Cellulose: There’s Sawdust in Your Shredded Cheese Product

Wood is for termites, not humans.

If someone were to give me an ultimatum and I had to give up all but one of these items…. Chocolate, Cheese, or Coffee….

I would choose to keep Cheese, hands down.

Okay, I’ll admit that I don’t drink coffee much anymore since I switched to tea (long story, I’ll write about that one in a future post). You can still buy me a coffee… :-)

Chocolate is pretty great, but I’ve conquered my sugar cravings, so it’s more of a “special occasion” dessert food, now.

Cheese is the easy choice, for me. 🧀

Photo by Engin Akyurt

There are so many different kinds and flavors, shapes and sizes, hard or soft, crumbly or smooth, spreadable or melty, with holes or with herbs, …French, Irish, Italian, Greek, Swiss, Dutch, English, Spanish, Danish, Wisconsin, Idaho, New York…. oh my! ♥️

I eat cheese daily. We have at least 5 lbs of assorted cheeses from around the world in the refrigerator at any time, and I get nervous when we have only one kind left. Time to go shopping!

I shred my cheese when I want to melt it or sprinkle it.

So why don’t I buy pre-shredded cheese?

Because cellulose.

What is Cellulose?

Have you ever seen the ingredient “cellulose” in that shelf-stable shredded parmesan cheese product (you know, the one in the green carboard tube-shaped can) that you can keep in the cabinet, unrefrigerated …for years?

Or maybe you’ve seen “cellulose” in the ingredients list of pre-shredded cheese products that are packed in convenient zip-lock bags at the grocery store, usually near the prepackaged dips and processed deli meats?

Cellulose is a complex carbohydrate (polysaccharide) that makes up the structural component of plant cell walls. It’s the most abundant organic compound on Earth and is found in all plants, including trees.

Sounds like a healthy, organic, plant-based food ingredient, right?

Well, in human food production, cellulose is often derived from wood pulp or plant fibers that get processed into various forms, including powdered cellulose, microcrystalline cellulose, and cellulose gum.

In other words, cellulose is essentially sawdust.

Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko

Why is Cellulose Added to Cheese Food Products?

If you’ve ever handled sawdust before, you’ll know that it has a certain flakey, fluffy, absorbent quality to it.

Those qualities make it perfect for processed food production primarily to:

• Prevent Clumping. Cellulose absorbs moisture and keeps the “cheese” from sticking together.

• Extend Shelf Life. By reducing moisture buildup, cellulose helps prevent mold growth.

• Reduce Costs. Cellulose is a cheap filler that adds bulk without adding actual cheese.

And, when the food product has cellulose in it for bulk, other ingredients need to be added (“additives”) to enhance the flavor - such as salt, sugar, and other artificial flavors.

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The 'Bliss Point': Foods Are Engineered to Make You Crave More

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Is Cellulose in Other Food Products?

Unfortunately, processed cheese food products are not alone. Food producers add cellulose to a whole lot of other items.

For example:

• Packaged baked goods (as an anti-caking or bulking agent)

• Ice cream and dairy products (to improve texture and mouthfeel)

• Processed meats (as a binding agent)

• Low-fat or diet foods (as a thickener and fat replacer)

• Fast-food burgers and nuggets (to add bulk and retain moisture)

The more labels you read, the more you will find that this processed ingredient is in more processed food products than you would care to know.

Other Names for Cellulose in Ingredients Lists

And don’t let unpronounceable ingredients deceive you.

There are other names for cellulose (besides “sawdust”!). Here are just a few of those alternative names:

• Powdered cellulose

• Microcrystalline cellulose (MCC)

• Cellulose gum

• Carboxymethylcellulose (CMC)

• Methylcellulose

• Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC)

I’ve added these to The Goo Index so that you can access the full list anytime.

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The 'Goo' Index

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Why is Cellulose Bad for Human Consumption?

Other than the fact that this is a processed ingredient, Cellulose is:

• Indigestible for Humans. Our bodies lack the enzymes to break down cellulose, meaning it passes through undigested.

• Nutritionally Empty. It adds no vitamins, minerals, or beneficial nutrients to food.

• Disrupts Gut Health. Excessive cellulose intake can interfere with digestion, cause bloating, and alter gut bacteria balance.

• Lowers Food Quality. It’s often used to replace real food ingredients, diluting the nutritional value of products.

Alternatives to Foods with Cellulose (i.e.: Eat Less Goo)

Here are some basic tips to avoid eating sawdust - I mean, ‘cellulose’ - in your food.

• Grate Your Own Cheese! Buy a block of real cheese and shred it yourself. It avoids additives, melts better, has more nutritional value, and won’t upset your digestive system.

• Buy Whole, Unprocessed Foods. Avoid pre-packaged, ultra-processed products that are pumped with fillers, thickeners, and other kinds of Goo.

• Read Ingredient Labels. Look for cheese with only milk, enzymes, and salt as the complete list of ingredients. If there are other ingredients, it’s probably not real cheese (except for ingredients like herbs and spices).

• Cook from Scratch. Make your own sauces, baked goods, and other meals to reduce your consumption of industrial additives, like cellulose.

👀 Once you see it, you can’t unsee it. 👀

If you’re not sure about a specific ingredient and want to learn more about whether it qualifies as Goo, leave a comment or reach out and ask me!

And if you enjoyed reading this story, but aren’t ready to subscribe, you can:

(a Goo-Free coffee, of course!)

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