Parmesan Cheese vs. Whole Milk

Nutrition comparison of Parmesan Cheese and Whole Milk


Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?

We compared the nutritional contents of parmesan cheese versus whole milk (100g each) below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].

For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in parmesan cheese and whole milk:

  • Both parmesan cheese and whole milk are high in calcium.
  • Parmesan cheese has 44.9 times less sugar than whole milk.
  • Parmesan cheese has more Vitamin B6 and Vitamin B12.
  • Parmesan cheese is an excellent source of Vitamin A and protein.
  • Whole milk has 5.8 times less cholesterol than parmesan cheese.
Detailed nutritional comparison of parmesan cheese and whole milk is analyzed below. You can also visualize the nutritional comparison for a custom portion or serving size and see how the nutrition compares.

USDA sources for nutritional information: Parmesan Cheese (Cheese, parmesan, hard) and Whole Milk (Milk, whole, 3.25% milkfat, with added vitamin D) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.


Image of Parmesan Cheese src
Image of Whole Milk src

Calories and Carbs

calories

Parmesan cheese is high in calories and whole milk has 84% less calories than parmesan cheese - parmesan cheese has 392 calories per 100 grams and whole milk has 61 calories.

For macronutrient ratios, parmesan cheese is heavier in protein, much lighter in carbs and heavier in fat compared to whole milk per calorie. Parmesan cheese has a macronutrient ratio of 38:3:59 and for whole milk, 21:31:48 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.

Macro Ratios from Calories:

Parmesan Cheese Whole Milk
Protein 38% 21%
Carbohydrates 3% 31%
Fat 59% 48%
Alcohol ~ ~

carbohydrates

Both parmesan cheese and whole milk are low in carbohydrates - parmesan cheese has 3.2g of total carbs per 100 grams and whole milk has 4.8g of carbohydrates.

sugar

Parmesan cheese has 44.9 times less sugar than whole milk - parmesan cheese has 0.11g of sugar per 100 grams and whole milk has 5.1g of sugar.

Protein

protein

Parmesan cheese is an excellent source of protein and it has 10 times more protein than whole milk - parmesan cheese has 35.8g of protein per 100 grams and whole milk has 3.2g of protein.

Fat

saturated fat

Parmesan cheese is high in saturated fat and whole milk has 87% less saturated fat than parmesan cheese - parmesan cheese has 14.9g of saturated fat per 100 grams and whole milk has 1.9g of saturated fat.

cholesterol

Whole milk has 5.8 times less cholesterol than parmesan cheese - parmesan cheese has 68mg of cholesterol per 100 grams and whole milk has 10mg of cholesterol.

Vitamins

Vitamin A

Parmesan cheese is an excellent source of Vitamin A and it has 350% more Vitamin A than whole milk - parmesan cheese has 207ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and whole milk has 46ug of Vitamin A.

Vitamin D

Whole milk has 168% more Vitamin D than parmesan cheese - parmesan cheese has 19iu of Vitamin D per 100 grams and whole milk has 51iu of Vitamin D.

Vitamin E

Parmesan cheese and whole milk contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - parmesan cheese has 0.22mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and whole milk has 0.07mg of Vitamin E.

Vitamin K

Parmesan cheese and whole milk contain similar amounts of Vitamin K - parmesan cheese has 1.7ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and whole milk has 0.3ug of Vitamin K.

The B Vitamins

Parmesan cheese has more Vitamin B6 and Vitamin B12. Both parmesan cheese and whole milk contain significant amounts of thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid and folate.

Parmesan Cheese Whole Milk
Thiamin 0.039 MG 0.046 MG
Riboflavin 0.332 MG 0.169 MG
Niacin 0.271 MG 0.089 MG
Pantothenic acid 0.453 MG 0.373 MG
Vitamin B6 0.091 MG 0.036 MG
Folate 7 UG 5 UG
Vitamin B12 1.2 UG 0.45 UG

Minerals

calcium

Both parmesan cheese and whole milk are high in calcium. Parmesan cheese has 948% more calcium than whole milk - parmesan cheese has 1184mg of calcium per 100 grams and whole milk has 113mg of calcium.

iron

Parmesan cheese has 26 times more iron than whole milk - parmesan cheese has 0.82mg of iron per 100 grams and whole milk has 0.03mg of iron.

potassium

Whole milk has 43% more potassium than parmesan cheese - parmesan cheese has 92mg of potassium per 100 grams and whole milk has 132mg of potassium.

Antioxidants and Phytonutrients

carotenoids

Carotenoids are micronutrients commonly found in plants and some animal products. An example is beta-carotene, the notable carotenoid which is a popular source of Vitamin A.[4][5]

For specific types of carotenoids,

Parmesan Cheese Whole Milk
beta-carotene 66 UG 7 UG

Omega-3 and Omega-6

omega 3s

For omega-3 fatty acids, parmesan cheese has more alpha linoleic acid (ALA) than whole milk per 100 grams.

Parmesan Cheese Whole Milk
alpha linoleic acid 0.297 G 0.075 G
Total 0.297 G 0.075 G

omega 6s

Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, parmesan cheese has more linoleic acid than whole milk per 100 grams.

Parmesan Cheese Whole Milk
linoleic acid 0.272 G 0.12 G
Total 0.272 G 0.12 G



Customize your serving size


The comparison below is by weight, but sometimes 100g isn't that intuitive of a measurement for food. View a custom portion comparison (e.g. cups, oz, package).

You can try adding or subtracting the amount of either Parmesan Cheese or Whole Milk .

Note: The specific food items compared are: Parmesan Cheese (Cheese, parmesan, hard) and Whole Milk (Milk, whole, 3.25% milkfat, with added vitamin D) .

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FAQ

Does parmesan cheese or whole milk contain more calories in 100 grams?
Parmesan cheese is high in calories and whole milk has 80% less calories than parmesan cheese - parmesan cheese has 392 calories in 100g and whole milk has 61 calories.

Is parmesan cheese or whole milk better for protein?
Parmesan cheese is a fantastic source of protein and it has 10 times more protein than whole milk - parmesan cheese has 35.8g of protein per 100 grams and whole milk has 3.2g of protein.

Does parmesan cheese or whole milk have more carbohydrates?
By weight, both parmesan cheese and whole milk are low in carbohydrates - parmesan cheese has 3.2g of carbs for 100g and whole milk has 4.8g of carbohydrates.

Does parmesan cheese or whole milk contain more calcium?
Both parmesan cheese and whole milk are high in calcium. Parmesan cheese has 950% more calcium than whole milk - parmesan cheese has 1184mg of calcium in 100 grams and whole milk has 113mg of calcium.