Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsCheese & Carb CountCounting Carbs in CheeseKeto-Friendly CheesesLow-Carb Cheese
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Cheese & Carb Count
Counting Carbs in Cheese
Keto-Friendly Cheeses
Low-Carb Cheese
Your body needs carbohydrates (carbs) as fuel to help it function properly.Most types of cheese contain carbs, but some varieties have alower carb profilethan others.For people seeking to limit carbs in their diet or start aketogenic (keto) diet, know that you can still eat cheese daily, but there are some types you may want to avoid.Peter Carruthers / Getty ImagesCheeses With Least and Most CarbsGoat CheeseGoatcheese(made from goat’s milk) is mild-tasting, low in sodium, and high in B vitamins. You’ll get zero carbs in a 1-ounce serving of soft goat cheese.This makes it an excellent choice for someone with alow-carbor ketogenic diet.Feta CheeseThis tangy, soft,Mediterranean stapleis made from goat’s or sheep’s milk. With feta cheese, you’ll get virtually no carbohydrates per 1-ounce serving but will get several nutrients like calcium and vitamin B12.Because it’s a salty and flavorful option, a little sprinkle of feta goes a long way on your food.Parmesan CheeseParmesan cheese can be eaten cubed or grated, and its sharp, salty flavor makes it a popular option for toppings. A 1-ounce serving of hard Parmesan cheese offers 0.9 grams (g) of carbohydrates, while 1 tablespoon of grated Parmesan contains 0.7 g of carbs.Try it with crackers or on top of pasta.Swiss CheeseSwiss cheese ishigh in proteinand contains just 0.4 g of carbohydrates per 1-ounce serving.This sweet, nutty sandwich staple cheese is also ideal for soups, melted on toast, or on top of crackers. Try an at-home cheese fondue pot with Swiss cheese for a filling but low-carb meal option.Cheddar CheeseThis popular cheese comes in mild, sharp, and extra-sharp flavors. A 1-ounce serving contains around 0.59 g of carbohydrates.If sliced or cubed cheddar isn’t your preference, this type of cheese also has a low melting point, so it can be topped or added to bread and other side dishes.Blue CheeseBlue cheese’s telltale sharp and salty taste is a flavorful addition to many types of main and side dishes. A 1-ounce serving of blue cheese has 0.6 g of carbohydrates.Consider topping your salad with it, creating a veggie dip, or blending it into a sauce for meat or pasta.Gouda CheeseThis creamy charcuterie board favorite pairs nicely with crackers, vegetables, and fruits but can also be used in chili, stews, or hot sandwiches. A 1-ounce serving of Gouda cheese contains 0.6 g of carbohydrates.Its slightly sweet flavor might also satisfy your sweet tooth.Mozzarella CheeseFlavorful mozzarella cheese contains about 0.6 g of carbohydrates per 1-ounce serving.Its mild taste and elastic texture, when melted, makes it a versatile topping. This cheese is another good option for low-carb and low-salt diets and is often used in pizza, pasta, and caprese salad dishes.Ricotta CheeseAs a popular Italian dairy product, ricotta cheese has a mild taste that suits both savory and sweet dishes. Its creamy consistency adds a rich ingredient to soups, pasta, desserts, and more. One half-cup serving of whole milk ricotta cheese offers 8.85 g of carbohydrates, so it’s probably best to go light on the ricotta while pursuing a low-carb diet.Cottage CheeseWhile this fresh, soft cheese is often touted as a favorite healthy diet component, it may not be the best option if you’re looking to cut carbs. A 1-cup serving of 2%cottage cheesecontains 9.48 g of carbs. You may want to limit or avoid cottage cheese if you’re looking to lower your carb intake.Processed CheeseAmerican cheese has almost 2 g of carbohydrates per slice, and spray cheese in a can tends to be higher in carbohydrates and other processed ingredients, like canola oil, preservatives, and coloring.These cheeses are not recommended for an overall nutritious diet.How to Count Carbs in CheeseThe number ofcarbohydratesa person needs daily will vary based on age, body weight, activity level, health status, and more.As a reference, nutritionists generally consider one serving of carbs to equal about 15 g. Most healthy adults can aim for about 45 g of carbohydrates per meal, give or take.Check the product’s label to determine how many grams of carbs it has.Consider incorporating cheese into one meal and one snack per day in a sample daily meal plan. For example, this might look like:1 slice of Swiss cheese (1 g)1 stick ofstring cheese(1 g)Check with a healthcare provider if you have questions about how many carbohydrates you should be eating per day, especially if you have a health condition likediabetes.Keto-Friendly CheesesIf you’re implementing aketo