Cheese vs. fake cheese: which sparks less inflammation?

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: * Age 18-65 years * Two or more components of metabolic syndrome: Central obesity (waist circumference greater than 40 inches for men and 35 inches for women); fasting blood triglycerides greater than or equal to 150 mg/dL; plasma HDL cholesterol (Less than 40 mg/dL for men and less than 50 mg/dL for women); blood pressure greater than or equal to 130/85 mmHg; fasting glucose greater than or equal to 100 mg/dL or \- BMI equal to or greater than 30 Exclusion Criteria: Metabolic Disorders: * BMI \> 40 * Body weight more than 400 lbs. * Any immune related diseases such as autoimmune disease, rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, * Gastrointestinal disorders including Crohn's Disease, colitis, diverticulitis, irritable bowel disease, celiac, malabsorption syndrome * Cancer * Known presence of significant metabolic disease which could impact the results of the study (i.e. hepatic, renal disease) * Type II diabetes * Use of over-the-counter anti-obesity agents (e.g. containing phenylpropanolamine, ephedrine, and/or caffeine) within the last 12 weeks * Use of corticoid steroids within the last 12 weeks * Daily use of anti-inflammatory pain medication * Self report of eating disorder * Poor vein assessment determined by WHNRC's phlebotomist Dietary/supplements: * Known allergy or intolerance to study food (lactose intolerance, dairy, wheat allergies) * Vegetarian (defined as abstinence from consumption of eggs, dairy, poultry, beef and pork) * More than 1 serving of fish per week * More than 14 grams of fiber per 1000 kcal per day * Less than 16:1 of total dietary omega 6: Omega 3 ratio * More than 1% of daily energy as trans fats * Initiation of anti-inflammatory supplemental fish, krill, flax, borage and primrose seed oils within the last 12 weeks * Dietary supplements consisting of concentrated soy isoflavones, resveratrol, other polyphenols identified as modulators of inflammation Medications * Initiation of statin therapy within the last 12 weeks Lifestyle * More than 10% weight loss or gain during the past 6 months * Recent initiation (past 4 weeks) of exercise program * Plan to become pregnant in the next 6 months * Pregnancy or lactation * Recent initiation or cessation of hormonal birth control or change in hormonal birth control regimen within the last 12 weeks * Use of tobacco products * More than 2 standard alcoholic drinks per day.