Cheddar vs cottage cheese: what the 100 g comparison hides

In a crossover feeding trial in 55 adults with high-normal blood pressure, one daily serving of regular-fat Cheddar for 6 weeks raised LDL cholesterol by 5.8 percent against a dairy-free diet and by 7.0 percent against a milk diet. That Cheddar was enriched with GABA, and the cheese diet carried about 2 percent more of its energy as saturated fat. Per 100 g, UK data put Cheddar at 416 calories, 25.4 g protein and 723 mg sodium, and plain cottage cheese at 103 calories, 9.4 g protein and 250 mg sodium. People rarely eat the two in equal amounts. A slice of Cheddar weighs 21 g in US survey data, and a cup of cottage cheese weighs 7.4 oz (210 g). US samples of full-fat cottage cheese also ran saltier than the UK figure, averaging 349.8 mg sodium per 3.5 oz (100 g) across 10 samples, with a range of 276.5 to 412.

How much is actually in it

• Per 100 g in UK CoFID data, Cheddar has 416 calories, 25.4 g protein and 723 mg sodium, while plain cottage cheese has 103 calories, 9.4 g protein and 250 mg sodium. — UK food composition data Evidence E source
  Cheddar about 4 times the energy, 2.7 times the protein, 5.8 times the calcium and 2.9 times the sodium of cottage cheese per 3.5 oz (100 g)
• Across 10 US samples of full-fat cottage cheese, sodium ranged from 276.5 to 412 mg per 3.5 oz (100 g), averaging 349.8 mg, higher than the UK CoFID value of 250 mg. — US retail samples, USDA Foundation Foods (n = 10) Evidence E source
  Sodium 349.8 mg per 3.5 oz (100 g) (276.5 to 412), protein 11.6 g, fat 4.2 g, calcium 88.3 mg

What a real portion looks like

• In FNDDS a slice of Cheddar weighs 21 g and a cup of shredded Cheddar 113 g, while a cup of cottage cheese weighs 7.4 oz (210 g). — US dietary survey portion weights Evidence E source
  Cheddar slice 21 g, stick 28 g; cottage cheese cup 210 g, unspecified portion 3.7 oz (105 g)

What your body absorbs

• In a crossover RCT in 24 young adults, Cheddar with 20 g protein released branched-chain amino acids more slowly than milk, peaking around 120 minutes, with a lower insulin response. — 24 healthy adults, 12 men and 12 women, about 27 years (n = 24) Evidence B source
  Slower, sustained BCAA appearance peaking at about 120 min; no significant insulin rise after cheese
• In a crossover RCT in 18 men, the same fat and protein eaten as Cheddar raised blood triglycerides 21 mg/dL (0.24 mmol/L) less than when served as a casein gel. — 25 normal-weight men aged 18 to 40 enrolled, 18 completed, 8-hour test days (n = 18) Evidence B source
  TG +0.24 ± 6.2 mg/dL (0.07 mmol/L) higher after MCI Gel vs Cheese

What cooking and storage change

• In a 6-week RCT in 162 adults aged 50 and over, 4.2 oz (120 g) of Cheddar a day eaten melted raised total cholesterol by 8.9 mg/dL (0.23 mmol/L) versus 0.77 mg/dL (0.02 mmol/L) when eaten unmelted. — 162 overweight adults aged 50 or older, 120 g full-fat Cheddar or equivalent daily for 6 weeks (n = 162) Evidence B source
  Total cholesterol +0.23 vs +0.77 mg/dL (0.02 mmol/L), triglycerides +15 vs 0 mg/dL (0.17 vs 0.00 mmol/L), melted vs unmelted

