As it’s a dairy product, cheese is an excellent source of protein. While it doesn’t have as high a protein content as some other animal products, cheese can provide good amounts of protein, while adding extra flavor to your snack or meal.
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Where does cheese come from?
As mentioned, cheese is a dairy product meaning it comes from the milk of mammals. However, it doesn’t just need to be from cows. After cows, perhaps the most popular animal we make dairy products from are goats. However, dairy products can come from sheep, buffalo, camels, and even humans!
The majority of cheese we eat is made from the casein protein in milk. This is done by separating milk into solid curds and liquid. The liquid is the whey protein. This is the same whey protein you recognize from so many protein powders and supplements.
The solid curds are the casein protein. Casein protein is used to make cheese. Casein differs from whey as it is a slow-digesting protein, whereas whey is a fast-digesting protein
Cheese compared to other dairy products
As mentioned, meats definitely have more protein than cheese, both from a caloric perspective and weight. Therefore, the easiest way to put the protein content into perspective is compare cheese to other dairy products.
Protein content differs in cheese, but on average, 1 serving of cheese will get you anywhere from 6-9 grams of protein. This is in the same ballpark as other dairy products such as milk and yogurt. The only dairy product to have significantly more protein is Greek yogurt.
While eggs aren’t necessarily dairy, they are generally put into the same category. One regular large egg provides about 6 grams of protein.
This puts the protein content of cheese at about the same as the majority of other dairy products.
Cottage cheese: A low-fat, protein-packed cheese
If you are looking for the healthiest cheese with the highest protein to fat ratio, you will want to look at cottage cheese. Cottage cheese has a little more than 2.5 times the protein amount as it does fat. This makes cottage cheese a great snack to have around the house if you’re looking for a cheesy protein snack!
Keep cheese around for a snack
Keeping cheese as a staple in your fridge is a great way to ensure you always have a healthy choice to snack on. String cheese has long been a favorite snack, or you can add some to a sandwich or eggs. Regardless, adding cheese to your diet will definitely get your protein content up.
What about eggs? Are eggs also a good source of protein?
FAQs
What cheese has the least protein?
The cheeses with the lowest protein content tend to be blue cheeses and brie cheese.
What’s the healthiest cheese?
Many people consider mozzarella cheese to be the healthiest cheese, as it requires less salt than other harder cheeses. This, coupled with its protein to fat ratio, makes it one of the healthier cheeses. This is why so many string cheeses use mozzarella
How much protein do I need in my diet?
You should get 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. If you do weight lifting or sports, aim for 1.4 to 2.0 grams per kilogram.
Type of cheese with most protein?
- Low Fat Cottage Cheese
- Grated Parmesan
- Ricotta
- Romano
- Non-Fat Cheddar
- Hard Goat Cheese
- Gruyere
- Low-Fat Monterey
- Swiss Cheese
- Fontina
- Provolone
- Edam
- Gouda
- Tilsit
- Low-Fat Muenster
User comment about cheese
What Do I Love Cheese? Protein Sources For the Best Health
A lot of people say “I Love Cheese”. The question they are really asking themselves though is “What do I Love Cheese?”. When you ask yourself that simple question it can instantly change your entire outlook on life to include more things to like and appreciate.
If the answer to that question is “protein”, well then that’s just about all you need to know when it comes to making a decision of any kind. When I look back on what my favorite foods have been in the past few decades it’s obvious that the reason I’ve been eating those particular foods has everything to do with a high source of protein.
For example, if I was to name my top five foods I would put butter, bacon, tuna, ice cream and sharp cheddar. Each of these items on their own provides a great source of protein. Combining them all together creates a nutritious food group that can easily be classified as “I love cheese” food group.
I love food in general
Of course there are a few other foods that I love cheese, but the list is pretty big and includes such diverse items as hummus, nuts, granola bars, bagels, cheese spread, pretzels, steak, cream cheese, cottage cheese, blue cheese, cream cheese, mozzarella, provolone, cheddar, Monterey jack, Colby, Pecan, Gouda, sour cream, low fat ice cream, and so on and so forth.
Now don’t think for a second that you need to cut out meats from your diet or that you won’t be able to eat fruits and vegetables. Neither is necessary. What is necessary is that you start increasing your intake of high quality protein sources. As soon as that happens you will start feeling healthier and will enjoy a better quality of life.
