Keto Diet and Cheese: The Best and Worst Cheeses to Choose (2024)

You can eat high fat foods like cheese on the Keto diet. Cheddar, Gouda, goat cheese, and blue cheese are the best to consider. Cheese to avoid on Keto are cottage cheese and low fat and processed varieties.

The keto diet is a low carb, high fat diet often used to promote weight loss.

The diet traditionally limits carbohydrate intake to less than 50 grams per day to maintain ketosis, a state in which your body uses fat instead of carbohydrates as its main fuel source.

For that reason, certain foods are better suited for the keto diet than others. In particular, cheese is an ideal keto food due to its high fat, moderate protein, and low carb content.

This article reviews some of the best and worst types of cheese to eat when following a keto diet.

Keto Diet and Cheese: The Best and Worst Cheeses to Choose (1)Share on Pinterest

Those who follow a keto diet severely limit their carbohydrate intake.

Further, keto dieters typically prioritize foods that are high in fat to make up for the calories they miss out on when restricting carbs.

This means cheese is an excellent food option because most types are high in fat, moderate in protein, and low in carbs.

Still, some cheeses are more suitable than others due to variations in fat content and level of processing.

Summary

Cheese is an ideal keto food due to its high fat, moderate protein, and low carb content. Still, some types may be better than others due to variations in fat content and level of processing.

These cheeses boast a high fat content and are minimally processed, so they’re a perfect match for the keto diet.

Cheddar cheese

Cheddar is a popular yellow cheese.

Varieties range in flavor from sharp to mild, so most people can find a type that suits their taste preferences.

Per 1-ounce (28-gram) serving, a mild cheddar cheese provides 9 grams of fat, 7 grams of protein, and less than 1 gram of carbs. This means it’s a good fit for the keto diet (1).

With a perfect balance of acidity and creaminess and a fairly low melting point, it’s great for melting atop sandwiches, lettuce-wrapped burgers, low carb bread, and casseroles.

Gouda

Gouda is a slightly sweet, creamy, yellow-hued cheese made from cow’s milk.

With 8 grams of fat, 7 grams of protein, and only 1 gram of carbs per 1-ounce (28-gram) serving, it fits well into the keto diet (2).

Gouda has a fairly low melting point, so it can be used to top burgers or added to your favorite keto mac and cheese recipe.

Goat cheese

Goat cheese, also known as chevre, is a creamy cheese made from goat’s milk. It boasts a tart flavor that is sometimes described as gamy or earthy.

A 1-ounce (28-gram) serving provides 9 grams of fat, 7 grams of protein, and minimal carbs, making it an excellent cheese to enjoy when following the keto diet (3).

While not particularly good for melting, goat cheese works well in appetizers, salads, casseroles, and omelets.

In addition, goat cheese is lower in lactose than many other kinds of cheese made from cow’s milk. As such, people with lactose intolerance may be better able to digest it (4).

Blue cheese

Blue cheese is a unique cheese. It’s made using cultures of a specific type of mold to develop deep flavors and a creamy texture.

Its keto-approved nutrient profile includes 8 grams of fat, 6 grams of protein, and 1 gram of carbs per 1-ounce (28-gram) serving (5).

Blue cheese is great when added fresh to salads, blended into a dip, or made into a sauce to enjoy with vegetable noodles or steaks.

Summary

Some of the best cheeses to eat on the keto diet are cheddar, Gouda, blue cheese, and goat cheese due to their suitable high fat and low carb content.

Cheeses to avoid on the keto diet include higher-carb and processed varieties.

Cottage cheese

Cottage cheese is a fresh cheese made by separating casein curds and liquid whey — the two major milk proteins.

While cottage cheese is generally considered a healthy cheese option, its nutrient profile doesn’t work well with the keto diet.

A 1/2-cup (114-gram) serving of full-fat cottage cheese provides 5 grams of fat, 14 grams of protein, and 5 grams of carbs (6).

