Although I consider myself a cheese lover who could happily devour an enormous amount of cheese, it turns out that there is such a thing as too much cheese. Surprisingly, a man passed away at the young age of 50 due to excessive cheese consumption. While this incident occurred over a century ago and is an extremely rare occurrence, it still makes me think twice about indulging in too much cheddar... well, kind of.
1. W.S. Fiddler Met His End Via Cheese Consumption On December 11, 1913
On that day, just outside the Majestic Theatre in Moose Jaw, Canada, he suddenly collapsed and died, all because of cheese. Despite his efforts to move some theater equipment, he could not escape his unfortunate fate, and he was pronounced dead on the same day.
2. Doctors Believe His Cheese-Heavy Diet Was The Culprit
According to a post-mortem examination, Fiddler's cause of death was acute indigestion, which resulted from consuming an excessive amount of cheese. The exact quantity of cheese he had eaten remains unclear, but it must have been a considerable amount to have such a fatal outcome.
3. Fiddler Had Cheese Multiple Times Per Day
According to Cliff Langston, co-founder of That Was History, we're not simply referring to a sprinkle of mozzarella on a pizza or a single slice of provolone in a sandwich.
"W.S. Fiddler on the other hand could eat cheese like it was going out of style. He ate cheese with his breakfast. He had it for lunch. Probably two helpings for dinner and let's add in a late-night snack for good measure."
4. To Be Clear, There's Nothing Wrong With Cheese In Moderation
According to The British Heart Foundation: "Cheese is a great source of protein and calcium but is often high in saturated fat and salt. This means eating too much could lead to high cholesterol and high blood pressure, increasing your risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). In the UK, the standard portion size is 30g (the size of a small matchbox or two-and-a-half dominoes). Your daily diet should feature three 30g portions of dairy products, and cheese alone won't do. It's fine to enjoy it sensibly though."
