
Cheese is a popular food product made from curdled milk. It is high in fat, including saturated fat, which some experts advise limiting in your diet. However, not all saturated fats are equal, and some studies have found that eating full-fat cheese can reduce total cholesterol and LDL bad cholesterol. The amount of fat in cheese varies depending on the type, with harder cheeses generally containing more fat. For example, mozzarella contains 6.3 grams of fat per ounce, while cheddar contains 9.4 grams. If you're looking for lower-fat options, try cottage cheese, part-skim mozzarella, Swiss cheese, or feta cheese.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Saturated fat | 3% in standard cottage cheese, 1% in low-fat cottage cheese, 7% in reduced-fat cheese, 60% in most cheeses |
| Total fat | 6% in standard cottage cheese, 2% in low-fat cottage cheese, 10% in reduced-fat cheese, 6.3g per ounce in mozzarella, 7.9g per ounce in brie, 9.4g per ounce in cheddar |
| Calories | 85 per ounce in mozzarella, 95 per ounce in brie, 114 per ounce in cheddar |
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What You'll Learn

Saturated fat makes up about 60% of the fat in most cheeses
Cheese is high in fat, including saturated fat. Saturated fat makes up about 60% of the fat in most cheeses. However, not all saturated fats are necessarily bad for you. For example, one study found that those who ate full-fat cheese saw a reduction in total cholesterol and LDL "bad" cholesterol, bringing their numbers into a healthy range.
The nutrition profiles of different types of cheese vary widely. For example, mozzarella contains 6.3 grams of fat per ounce, while cheddar contains 9.4 grams of fat per ounce. If you want to stick with lower-calorie cheeses, try part-skim mozzarella, Swiss cheese, and feta cheese. You can also buy reduced-fat versions of cheese, which typically contain 10% fat and 7% saturated fat.
Cottage cheese is a curd-based fresh cheese that naturally contains less fat than other cheeses. Standard cottage cheese contains 6% fat (3% saturated fat), but you can also buy low-fat versions that contain 2% fat, of which 1% is saturated fat.
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Mozzarella contains 6.3 grams of fat per ounce
Cheese is high in fat, including saturated fat. Saturated fats make up about 60% of the fat in most cheeses. Mozzarella contains 6.3 grams of fat per ounce, which is less than Brie, which has 7.9 grams of fat per ounce, and cheddar, which has 9.4 grams of fat.
Mozzarella is a lower-calorie cheese, and you can also buy a part-skim version to reduce the fat content further. Standard cottage cheese contains 6% fat (3% saturated fat), but low-fat versions are available with 2% fat (1% saturated fat). If you are concerned about the amount of fat in your cheese, you can also try Swiss cheese or feta cheese, which are also lower in calories.
While saturated fats have been linked to an elevated risk of heart disease, this finding cannot be generalised, as there are different types of saturated fats. One study found that those who ate full-fat cheese saw a reduction in total cholesterol and LDL 'bad' cholesterol, bringing their numbers into a healthy range. Individuals who regularly consume dairy had a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease.
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Brie has 7.9 grams of fat per ounce
Cheese is high in saturated fat, which some experts advise limiting your intake of. Saturated fats make up about 60% of the fat in most cheeses, although this varies from cheese to cheese. For example, mozzarella contains 6.3 grams of fat per ounce, while brie has 7.9 grams of fat per ounce and cheddar has 9.4 grams.
Brie is a soft cheese, and harder cheeses tend to have higher levels of sodium. You can buy reduced-fat versions of cheese, which typically have 10% fat and 7% saturated fat. Standard cottage cheese contains 6% fat (3% saturated fat), but low-fat versions are available with 2% fat (1% saturated fat).
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Cheddar has 9.4 grams of fat per ounce
Cheese is high in fat, including saturated fat. Saturated fats make up about 60% of the fat in most cheeses. While saturated fats have been linked to elevating the risk of heart disease, this finding cannot be generalised, as there are different types of saturated fats. For example, mozzarella contains 6.3 grams of fat per ounce, while cheddar has 9.4 grams of fat per ounce. Brie has 7.9 grams of fat per ounce.
The nutrition profile of cheese varies widely from one type to the next. For example, while cheddar has a relatively high-fat content, it is lower in calories than Brie. If you want to stick with lower-calorie cheeses, try part-skim mozzarella, Swiss cheese, and feta cheese. If sodium is a concern, Swiss cheese is a good option, as it contains only 53 milligrams per ounce. However, feta should be avoided, as it has 323 milligrams of sodium per ounce. In general, sodium is higher in harder cheeses, as they require more salt in the aging process.
Cottage cheese is another option for those looking for a lower-fat cheese. Standard cottage cheese contains 6% fat (3% saturated fat), but you can buy low-fat versions that contain 2% fat, of which 1% is saturated fat. It can be eaten by itself, with fruits and vegetables, or as a jacket potato filling.
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Standard cottage cheese contains 6% fat (3% saturated fat)
Cheese is high in fat, including saturated fat. Saturated fats make up about 60% of the fat in most cheeses. However, the nutrition profile varies widely from one type of cheese to another. For example, mozzarella contains 6.3 grams of fat per ounce, while cheddar contains 9.4 grams of fat per ounce.
Standard cottage cheese contains 6% fat, of which 3% is saturated fat. You can also buy low-fat versions of cottage cheese, which contain 2% fat, of which 1% is saturated fat.
Some experts advise limiting your intake of saturated fat, as it has been linked to an elevated risk of heart disease. However, this finding cannot be generalised, as there are different types of saturated fats. One study found that those who ate full-fat cheese saw a reduction in total cholesterol and LDL "bad" cholesterol, bringing their numbers into a healthy range. Individuals who regularly consume dairy had a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, whether the dairy was full-fat or low-fat.
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Frequently asked questions
Cheese contains saturated fat.
Saturated fats make up about 60% of the fat in most cheeses. However, this varies depending on the type of cheese. For example, standard cottage cheese contains 3% saturated fat, while Brie contains 7.9 grams of fat per ounce and cheddar contains 9.4 grams of fat per ounce.
Yes, you can buy reduced-fat versions of cheese, which typically contain 7% saturated fat. You can also buy low-fat cottage cheese, which contains 1% saturated fat.
While saturated fats have been linked to an elevated risk of heart disease, this finding cannot be generalised, as there are different types of saturated fats. One study found that those who ate full-fat cheese saw a reduction in total cholesterol and LDL "bad" cholesterol, bringing their numbers into a healthy range.

























