A Man Actually Died From Eating Too Much Cheese

While I’m someone who feels like I could eat my body weight in cheese and be quite happy about it, it seems there really is too much of a good thing when it comes to fromage. In fact, one man actually died from eating too much cheese at only 50 years old. Granted, this is an incredibly rare occurrence and it happened more than 100 years ago, but just knowing it’s possible does make me want to go a little easier on the cheddar… sorta.

1. W.S. Fiddler met his end via cheese consumption on December 11, 1913. He dropped down dead just outside the Majestic Theatre in the city of Moose Jaw, Canada on that day and it was all because of cheese. He’d been moving some theater equipment at the time but alas, it was not to be and he was pronounced dead that very day.
2. Doctors believe his cheese-heavy diet was the culprit. A post-mortem examination determined that Fiddler suffered from acute indigestion from eating excessive quantities of cheese. It’s unclear how much cheese he actually ate, but it must have been an awful lot for it to have cost him his life!
3. Fiddler had cheese multiple times per day. We’re not just talking some mozz on pizza or a slice of Provolone on a sandwich. As That Was History co-founder Cliff Langston explained: “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.” That’s a lot of cheese!
4. To be clear, there’s nothing wrong with cheese in moderation. The British Heart Foundation advises: “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.” Worth noting!