Cher stopped eating cheese in 1991: How changes to her diet then keep her healthy now at 77

Cher is aging beautifully at 77, and there are certain choices she made for her diet and overall lifestyle that have likely contributed to her longevity.

Though, it’s important to note that longevity seems to be something that was always in store for Cher, thanks to her genetics. Her mother, Georgia Holt, lived to age 96; and according to a 1991 interview with People Magazine, her grandmother was exercising daily at age 72.

“As my grandmother was approaching her 72nd birthday, I asked her, ‘Grandma Lynda, what do you want for your birthday?’ She said, ‘Well, honey, I could really use some new sweat clothes—you know, some nice leotards,'” Cher told the magazine.

“She had joined a gym near her house, and she just loved going there every day to work out. By the time she was 72 she was thinner than she had ever been, and she couldn’t believe what was happening with her body and spirit.”

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But beyond her genes, a few lifestyle changes Cher made in 1991 may have contributed to how youthful she is now.

When Cher spoke to People 32 years ago, she said having access to unhealthy junk foods while filming for movies made it very hard for her to make healthy eating choices.

This inspired her to seek expert advice from a sports nutritionist named Robert Haas, and co-author a book with him about diet and fitness. Haas helped Cher come up with a wellness plan that would influence her to stay in shape and get healthier.

Cher’s dietary choices in 1991 included:

• Cutting cheese from her diet: “I try to avoid foods with a high fat content because they make me sluggish and keep my weight up. Dairy products are not good for us,” Cher told People. “I think cheese is one of the worst things for the body. It doesn’t digest well, and most cheeses are too high in fat and cholesterol.”
• Drinking less milk: “I weaned myself from whole milk to nonfat milk—if I’m having milk at all,” she noted during her interview.
• Choosing healthier foods: Cher opted for brown rice over white rice. She also satisfied her sweet tooth with fruit like bananas, papaya and nectarines. Her meals often included vegetables, pastas and legumes like lentils, pinto, lima and kidney beans.

“The most important thing is to give yourself a fighting chance,” Cher said during the interview. “I don’t do drugs. I never drink coffee and almost never drink alcohol or eat red meat, so I’m way ahead of the game.”

Her choices back in 1991 are likely benefitting her health now because her diet is pretty similar to the “Harvard diet” which prioritizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains and healthy proteins.

“In terms of major chronic diseases like prevention of cardiovascular disease, different types of cancers [and] Type 2 diabetes, this way of eating is going to be helpful to prevent those diseases that are common in America, and the world,” Lilian Cheung, lecturer of nutrition at Harvard’s school of public health, told CNBC Make It in March.

Additionally, limiting dairy in her diet is a smart choice as cheese, milk and other dairy products can cause bloating which is painful and can be a sign of serious conditions. To eat cheese strategically, consume it in moderation to avoid its harmful effects and get its vitamins and minerals like potassium and calcium.

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