diet, the general goal is to follow a high-fat and low-carb eating pattern. Although most selections contain carbohydrates and calories, cheese can still work for a keto diet. Here are a few types you might consider:Goat cheese: A 1-ounce serving contains virtually zero carbohydrates.Blue cheese: One slice contains 0.5 grams (g) of carbohydrates.Parmesan cheese: A 1-tablespoon grated serving contains 0.7 g of carbohydrates.Cream cheese: A 1-ounce serving contains 1 g of carbohydrates.Ways to Eat Low-Carb CheeseYou can still keep cheese in your diet when watching your carb intake. However, consider eating less of the high-carbohydrate varieties. Experts recommend the following ways:Incorporatenutritional yeast: This granulated seasoning has a cheesy flavor and many vitamins and minerals.Plus, its high protein profile can help round out a meal.Use this alternative to top pasta, salads, sauces, soups, eggs, and mashed potatoes.Practice portion control: Instead of counting carbs, use the plate method.It focuses on increasingnon-starchy vegetablesto fill half of your plate, with the other two quarters each going to whole grains and lean protein.Choose differentsnacks: Carbs can add up quickly in snacks. Consistently reaching for a second stick of string cheese can tip the scales and make this a higher-carb snack than intended. Try fruit, veggies, orboiled eggsas snacks instead.Be mindful of restaurant meals: Although many restaurants offer nutrition details on their menus, it can be challenging to determine portion sizes and exactly how many carbs you’re getting from cheese. Cheese carbs can quickly exceed your daily limit if added to a side starch, like pasta, rice, or bread, or included in a larger-than-normal portion.SummaryWhether you want to start a ketogenic diet or trim your carb intake, lower-carb cheeses can be a healthy addition to a nutritious diet. Many low-carb cheeses can be enjoyed sliced or cubed on their own and as a topping or staple for a main dish.Depending on your taste and overall health, consider choosinglow-carboptions like goat, feta, Parmesan, and Swiss cheeses and limiting cottage and ricotta cheese varieties. Discuss any dietary questions with a healthcare provider before making major nutritional changes to ensure a low-carb diet—or any diet—is right for you.
Your body needs carbohydrates (carbs) as fuel to help it function properly.Most types of cheese contain carbs, but some varieties have alower carb profilethan others.
For people seeking to limit carbs in their diet or start aketogenic (keto) diet, know that you can still eat cheese daily, but there are some types you may want to avoid.
Peter Carruthers / Getty Images
Cheeses With Least and Most Carbs
Goat Cheese
Goatcheese(made from goat’s milk) is mild-tasting, low in sodium, and high in B vitamins. You’ll get zero carbs in a 1-ounce serving of soft goat cheese.This makes it an excellent choice for someone with alow-carbor ketogenic diet.
Feta Cheese
This tangy, soft,Mediterranean stapleis made from goat’s or sheep’s milk. With feta cheese, you’ll get virtually no carbohydrates per 1-ounce serving but will get several nutrients like calcium and vitamin B12.Because it’s a salty and flavorful option, a little sprinkle of feta goes a long way on your food.
Parmesan Cheese
Parmesan cheese can be eaten cubed or grated, and its sharp, salty flavor makes it a popular option for toppings. A 1-ounce serving of hard Parmesan cheese offers 0.9 grams (g) of carbohydrates, while 1 tablespoon of grated Parmesan contains 0.7 g of carbs.Try it with crackers or on top of pasta.
Swiss Cheese
Swiss cheese ishigh in proteinand contains just 0.4 g of carbohydrates per 1-ounce serving.This sweet, nutty sandwich staple cheese is also ideal for soups, melted on toast, or on top of crackers. Try an at-home cheese fondue pot with Swiss cheese for a filling but low-carb meal option.
Cheddar Cheese
This popular cheese comes in mild, sharp, and extra-sharp flavors. A 1-ounce serving contains around 0.59 g of carbohydrates.If sliced or cubed cheddar isn’t your preference, this type of cheese also has a low melting point, so it can be topped or added to bread and other side dishes.
Blue Cheese
Blue cheese’s telltale sharp and salty taste is a flavorful addition to many types of main and side dishes. A 1-ounce serving of blue cheese has 0.6 g of carbohydrates.Consider topping your salad with it, creating a veggie dip, or blending it into a sauce for meat or pasta.
Gouda Cheese
This creamy charcuterie board favorite pairs nicely with crackers, vegetables, and fruits but can also be used in chili, stews, or hot sandwiches. A 1-ounce serving of Gouda cheese contains 0.6 g of carbohydrates.Its slightly sweet flavor might also satisfy your sweet tooth.
