Feta cheese is pure white in color and has a crumbly texture and briny taste. It is traditionally made from goat milk in Greece, but can also be made from cow or sheep milk. Feta cheese is often eaten on anything from pizza to salad.
All included nutritional values are based on a 1-cup serving of feta cheese.
Basic Nutrition
One cup of feta cheese contains 396 calories, 6.1 g of total carbohydrates and 0 g of dietary fiber. Based on a 2,000 calorie-a-day diet, these measurements represent 2 percent of the recommended daily value, or DV, for carbohydrates and 0 percent for dietary fiber. Feta cheese also provides 21.3 g of protein.
Fats
The total fat content is 32 g, which represents a large 49 percent of the recommended daily value. The majority of the fat, or 22.4 g, is saturated fat. Only 6.9 g is monounsaturated fats, and 0.9 g is from polyunsaturated fats. Heart-healthy fatty acids total 398 mg of omega-3's and 489 mg of omega-6's.
Calories
One serving of feta cheese contains 396 calories, or 20 percent DV. Fat accounts for 281 calories, protein makes up 91 calories, and the remaining calories come from carbohydrates.
Vitamins
Feta cheese is a good source of riboflavin, with 1.3 mg, or 74 percent DV. It also contains 2.5 mcg of vitamin B12, or 42 percent DV; 0.6 mg of vitamin B6, or 32 percent DV; 0.2 mg of thiamin, or 15 percent DV; and 1.5 mg of pantothenic acid, or 15 percent DV. Other vitamins include niacin, vitamin K and vitamin E.
Minerals
One cup of feta cheese is a rich source of calcium, with 739.5 mg, or 74 percent DV; 506 mg of phosphorus, or 51 percent DV; 22.5 mcg of selenium, or 32 percent DV; and 28.5 mg of magnesium, or 7 percent DV. Other minerals include iron, potassium, copper and manganese.
Sodium and Cholesterol
Feta cheese is high in sodium, with 1,674 mg, or 70 percent DV. It is also high in cholesterol, with 133 mg, or 44 percent DV.
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