Healthy choices: how do popular cheeses stack up? (2024)

Some people love lollies, others chocolate or cakes and then you have those among us who love nothing more than a glass of wine and a cheese plate.

But not all cheeses are equal in the nutrition stakes. Here are the pros and cons of five favourites.

Cheddar

Cheddar cheese is an aged, semi hard cow's milk cheese produced when milk curd is heated and kneaded with salt before the whey is drained and the remaining blocks are stacked and left to mature for a number of months in controlled temperatures. Cheddar cheese is high in protein (26 per cent) as well as calcium and a number of key nutrients involved in bone development including magnesium and phosphorus. A single 30-gram serve of cheese (roughly the size of a matchbox) provides eight grams of protein and more than 200mg of calcium, making it an extremely nutrient rich food choice. The main issue is that regular cheese is 30-40 per cent fat, meaning it contains up to 10 grams of fat per 30 gram serve, a significant proportion of which is saturated fat. This is compared to "reduced fat" or "light" varieties of cheese which contain 25 per cent less fat than the regular fat alternatives, or "low fat", which contain less than 3 per cent fat.

Tip: Eat the cheddar you enjoy, in controlled portions.

Cottage cheese

Often forgotten, humble cottage cheese is one of the most nutrient dense foods you can enjoy. Made from the curd of milk, which gives it its loose, soft texture, cottage cheese contains more than 16g of protein per half cup along with calcium, magnesium and Vitamin B12. Adding a serve of cottage cheese into your day is a great way to bump up your intake of essential nutrients for very few calories.

Tip: Cottage cheese can be enjoyed with fruit as a high protein breakfast, on crackers as a filling snack or mix into dips or add to salads for a significant protein boost.

Haloumi

A salty, semi hard cheese that is generally made from a mixture of goat's and sheep's milk and set with rennet, haloumi has a high meting point and often serve grilled or fried. Nutritionally haloumi cheese contains slightly less fat (26 per cent) than regular cheddar cheese but more than double the sodium content thanks to the brine used to preserve it. Haloumi is delicious, and as such one of the biggest issues it poses is the risk of overeating.

Tip: A 200 gram packet equates to 680 calories, 54 grams of fat and almost 3000mg of sodium, hence when it comes to haloumi, portion control is crucial.

Feta

Made from sheep's or goat's milk, feta cheese is a crumbly aged cheese soaked in brine giving it a salty taste with flavours ranging from mild to sharp. Slightly lower in fat than cheddar cheese with 21 per cent fat, like haloumi, feta cheese is relatively high in sodium with almost double the salt content than that of cheddar cheese.

Tip: Most commonly enjoyed in salads, feta cheese can be a calcium rich, tasty addition to salads and thanks to its rich flavour can easily be enjoyed fully in small amounts.

Goat's cheese

Known as "chevre" by the French, goat's cheese is simply made by letting raw milk curdle, before pressing the curd and contains a similar fat content to that of feta cheese (18-21 per cent). With its rather basic processing, the extra bonus of using goat's cheese is that it contains very little salt. Another great thing about goat's cheese is that its rich flavour means that you need very little.

Tip: Enjoy it as a spread or salad addition for maximum flavour for far fewer calories and fat than if you used haloumi or cheddar cheese.

Cream cheese

While reduced fat or "light" varieties of cream cheese are available, in its natural state cream cheese is 35 per cent fat with a quarter of the protein of regular cheddar cheese. Cream cheese is a relatively simple version of cheese, traditionally made with leftover milk which was soured using lemon juice or vinegar and then strained. Modern processing now sees cream cheese made with added emulsifiers and stabilisers to keep it consistent for purchase. Often seen with added savoury and sweet flavours, as well as in lower fat varieties, cream cheese is a popular spread and dip.

Tip: Once the tub is opened it's pretty easy to polish off an entire container of cream cheese dip in a single setting. Cream cheese lacks the protein of aged cheddar cheese and feta and for this reason portion control is the key to avoid a total fat overload.

Susie Burrell is a dietitian and author.

The best recipes from Australia's leading chefs straight to your inbox.

Sign up