While it’s not particularly high in carbs, even small amounts add up quickly. Thus, it’s best not to eat too much cottage cheese when on a keto diet.

Low fat cheese

Considering that the keto diet focuses on high fat, low carb foods, it’s best to avoid low fat cheese varieties.

Regular cheddar provides 9 grams of fat per 1-ounce (28-gram) serving. For comparison, the same serving size of low fat cheddar or colby cheese has about 2 grams of fat. You can even buy nonfat cheese, which has no fat (1, 7, 8).

If your goal is to fuel your body with fat through ketosis, you should stick to full-fat cheese.

Processed cheeses

Another cheese category you’ll likely want to avoid if following a keto diet is processed cheeses.

This includes varieties like American cheese, spray-can cheese, and other products that contain a mix of cheese and noncheese ingredients.

While they usually have plenty of fat, they tend to also contain ingredients that you wouldn’t find in naturally produced cheeses. These may include whey powder, canola oil, added colors, and preservatives (9, 10).

A high intake of processed foods has been associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular and other diseases. That means you should limit how many processed foods you eat, regardless of whether you follow the keto diet (11, 12).

Summary

While most cheeses fit well into the keto diet, some types are not ideal due to their nutrient ratios and level of processing. These include cottage cheese and low fat and processed cheeses.

The keto diet is a low carb, high fat diet. It requires strict adherence to maintain ketosis, a state in which your body uses fat instead of carbs as its primary fuel source.

To make up for calories lost through carb restriction, keto dieters eat many high fat foods such as cheese.

Some cheeses suit the keto diet better than others. This mainly comes down to their carb and fat content and level of processing.

The best keto cheeses include cheddar, Gouda, goat cheese, and blue cheese, while the worst are cottage cheese and low fat and processed varieties.

If you’re following the keto diet or know someone who is, be sure to keep these cheeses in mind to promote ketosis and meet dietary goals.

Just one thing

Try this today: Hungry for a snack? Make these keto-friendly appetizer bites. Spread goat cheese on a thick slice of cucumber, top with smoked salmon or turkey, and finish with another cucumber slice. Assemble with a toothpick and enjoy! You can add fresh dill, “everything bagel” seasoning, or mashed avocado for extra flavor.

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Keto Diet and Cheese: The Best and Worst Cheeses to Choose (2024)

FAQs

Keto Diet and Cheese: The Best and Worst Cheeses to Choose? ›

According to nutritionists, the best cheeses to consume on keto are those varieties that are high-quality, full-fat, and grass-fed. Some keto-friendly cheese options include goat cheese, blue cheese, Parmesan cheese, and cream cheese. Processed and low-fat cheeses should be avoided while on keto.

What is the best cheese for a keto diet? ›

The best keto cheeses include cheddar, Gouda, goat cheese, and blue cheese, while the worst are cottage cheese and low fat and processed varieties. If you're following the keto diet or know someone who is, be sure to keep these cheeses in mind to promote ketosis and meet dietary goals.

What are the most unhealthiest cheese? ›

Although extremely tasty on that cheese plate, soft cheeses such as Camembert, brie and triple-crème (cheese enriched with cream) fall into the “less healthy” category because of their saturated fat content.

What cheese has the lowest amount of carbs? ›

Goat cheese is an excellent choice for someone following the keto diet. It contains 0 carbs, making it a great way to hit your macros — 1 ounce (oz) of goat cheese also offers 103 calories, 8 g of fat, and 6 g of protein, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Is it bad to eat cheese everyday on keto? ›

All types of cheese are allowed on the keto diet, as cheese is relatively low in carbohydrate, which complies with the key principle of the keto diet. The Ketogenic diet or “keto” diet is a low carbohydrate and high fat eating plan.

What cheese is best for keto egg fast? ›

Full-fat cheese — Stick to cheeses with less than 1 g of net carbs per ounce. This includes cheddar, parmesan, swiss, feta, mozzarella, brie, Monterrey jack, cream cheese, mascarpone, and blue cheese. Only eat one ounce per egg.