Mozzarella Cheese
Flavorful mozzarella cheese contains about 0.6 g of carbohydrates per 1-ounce serving.Its mild taste and elastic texture, when melted, makes it a versatile topping. This cheese is another good option for low-carb and low-salt diets and is often used in pizza, pasta, and caprese salad dishes.
Ricotta Cheese
As a popular Italian dairy product, ricotta cheese has a mild taste that suits both savory and sweet dishes. Its creamy consistency adds a rich ingredient to soups, pasta, desserts, and more. One half-cup serving of whole milk ricotta cheese offers 8.85 g of carbohydrates, so it’s probably best to go light on the ricotta while pursuing a low-carb diet.
Cottage Cheese
While this fresh, soft cheese is often touted as a favorite healthy diet component, it may not be the best option if you’re looking to cut carbs. A 1-cup serving of 2%cottage cheesecontains 9.48 g of carbs. You may want to limit or avoid cottage cheese if you’re looking to lower your carb intake.
Processed CheeseAmerican cheese has almost 2 g of carbohydrates per slice, and spray cheese in a can tends to be higher in carbohydrates and other processed ingredients, like canola oil, preservatives, and coloring.These cheeses are not recommended for an overall nutritious diet.
Processed Cheese
American cheese has almost 2 g of carbohydrates per slice, and spray cheese in a can tends to be higher in carbohydrates and other processed ingredients, like canola oil, preservatives, and coloring.These cheeses are not recommended for an overall nutritious diet.
How to Count Carbs in Cheese
The number ofcarbohydratesa person needs daily will vary based on age, body weight, activity level, health status, and more.
As a reference, nutritionists generally consider one serving of carbs to equal about 15 g. Most healthy adults can aim for about 45 g of carbohydrates per meal, give or take.Check the product’s label to determine how many grams of carbs it has.
Consider incorporating cheese into one meal and one snack per day in a sample daily meal plan. For example, this might look like:
Check with a healthcare provider if you have questions about how many carbohydrates you should be eating per day, especially if you have a health condition likediabetes.
If you’re implementing aketo diet, the general goal is to follow a high-fat and low-carb eating pattern. Although most selections contain carbohydrates and calories, cheese can still work for a keto diet. Here are a few types you might consider:
Ways to Eat Low-Carb Cheese
You can still keep cheese in your diet when watching your carb intake. However, consider eating less of the high-carbohydrate varieties. Experts recommend the following ways:
Summary
Whether you want to start a ketogenic diet or trim your carb intake, lower-carb cheeses can be a healthy addition to a nutritious diet. Many low-carb cheeses can be enjoyed sliced or cubed on their own and as a topping or staple for a main dish.
Depending on your taste and overall health, consider choosinglow-carboptions like goat, feta, Parmesan, and Swiss cheeses and limiting cottage and ricotta cheese varieties. Discuss any dietary questions with a healthcare provider before making major nutritional changes to ensure a low-carb diet—or any diet—is right for you.
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Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
MedlinePlus.Carbohydrates.U.S. Department of Agriculture.Goat cheese.U.S Department of Agriculture.Cheese, feta.U.S. Department of Agriculture.Cheese, Parmesan, grated.U.S Department of Agriculture.Cheese, Parmesan, hard.U.S. Department of Agriculture.Cheese, Swiss.U.S Department of Agriculture.Cheese, cheddar, sharp, sliced.U.S Department of Agriculture.Cheese, blue.U.S. Department of Agriculture.Cheese, Gouda.U.S. Department of Agriculture.Cheese, mozzarella, whole milk.U.S Department of AgricultureCheese, ricotta, whole milk.U.S. Department of Agriculture.Cheese, American.U.S. Department of Agriculture.Easy cheese pasteurized cheese snack cheese.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Carb counting.U.S. Department of Agriculture.Cheese, goat, semisoft type.U.S. Department of Agriculture.Cheese, blue or Roquefort.U.S. Department of Agriculture.Cheese spread, cream cheese, regular.Jach ME, Serefko A, Ziaja M, Kieliszek M.Yeast protein as an easily accessible food source.Metabolites. 2022;12(1):63. doi:10.3390/metabo12010063Tomé D.Yeast extracts: nutritional and flavoring food ingredients.ACS Food Sci. Technol. 2021;1(4):487-494. doi:10.1021/acsfoodscitech.0c00131American Diabetes Association.Get to know carbs.American Diabetes Association.What is the diabetes plate method?.
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U.S Department of Agriculture.Cheese, cheddar, sharp, sliced.
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U.S. Department of Agriculture.Cheese, Gouda.
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U.S Department of AgricultureCheese, ricotta, whole milk.
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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Carb counting.
U.S. Department of Agriculture.Cheese, goat, semisoft type.
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American Diabetes Association.Get to know carbs.
American Diabetes Association.What is the diabetes plate method?.
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