Docherty and Jasper, 2023 ). The results also corroborate the findings discussing the potentially addictive nature of cheese ( Schulte et al, 2015 ) and evidence for food addiction more globally ( Gordon et al, 2018 ).…”

“…This implies that vegetarians’ placing emphasis on taste could be an affirmation of their current eating habits, possibly linked to a certain unwillingness to give up animal products. Similarly, the finding stating that it may be difficult for vegetarians not to consume dairy products—especially cheese—and eggs because they would miss the taste and “substitute” products often fail to meet consumers’ taste expectations ( Docherty and Jasper, 2023 ) implies that a vegan lifestyle may be associated with the expectation of a worse taste experience. This finding is confirmed by the results of this study, and especially the important role of cheese is highlighted.…”

“…However, linking the issue of cheese to the question of knowledge, the present study found that vegetarians actually know less about cheese and the fact that its production is often not vegetarian than vegans and prospective vegans, further highlighting the differences in knowledge between these groups. It has been suggested that differences with regard to moral concepts about animal products ( Weber and Kollmayer, 2022 ) or psychological mechanisms such as cognitive dissonance ( Docherty and Jasper, 2023 ; Ioannidou et al, 2023 ) might explain why consumption of non-meat animal products, such as cheese—the so-called “cheese paradox”—is perceived as unproblematic by many. In light of these findings, these explanations should be complemented by the crucial role of knowledge.…”

Factors shaping the adoption of sustainable vegan diets

“…Navigating social perceptions, vegans encounter persistent biases (Buttny & Kinefuchi, 2020; Rosenfeld, 2018), compounded by challenges such as harassment (Waters, 2022), limited social support (Nezlek et al, 2022), constrained networks (Rosenfeld, 2018), and restricted access to suitable food (Rosenfeld & Tomiyama, 2019). The influence of social circles on choices and behaviors is profound and consistent (Miguel et al, 2021; Séré de Lanauze & Sirieix, 2022), a notion particularly relevant in a context like India, where vegetarianism is well‐established, but veganism—particularly when it involves abstaining from dairy—might face stigma due to cultural and social significance (Docherty & Jasper, 2023). Considering this understanding, it is apparent that the influence of social stigma exerts a substantial effect on shaping the attitude and consumer behavior regarding the adoption of a vegan diet.…”

Vegetarians: Past, Present, and Future Regarding Their Diet Quality and Nutritional Status

“…One product that has gained popularity among vegetarians is cheese. According to a recent study published by Docherty and Jasper, vegetarians include cheese in many meals as a flavour enhancer in the absence of meat [ 32 ]. In this context, the healthy benefits associated with a vegetarian diet may be attributable to those who adhere to a plant-based diet, since individuals with unhealthy diet patterns also tend to have worse lifestyles overall [ 33 ].…”