For many, cheese is the ultimate comfort food—creamy, indulgent, and deeply satisfying. From the sharp tang of aged cheddar to the silky richness of melted brie, it’s a staple of cuisines across the world. But for others, cheese is nothing short of revolting. The mere smell is enough to turn their stomachs, and the thought of eating it? Unthinkable.
If you fall into the category of people who would rather starve than take a bite of camembert, you might wonder: Why do I hate cheese when so many people love it? The answer isn’t as simple as personal preference. It turns out that food aversions—especially strong ones—have deep roots in psychology, neuroscience, and even evolution.
So, why do some people despise cheese while others can’t get enough of it? Let’s explore what the brain, genetics, and past experiences have to say about it.
The Neuroscience of Food Aversions: How the Brain Reacts to Cheese
Food preferences, like most things in psychology, are shaped by a mix of nature and nurture. But when it comes to strong dislikes—especially those that trigger physical disgust—the brain plays a major role.
Research suggests that individuals who hate cheese exhibit a unique neurological response when exposed to its smell or taste. A study conducted at the Centre for Taste and Feeding Behaviour in France used functional MRI scans to examine brain activity in people who reported a strong dislike for cheese. The findings were fascinating:
The insula, a part of the brain responsible for processing disgust, was highly active in cheese-haters when they smelled or saw cheese.
At the same time, the ventral pallidum, a brain region linked to pleasure and reward, was significantly less active.
What does this mean? Essentially, people who loathe cheese don’t just dislike it in a casual way—they experience an almost reflexive disgust response. Their brain treats cheese as something repulsive, not neutral. This is why their reaction can seem more intense than, say, someone who simply prefers vanilla over chocolate.
The study also revealed another intriguing detail: cheese-haters were far more likely to have aversions to other fermented foods, like yoghurt or certain aged meats. This suggests that for some, the strong dislike of cheese might not be just about taste, but a deeper neurological sensitivity to fermentation-related smells and textures.
The Power of Smell: Why Cheese Can Be Overwhelming
Smell is one of the most powerful senses when it comes to food, and it plays a crucial role in why some people can’t stand cheese. Unlike most foods, cheese contains volatile compounds that give off incredibly strong aromas—some of which are strikingly similar to the smell of decay.
For example, butyric acid, which gives parmesan its rich, nutty quality, is also found in vomit. Isovaleric acid, responsible for the pungent aroma of blue cheese, is also present in foot sweat. While most people’s brains interpret these compounds in the context of food and find them pleasant (or at least tolerable), cheese-haters seem to process them differently.
This sensitivity may be rooted in evolutionary survival mechanisms. Our ancestors relied heavily on their sense of smell to avoid spoiled or toxic food. The brain’s disgust response evolved as a protective measure to prevent us from ingesting dangerous substances. Given that some of the same chemical compounds found in cheese are also associated with decomposition, it’s possible that certain people’s brains misinterpret cheese as a hazardous food.
This could explain why their aversion is so visceral—they aren’t just rejecting cheese on a conscious level; their brain perceives it as a genuine threat.
Is It Genetic? The Role of DNA in Food Preferences
Genetics may also play a part in why some people despise cheese. While most research on genetic food aversions focuses on bitter compounds (such as the infamous cilantro-hating gene), some scientists believe that cheese aversion may also have a hereditary component.
One study published in Nature Neuroscience suggests that variations in genes related to olfactory receptors—the sensory proteins responsible for detecting smells—could influence how individuals perceive cheese. If someone has an olfactory receptor that is particularly sensitive to the pungent compounds in aged or moldy cheese, they might experience an overwhelming, unpleasant reaction to it.
Additionally, some people are genetically predisposed to lactose intolerance, meaning their bodies struggle to digest lactose, the sugar found in milk and cheese. While lactose intolerance itself doesn’t necessarily cause an aversion to cheese, the association between consuming dairy and experiencing unpleasant digestive symptoms might lead to a learned avoidance over time.
Learned Disgust: How Childhood Experiences Shape Food Aversions
Not all food aversions are biological—many are learned. If you grew up in a household where cheese was rarely eaten, or if your first exposure to it was a bad experience (perhaps a spoiled piece of cheese or a particularly stinky variety), your brain may have associated cheese with something negative.
This is because of conditioned taste aversion, a psychological phenomenon where the brain links a specific food to an unpleasant experience, even if the food itself wasn’t the cause. For example, if someone gets food poisoning after eating a cheese-based dish—even if the cheese wasn’t responsible—their brain might still develop an automatic aversion to the smell and taste of cheese.
Similarly, cultural exposure plays a significant role. In countries where cheese isn’t a staple part of the diet, people are more likely to find it strange or unappetizing. A survey conducted in France found that 6% of people reported an active disgust toward cheese, while in East Asian countries, where cheese consumption is historically lower, the percentage was significantly higher.
Can You Learn to Like Cheese? Overcoming Food Aversions
For those who want to change their relationship with cheese (perhaps because they want to enjoy more foods or simply don’t want to feel left out at gatherings), the good news is that food aversions can be overcome.
One method is gradual exposure therapy, a psychological technique often used to treat phobias. By slowly introducing small amounts of cheese in less intense forms—perhaps starting with mild, creamy cheeses before progressing to aged or pungent varieties—some people can desensitise their brains to the overwhelming reaction.
Another approach is pairing cheese with foods you already enjoy. Studies on taste perception show that eating an aversive food alongside a preferred one can make it more palatable over time. If the texture is an issue, experimenting with different forms of cheese—melted, grated, or blended into other dishes—might make it easier to tolerate.
However, if you’re a lifelong cheese-hater, there’s no real need to force yourself to like it. Our brains are wired to find pleasure in different flavours and textures, and there’s no single "correct" way to experience food.
Why Cheese Aversion Is More Than Just Picky Eating
Hating cheese isn’t just about being fussy—it’s a complex interplay of neuroscience, genetics, sensory perception, and personal experience. Whether it’s an overactive disgust response, heightened sensitivity to smell, or a learned association, the reasons behind cheese aversion are deeply rooted in the brain’s intricate processing systems.
If you’re someone who recoils at the sight (or smell) of cheese, know that you’re not alone, and your brain likely has very specific reasons for rejecting it. And if you’re a cheese-lover who can’t understand how anyone could despise a gooey, golden slice of pizza? Just remember—what’s delicious to you might be someone else’s worst nightmare, all thanks to the incredible complexity of the human brain.