Nutrition of Goat Cheese vs. Feta Cheese

The tangy varieties of feta cheese and goat cheese are often confused. Although they are similar in appearance and texture, the taste and nutrition of the two cheeses is quite different. Once you learn about their individual characteristics, it's easy to distinguish between the two and decide which is the healthier cheese for you. Using a calorie counter is a great way to keep track of the nutrition values of each cheese.

Feta is a sharp, dominantly salty-tasting cheese traditionally made in Greece from sheep's milk. Feta cheese often contains a mixture of milk from sheep and goats, but the legal limit of goat's milk must be less than 30 percent for the product to be classified as feta cheese.

Feta is aged longer than goat cheese to allow it to ripen. Sold in firm blocks that can be sliced or crumbled, feta cheese is synonymous with many Greek dishes and delicacies.

​Read more:​ 5 Things You Need to Know About Feta Cheese

Traditionally from France, goat cheese is made from 100 percent goat's milk and normally does not require aging. Both cheeses are white when cut, but fresh goat cheese is softer and generally tastes sweeter than feta. However, the flavor and complexity of goat cheese can become stronger if aged. Goat cheese can be eaten plain, hot or cold. It can be used in salads and is popular in French cooking.

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends a daily caloric intake ranging from 1,600 to 2,400 calories for adult women and 2,000 to 3,000 calories for adult men, depending on age and level of activity.

Feta cheese has fewer calories than goat cheese. One ounce, or 28 grams, of feta cheese contains 75 calories, while the same amount of semi soft goat cheese packs 103 calories. If you're cutting calories to lose weight, it's wise to limit your serving size. For reference, 1 ounce of feta cheese is about the size of a pair of dice.

It's recommended that 45 to 65 percent of your calories should come from carbs. Both feta and goat cheese are low in carbohydrates. Feta cheese has 1.1 grams of carbs per ounce. Goat cheese contains .03 gram in the same amount.

The cholesterol content for the two types of cheese is similar, with feta containing 25 milligrams and goat cheese containing 22 milligrams per ounce. Most cheese is high in cholesterol but, according to the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, there's no confirmed link between eating cholesterol-rich foods and high blood cholesterol levels.

Cholesterol is needed to build healthy cells. While no upper level for cholesterol has been established, the Advisory Committee recommends that you limit your intake of dietary cholesterol.

USDA recommends that 20 to 35 percent of your calories come from fat, with an intake of not more than 10 percent from saturated fat. Feta cheese is lower in total fat content compared to many other types of cheese with 6 grams per ounce — 3.8 grams coming from saturated fat. Goat cheese has 8.5 grams of fat — 5.9 grams being saturated fat — which contributes to about 30 percent of your daily value in just 1 ounce.

However, the type of fats in feta and goat cheese is medium-chain triglycerides. This type of fatty acid is metabolized differently than long-chain triglycerides. They are quickly broken down and absorbed into your bloodstream for an instant energy source. As a result, the fat is generally not stored in the body and has a potential to aid in weight loss.

Goat cheese and feta both contain B vitamins, but overall, feta cheese is a better source by providing more riboflavin, thiamine and vitamins B6 and B12. Goat cheese contains more niacin and folate. The B group of vitamins is necessary for the release of energy from food and contributes to the health of your nervous system.

Goat cheese is also highest in vitamin A, providing 415 international units, compared with 120 international units in feta. Vitamin A is essential for healthy teeth, skeletal tissue and skin and good vision. Goat cheese also contains more of the vitamins D, E and K than feta cheese.

The mineral content differs between goat cheese and feta, especially when it comes to calcium. Feta is the best source, supplying 140 milligrams per ounce, or 15 percent of your recommended daily intake. Goat cheese has 84 milligrams of calcium in the same amount. Calcium is important for building bones and teeth as well as helping your blood clot.

Feta is a better source of the mineral zinc, but goat cheese excels in its content of iron, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium.

Feta is high in sodium and contains 323 milligrams in a 1-ounce serving, which accounts for almost 14 percent DV (daily value). Goat cheese contains less sodium, at 118 milligrams per ounce.

Mayo Clinic recommends consuming less than 2,300 milligrams of sodium per day. Harvard Health warns that too much salt can damage your heart and kidneys, even without increasing blood pressure, and that it may also be bad for your bones.

Ten to 35 percent of your calories should come from protein, which would be an average of 46 grams for adult women and 56 grams for men. Protein is necessary for many critical roles in your body, including building and repairing bone, muscle, cartilage and skin. Goat cheese contains 6.1 grams of protein while feta cheese provides 4 grams of protein per ounce.

​Read more:​ How Much Protein Is Right For You?

The majority of protein in both feta and goat cheese is a form of complete protein called casein. Casein is an insoluble protein that supplies all the amino acids required by your body. Feta cheese made from sheep's milk contains the most casein protein — almost twice as much as goat cheese.

Casein has two variants — A1 and A2 beta-casein. Cow's milk contains the undesirable A1 form, which may be linked to type 1 diabetes, heart disease, infant death, autism and digestive problems, according to Gene Food. The A2 form is preferred and considered safe and healthier. Sheep's milk and goat's milk contain the more easily digestible A2 beta-casein.

​Read more:​ Casein Protein Benefits

For people with a milk allergy, Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety suggests that sheep's milk and goat's milk, which is the most similar to human milk in composition, may promote lower allergic sensitization, making them an ideal substitute for cow's milk. A reason is that the protein structure in both milks is different from cow's milk. They have a concentration of fat globules that are smaller than those in cow's milk (with goat's milk being the smallest), making them easier to digest.

Although cheese from both sheep's milk and goat's milk contain lactose, with sheep's milk containing the most, a 2016 study published in Nutrition Journal found that some symptoms of lactose intolerance may stem from inflammation triggered by the type of casein in the dairy product. Findings were that A1 beta casein may be the culprit in worsening gastrointestinal symptoms in lactose intolerant subjects more than the lactose content. A2 casein did not cause the same negative effects.

The researchers reported that the symptoms of lactose intolerance may be avoided by consuming milk that contains only the A2 type of beta casein. This would indicate that feta and goat cheese could possibly be acceptable foods for anyone who is lactose intolerant.

​Read more:​ The Signs & Symptoms of Dairy Intolerance or Allergy

The polyunsaturated fat in sheep's milk and goat's milk contains conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), with sheep's milk containing the higher level. CLA is an essential fatty acid found in dairy products and important for good health. Potential health properties include anti-carcinogenic, anti-obesity, anti-diabetes, antioxidant, and immunoregulatory effects, according to a 2017 article in Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety.

​Read more:​ Feta Cheese & Digestion