Which butter is good for keto? ›

Grass-grazed raw butter may be one of the healthiest dairy products on a ketogenic diet menu. Grass-grazed raw butter is basically pure raw fat; it has zero carbs, zero sugars and zero grams of protein. As you can see, most of butters' fat is saturated.

What cheese should you avoid? ›

The types of cheese that most experts would agree are particularly unhealthy would include processed cheese products. Those include things like cheese singles, canned cheese, spay cheese, cheese dips.

What is the least inflammatory cheese? ›

In particular, goat cheese contains A2 casein, with an anti-inflammatory effect for the human body. Crumbled goat cheese can be added to salads, pizzas and eggs. In addition, whipped goat cheese can also be used to flavor fruit or vegetables.

Can I eat unlimited cheese on keto? ›

Enjoying cheese is one of the pleasures of the keto diet. But that doesn't mean it's unlimited and unrestricted. Nutritionists say that keto practitioners need to be selective with the cheese varieties they consume while on keto and enjoy them only in moderation to avoid disrupting ketosis and hampering weight loss.

Which fruit is keto-friendly? ›

Keto fruits by definition are low in carbohydrates. You still need to exercise portion control with most keto-friendly fruits to be within the limits of a keto diet. Keto-friendly fruits include avocados, watermelon, strawberries, lemons, tomatoes, raspberries, peaches, cantaloupe, star fruit, and blackberries.

Are tomatoes ok on keto? ›

Can you eat tomatoes on the keto diet? "Tomatoes are keto," says Abby Langer, R.D., author of Good Food, Bad Diet. "They're low in carbs, so they fit perfectly into keto." One whole medium tomato contains roughly 5 grams of carbohydrates, of which 1.5 grams are fiber and 3 grams are sugar.

What is the healthiest cheese for keto? ›

Which are the best cheeses for keto?
  • Cream cheese: Cream cheese is very popular in the keto diet. ...
  • Goat cheese: Also keto-friendly, goat cheese is a good choice. ...
  • Parmesan cheese: Nutty, salty, and keto-friendly, grated parmesan cheese is a good option.
Nov 28, 2022

Can I eat peanut butter on keto? ›

Peanut butter can definitely be part of a keto diet, but it's best to stick to plain options that are free of extra flavors and sweeteners. Almond butter is a good choice, too, and it's slightly lower in carbs. Additionally, you should be mindful of your portion size if you're trying to lose weight.

Can I eat bacon on keto? ›

Can You Eat Bacon On a Keto Diet? While you may not think of bacon as diet food, most types of bacon fit perfectly into a keto diet plan since they're low in carbs yet high in protein and fat. That means bacon is perfect for snacking on in the afternoon or mixing into your chicken dinner dish for some extra flavoring.

How many slices of cheese can you have on keto? ›

For example, cheddar cheese has less than 1g carbs, 9g fat, and 7g protein while gouda cheese has less than 1g carbs, 8g fat, and 7g protein per serving. That means it's okay to have up to three servings of gouda or cheddar and still say within your daily keto carb limit of 20-50 grams[*].

Is popcorn keto friendly? ›

Net carbs are calculated by taking the total grams of carbohydrate in a food and subtracting the amount of fiber. In this case, popcorn contains 6 grams of carbs per 1 cup serving and 1.2 grams of fiber, bringing the net carbs per serving to 4.8 grams. Yes friends, popcorn is indeed a keto food.

Is sour cream keto friendly? ›

Regular, full fat sour cream is made from cream and contains far more fat than carbs. Therefore, it's considered keto-friendly. However, low fat or nonfat sour cream is not. Full fat sour cream can provide some variety in a keto diet when used as a dip base or incorporated into recipes to boost the fat content.

What is the best meat for keto? ›

Some of the best meats for keto include beef, pork, chicken, salmon, and bison. Still, all plain, unprocessed meats are keto-friendly and low in carbs — so there are plenty of options to choose from. However, you may want to choose your meats based on other factors in addition to carb count.

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