What it does to your health

• In a crossover feeding RCT in 55 adults, one daily serving of regular-fat Cheddar for 6 weeks raised LDL cholesterol by 5.8% versus a dairy-free diet and did not change blood pressure. — 55 healthy men and women with high-normal daytime blood pressure, three 6-week diets (n = 55) Evidence B source
  LDL-C +5.8% vs control (P = 0.006), +7.0% vs milk diet; no difference in ambulatory BP
• In a crossover RCT in 30 healthy adults, a cottage cheese snack and an omelette with the same 26 g protein were equally filling, with lunch requested after about 167 minutes. — 30 healthy volunteers, single test days (n = 30) Evidence B source
  No difference in time to lunch request (167 ± 8 min), buffet intake or appetite ratings
• In a crossover RCT in 58 adults, yogurt and Cheddar preloads, including 2.1 oz (60 g) of Cheddar, eaten 2 hours before a meal cut later pizza intake by 175 calories compared with water, a figure reported for the two together. — 30 older (60 to 70 y) and 28 young (20 to 30 y) adults, single test sessions (n = 58) Evidence B source
  Pizza intake -175 calories after yogurt and cheese vs water (P < 0.001)
• Observational data from 101,279 French adults link each daily serving of fromage blanc, a cottage-cheese-type product, to 39% higher colorectal cancer risk over about 6 years. — 101,279 adults in the NutriNet-Sante cohort, median follow-up 5.9 years (n = 101279) Evidence C source
  Colorectal cancer HR 1.39 (95% CI 1.09-1.77) per serving
• In a 2-week crossover RCT in 7 men eating 8.5 oz (240 g) of Cheddar daily, the high-calcium Cheddar gave lower fasting LDL cholesterol than reduced-calcium Cheddar, without more fat in feces. — 7 healthy men, BMI 18 to 25, three 2-week periods (n = 7) Evidence B source
  Fasting LDL-c significantly lower after high-calcium cheese (P = 0.002); fecal fat not different (P = 0.066)

Safety, limits and interactions

• According to the CDC, Cheddar and cottage cheese made with pasteurized milk are among the lower-risk choices for Listeria, which matters most in pregnancy, newborns and adults 65 or older. — people at higher risk of listeriosis Evidence E source
  Pasteurized hard cheeses and cottage cheese listed under Choose these instead

What people believe that the data does not support

• A 2000 review of 57 outcomes found the bone benefit of dairy foods was unproven for most groups and flagged cottage cheese as possibly adverse for bone health. — studies across age, sex and race groups, US focus Evidence C source
  53% of outcomes not significant, 42% favorable, 5% unfavorable

Who this works differently for

• In the same crossover RCT, adults aged 60 to 70 compensated for only 33% of dairy calories at the next meal versus 63% in young adults. — 30 older and 28 young adults (n = 58) Evidence B source
  Energy compensation 33% (older) vs 63% (young), P < 0.03

The bottom line

How the cheese is eaten changes what trials see. In 162 overweight adults aged 50 and over, 4.2 oz (120 g) of Irish grass-fed Cheddar a day for 6 weeks raised total cholesterol by 8.9 mg/dL (0.23 mmol/L) when eaten melted and by 0.77 mg/dL (0.02 mmol/L) when eaten unmelted, and LDL did not differ between the two. In 18 men, the same fat and protein served as Cheddar raised blood triglycerides 21 mg/dL (0.24 mmol/L) less over 8 hours than when served as a casein gel. In 24 young adults, Cheddar carrying 20 g protein released branched-chain amino acids more slowly than milk, peaking at about 120 minutes. Seven men eating 8.5 oz (240 g) of high-calcium Cheddar a day for 2 weeks had lower fasting LDL than on a reduced-calcium version, in a very small trial with high dropout. In 30 adults, a cottage cheese snack and an omelette with the same 26 g protein were equally filling, with lunch requested after about 167 minutes. In 58 adults, a preload eaten 2 hours before a meal cut later pizza intake by 175 calories compared with water, a figure the trial reports for yogurt and cheese together. Adults aged 60 to 70 made up for only 33 percent of the dairy calories at that next meal, against 63 percent in adults aged 20 to 30. A 2000 review found the bone benefit of dairy foods unproven for most groups and suggested cottage cheese may adversely affect bone health, a qualitative remark with no number behind it. In 101,279 French adults followed for a median 5.9 years, each daily serving of fromage blanc, a French quark-type cheese close to cottage cheese, was associated with a 39 percent higher colorectal cancer risk (HR 1.39, 95% CI 1.09 to 1.77). This is an association, and fromage blanc is a different product from American cottage cheese. For pregnancy, newborns and adults 65 or older, the CDC lists Cheddar and cottage cheese made with pasteurized milk among the lower-risk choices for Listeria, so check the label for pasteurized milk. We have not yet gathered evidence on tyramine in aged Cheddar with MAO-inhibitor drugs, on milk allergy or on children, so the lack of a warning on those points here does not mean there is nothing to warn about.

