20 Cheeses High in Protein
For vegetarians or anyone simply looking to get more protein into their diet, cheese can be a good choice, but which are the healthiest choices? Here is a list of 20 different kinds of cheese that provide the most protein per oz or half cup.
An ounce of cheese is typically equal to a thin slice that would cover a piece of toast.
The current daily value (DV) for protein is 50 grams per day. Cheeses high in protein include ricotta, low-fat cottage cheese, Parmesan, Romano, non-fat cheddar, gruyere, low-fat Swiss, fontina, and more.
In general, cheeses which are low in fat will provide more protein per serving, however, this is not always the case. For more high protein foods, see the articles on vegetarian protein foods, beans high in protein, grains high in protein, and nuts high in protein.
List of High Protein Cheese
| Food | Serving | Protein |
|---|---|---|
| #1 Low Fat Cottage Cheese | per 1/2 cup | 24% DV 11.8g |
| #2 Grated Parmesan | per oz | 20% DV 10.2g |
| #3 Ricotta | per 1/2 cup | 19% DV 9.3g |
| #4 Romano | per oz | 18% DV 9g |
| #5 Non-Fat Cheddar | per oz | 18% DV 9g |
| #6 Hard Goat Cheese | per oz | 17% DV 8.7g |
| #7 Gruyere | per oz | 17% DV 8.5g |
| #8 Low-Fat Monterey | per oz | 16% DV 7.9g |
| #9 Swiss Cheese | per oz | 15% DV 7.7g |
| #10 Fontina | per oz | 15% DV 7.3g |
| #11 Provolone | per oz | 15% DV 7.3g |
| #12 Edam | per oz | 14% DV 7.1g |
| #13 Gouda | per oz | 14% DV 7.1g |
| #14 Tilsit | per oz | 14% DV 6.9g |
| #15 Low-Fat Muenster | per oz | 14% DV 6.9g |
| #16 Low-Fat Mozzarella | per oz | 14% DV 6.9g |
| #17 Port De Salut Cheese | per oz | 14% DV 6.8g |
| #18 Colby | per oz | 13% DV 6.7g |
| #19 Blue Cheese | per oz | 12% DV 6.1g |
| #20 Brie | per oz | 12% DV 5.9g |
See All 115 Dairy and Egg Products High in Protein
Next ➞About the Data
Data for the curated food lists comes from the USDA Food Data Central Repository.
You can check our data against the USDA by clicking the (Source) link at the bottom of each food listing.
Note: When checking data please be sure the serving sizes are the same. In the rare case you find any difference, please contact us and we will fix it right away.
About Nutrient Targets
Setting targets can provide a guide to healthy eating.
Some of the most popular targets include:- Daily Value (%DV) - The %DV is a general guideline for everyone and accounts for absorption factors. It is the most common target in the U.S. and is the target on the nutrition labels of most products. It is set by the U.S. FDA.
- Recommended Dietary Allowance (%RDA) - The RDA sets an average daily dietary intake level that is sufficient to meet the nutrient requirements of nearly all (97.5 percent) healthy individuals and is specific to age and gender. The RDA is set by the US National Instutites of Health.
- Adequate Intake (%AI) - Sets a target for Omega 3 and Omega 6 fats. The Adequate Intake is also set by the U.S. Institute of Medicine. It represents a number to ensure adequacy but lacks the same level of evidence as the Reference Dietary Intake. In short, the number is less accurate than the RDI.
- Reference Dietary Intake (%RDI) -The reference dietary intake is similar to the recommended daily allowance, and is specific to age and gender. The RDI for amino acids is set by the U.N. World Health Organization.
See the Guide to Recommended Daily Intakes for more information.
Want to set your own targets? Sign up for an account and set custom targets in the daily meal planner.From the Nutrient Ranking Tool
- Foods High in Protein
- Foods Low in Protein
- Vegetables High in Protein
- Fruits High in Protein
- Vegetarian Foods High in Protein
- Nuts High in Protein
- Grains High in Protein
- Beans High in Protein
- Dairy High in Protein
- Breakfast Cereals High in Protein
- Fast Foods High in Protein
View more food groups with the nutrient ranking tool, or see ratios with the nutrient ratio tool.
Related
Data Sources and References
MyFoodData provides free nutrition data tools
and articles to help you organize and understand the foods you eat.
Create a free account to get nutrition facts on recipes and meals, track foods, and set custom targets.