Cheese: Nutrition Facts and Health Benefits

Endlessly versatile, sometimes surprising and very delicious, cheese is a perennial crowd favorite. Find out why.

Cheese Can Please a Crowd!

Natural cheese is a fermented food made from four basic ingredients including milk, salt, “good bacteria,” and an enzyme called rennet. Cheesemakers use different proportions of this foundational formula coupled with different aging processes to create a variety of cheeses of differing textures, flavors and colors.

But cheese delivers benefits beyond its culinary canvas and delicious variety—it also makes significant contributions to a nutritious diet. Cheese provides eight essential nutrients that benefit wellness. Cheese is a good source of calcium, protein and phosphorus, three nutrients particularly important to help build and maintain healthy bones. Cheese also provides selenium and B12, which in addition to its protein, help support a healthy immune system.

With hundreds of varieties of cheese available—from creamy and melty to firm and chewy—there is an option for almost every palate and diet, even low-sodium. It’s a part of countless recipes, from breakfast to lunch to dinner, and snacks in between. There might even be cheese in your favorite dessert. Cheese is the perfect pairing for almost everything—from fruits, veggies, whole grains, beans and more!

Whatever your preference, cheese is a versatile, craveable way to add nutrition to your diet. Explore the tastiest ways to use cheese in our recipes and see for yourself.