Sources

1. chco-daily-r1-01 · food composition data
   Cheese, Cheddar, English, CoFID 12-346: Energy (kcal) 416 · Fat (g) 34.9 · Protein (g) 25.4 · Lactose (g) 0.1 · Calcium (mg) 739 · Sodium (mg) 723; Cheese, cottage, plain, CoFID 12-539: Energy (kcal) 103 · Fat (g) 6.0 · Protein (g) 9.4 · Lactose (g) 3.1 · Calcium (mg) 127 · Sodium (mg) 250
   CoFID 2021, Public Health England, codes 12-346 and 12-539 · checked 2026-10-01
2. chco-daily-r1-02 · food composition data
   Cottage cheese, full fat, large or small curd: Sodium, Na 349.8 MG, range 276.5-412.0 (median 356.5), 10 samples; Total lipid (fat) 4.225 G, range 3.72-4.58, 10 samples; Calcium, Ca 88.27 MG, range 67.3-111.5, 10 samples
   USDA FoodData Central, Foundation Foods, release 2026-04-30 · checked 2026-10-01
3. chco-daily-r1-03 · dataset
   FNDDS 14104100 Cheese, Cheddar: 1 cracker-size slice 9 g · 1 slice 21 g · 1 stick 28 g · 1 cup, shredded 113 g · 1 cubic inch 17 g; FNDDS 14200100 Cheese, cottage, NFS: 1 cup 210 g · Quantity not specified 105 g
   USDA FNDDS 2021-2023, codes 14104100 and 14200100 · checked 2026-10-01
4. chco-daily-r1-04 · crossover RCT, acute
   We found that cheese ingestion had a slower yet more sustained branched-chain amino acid circulation appearance over the postprandial period peaking at ~120 min.
   Nutrients, 2021 · checked 2026-10-01
5. chco-daily-r1-05 · crossover RCT, postprandial
   Postprandial triglycerides (TGs) (primary outcome) increased by (mean ± SEM) 0.24 ± 0.07 and 0.19 ± 0.07 mmol/L after MCI Gel compared with Cheese and Hom. Cheese, respectively (both P ≤ 0.05).
   Am J Clin Nutr, 2021 · checked 2026-10-01
6. chco-daily-r1-06 · RCT, 6 weeks
   Melted cheese, compared to unmelted cheese, increased total cholesterol (0.23 ± 0.79 mmol L-1vs. 0.02 ± 0.67 mmol L-1, P = 0.008) and triglyceride concentrations (0.17 ± 0.39 mmol L-1vs. 0.00 ± 0.42 mmol L-1, P = 0.016).
   Food Funct, 2024 · checked 2026-10-01
7. chco-daily-r1-07 · crossover RCT, 6 weeks
   The cheese diet increased serum LDL-cholesterol concentrations compared with the control and milk diets (+5.8%, P = 0.006 and +7.0%, P = 0.0008, respectively) and increased LDL particle size compared with the milk diet (P = 0.02).
   Am J Clin Nutr, 2020 · checked 2026-10-01
8. chco-daily-r1-08 · crossover RCT, satiety
   The two preloads were similar in terms of the time between the snack and a request for the buffet (167 ± 8 min), energy intake at the buffet (3988 ± 180 kJ) and appetite ratings.
   Appetite, 2015 · checked 2026-10-01
9. chco-daily-r1-09 · crossover RCT, acute
   Pizza intake was reduced by 175 kcal after yogurt and cheese and by 82 kcal after milks compared to water (P < 0.001).
   J Nutr, 2021 · checked 2026-10-01
10. chco-daily-r1-12 · cohort
    However, the consumption of "fromage blanc" (a French type of quark/cottage cheese) was associated with an increased risk of cancer overall (HR for 1 serving increment [95% CI] = 1.11 [1.01-1.21]; P-trend = .03) and of colorectal cancer (HR = 1.39 [1.09-1.77]; P-trend < .01).
    Int J Cancer, 2022 · checked 2026-10-01
11. chco-daily-r1-14 · crossover RCT, 2 weeks
    Fasting LDL-c was significantly lower following the HCC diet vs. the other arms (P = 0.002).
    Eur J Nutr, 2023 · checked 2026-10-01
12. chco-daily-r1-13 · agency guidance
    Choose these instead ... Hard cheeses, when made with pasteurized milk, such as Asiago, Cheddar, Parmesan, or Swiss/Gruyere/Emmental ... Cottage cheese, cream cheese, string cheese, feta, and mozzarella, when made with pasteurized milk
    US CDC, Preventing Listeria Infection · checked 2026-10-01
13. chco-daily-r1-11 · review
    Foods such as milk and yogurt are likely to be beneficial; others, such as cottage cheese, may adversely affect bone health.
    Am J Clin Nutr, 2000 · checked 2026-10-01
14. chco-daily-r1-10 · crossover RCT, acute
    Compensation was less in older (33%) than in young (63%) adults (P < 0.03).
    J Nutr, 2021 · checked 2026-10-01