Cheddar Cheese vs. Whole Milk

Nutrition comparison of Cheddar 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 cheddar cheese versus whole milk (100g each) below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].

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

  • Both whole milk and cheddar cheese are high in calcium.
  • Cheddar cheese has 9.5 times less sugar than whole milk.
  • Cheddar cheese has more riboflavin, folate and Vitamin B12, however, whole milk contains more niacin.
  • Cheddar cheese is an excellent source of Vitamin A and protein.
  • For omega-3 fatty acids, cheddar cheese has more dpa than whole milk.
  • Whole milk has 8.9 times less cholesterol than cheddar cheese.
Detailed nutritional comparison of cheddar 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: Cheddar Cheese (Cheese, cheddar) and Whole Milk (Milk, whole, 3.25% milkfat, with added vitamin D) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.


Image of Cheddar Cheese src
Image of Whole Milk src

Calories and Carbs

calories

Cheddar cheese is high in calories and whole milk has 85% less calories than cheddar cheese - whole milk has 61 calories per 100 grams and cheddar cheese has 403 calories.

For macronutrient ratios, cheddar cheese is much lighter in carbs, much heavier in fat and similar to whole milk for protein. Cheddar cheese has a macronutrient ratio of 23:3:74 and for whole milk, 21:31:48 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.

Macro Ratios from Calories:

Cheddar Cheese Whole Milk
Protein 23% 21%
Carbohydrates 3% 31%
Fat 74% 48%
Alcohol ~ ~

carbohydrates

Both whole milk and cheddar cheese are low in carbohydrates - whole milk has 4.8g of total carbs per 100 grams and cheddar cheese has 3.4g of carbohydrates.

sugar

Cheddar cheese has 9.5 times less sugar than whole milk - whole milk has 5.1g of sugar per 100 grams and cheddar cheese has 0.48g of sugar.

Protein

protein

Cheddar cheese is an excellent source of protein and it has 626% more protein than whole milk - whole milk has 3.2g of protein per 100 grams and cheddar cheese has 22.9g of protein.

Fat

saturated fat

Cheddar cheese is high in saturated fat and whole milk has 90% less saturated fat than cheddar cheese - whole milk has 1.9g of saturated fat per 100 grams and cheddar cheese has 18.9g of saturated fat.

cholesterol

Whole milk has 8.9 times less cholesterol than cheddar cheese - whole milk has 10mg of cholesterol per 100 grams and cheddar cheese has 99mg of cholesterol.

Vitamins

Vitamin A

Cheddar cheese is an excellent source of Vitamin A and it has 633% more Vitamin A than whole milk - whole milk has 46ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and cheddar cheese has 337ug of Vitamin A.

Vitamin D

Whole milk has 113% more Vitamin D than cheddar cheese - whole milk has 51iu of Vitamin D per 100 grams and cheddar cheese has 24iu of Vitamin D.

Vitamin E

Whole milk and cheddar cheese contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - whole milk has 0.07mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and cheddar cheese has 0.71mg of Vitamin E.

Vitamin K

Whole milk and cheddar cheese contain similar amounts of Vitamin K - whole milk has 0.3ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and cheddar cheese has 2.4ug of Vitamin K.

The B Vitamins

Cheddar cheese has more riboflavin, folate and Vitamin B12, however, whole milk contains more niacin. Both cheddar cheese and whole milk contain significant amounts of thiamin, pantothenic acid and Vitamin B6.

Cheddar Cheese Whole Milk
Thiamin 0.029 MG 0.046 MG
Riboflavin 0.428 MG 0.169 MG
Niacin 0.059 MG 0.089 MG
Pantothenic acid 0.41 MG 0.373 MG
Vitamin B6 0.066 MG 0.036 MG
Folate 27 UG 5 UG
Vitamin B12 1.1 UG 0.45 UG

Minerals

calcium

Both whole milk and cheddar cheese are high in calcium. Cheddar cheese has 528% more calcium than whole milk - whole milk has 113mg of calcium per 100 grams and cheddar cheese has 710mg of calcium.

iron

Whole milk and cheddar cheese contain similar amounts of iron - whole milk has 0.03mg of iron per 100 grams and cheddar cheese has 0.14mg of iron.

potassium

Whole milk has 74% more potassium than cheddar cheese - whole milk has 132mg of potassium per 100 grams and cheddar cheese has 76mg 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,

Cheddar Cheese Whole Milk
beta-carotene 85 UG 7 UG

Omega-3 and Omega-6

omega 3s

For omega-3 fatty acids, cheddar cheese has more DPA than whole milk per 100 grams. Both cheddar cheese and whole milk contain significant amounts of alpha linoleic acid (ALA).

Cheddar Cheese Whole Milk
alpha linoleic acid 0.114 G 0.075 G
DHA 0.001 G ~
EPA 0.01 G ~
DPA 0.017 G ~
Total 0.142 G 0.075 G

omega 6s

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

Cheddar Cheese Whole Milk
other omega 6 0.036 G ~
linoleic acid 1.171 G 0.12 G
Total 1.207 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 Cheddar Cheese or Whole Milk .

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

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FAQ

Does whole milk or cheddar cheese contain more calories in 100 grams?
Cheddar cheese is high in calories and whole milk has 90% less calories than cheddar cheese - whole milk has 61 calories in 100g and cheddar cheese has 403 calories.

Does whole milk or cheddar cheese have more carbohydrates?
By weight, both whole milk and cheddar cheese are low in carbohydrates - whole milk has 4.8g of carbs for 100g and cheddar cheese has 3.4g of carbohydrates.

Does whole milk or cheddar cheese contain more calcium?
Both whole milk and cheddar cheese are high in calcium. Cheddar cheese has 530% more calcium than whole milk - whole milk has 113mg of calcium in 100 grams and cheddar cheese has 710mg of calcium.