Know2eat

Feta

What feta has been studied for

2 associations assessed — none with dependable human evidence behind them yet. Strongest first.

  • 2 Insufficient
4 things to know first — allergies, interactions and intake limits

About feta

A curd cheese ripened and stored in salt brine, traditionally from sheep milk or a sheep and goat blend. The protected-designation product is Greek; most supermarket imitations are cow milk and are labelled "salad cheese" in some markets.

Also known as Greek feta, Brined white cheese, Sheep milk feta

Bone HealthHeart Health

The evidence in depth

Best supported: Insufficient

What each association actually rests on, and the papers behind it. A rating describes the state of the research, not how impressive the food is. How we rate evidence.

Bone mineral density

Bone Health
Insufficient evidence

Has been studied as part of total dairy intake, which is associated with higher bone mineral density in observational work, particularly during growth. Nothing in that literature is specific to feta, and cheese-only analyses are weaker and less consistent than dairy as a whole.

Insufficient evidence. Not enough human research to say anything useful yet.

No source is attached to this association yet, so it is rated insufficient by default. It is listed because people commonly ask about it — not because there is evidence for it.

Healthy blood pressure

Heart Health
Insufficient evidence

Evidence is limited for feta and blood pressure, and the sodium load points the other way. Some fermented dairy cohorts report neutral or slightly favourable blood pressure associations, but no trial has tested a salt-ripened cheese as the intervention.

Insufficient evidence. Not enough human research to say anything useful yet.

1 source

Deep research mode adds each paper’s own conclusion and stated limitations.

Ask about Feta

Ask about Feta

Answers are written only from the entries on this page — the same nutrients, compounds, claims and citations you can read above. Nothing is added from outside the database, and every answer lists what it was built from.

AI explanations are not switched on for this site, so there is nothing to ask here. Everything above is read straight from the database and does not need them.

Key nutrients

Nutrient content per 100 grams
NutrientAmount% DV
Macronutrients
Calories265 kcal13%
Protein14.2 g28%
Total fat21.5 g28%
Carbohydrate3.88 g1%
Fibre0 g0%
Total sugars0 g—
Water55.2 g—
Fats
Saturated fat13.3 g67%
Monounsaturated fat4.62 g—
Polyunsaturated fat0.591 g—
Cholesterol89 mg30%
EPA (omega-3)0 g—
DHA (omega-3)0 g—
DPA (omega-3)0 g—
Linoleic acid (omega-6)0.326 g—
Vitamins
Vitamin A125 µg14%
Vitamin C0 mg0%
Vitamin D0.4 µg2%
Vitamin E0.18 mg1%
Vitamin K1.8 µg2%
Thiamin (B1)0.154 mg13%
Riboflavin (B2)0.844 mg65%
Niacin (B3)0.991 mg6%
Pantothenic acid (B5)0.967 mg19%
Vitamin B60.424 mg25%
Folate32 µg8%
Vitamin B121.69 µg70%
Choline15.4 mg3%
Minerals
Calcium493 mg38%
Iron0.65 mg4%
Magnesium19 mg5%
Phosphorus337 mg27%
Potassium62 mg1%
Sodium1139 mg50%
Zinc2.88 mg26%
Copper0.032 mg4%
Manganese0.028 mg1%
Selenium15 µg27%
Other measured compounds
Beta-carotene3 µg—
Alpha-carotene0 µg—
Lycopene0 µg—
Lutein + zeaxanthin0 µg—
Caffeine0 mg—
Ash5.2 g—

Nutrient values are per 100 g of the USDA reference entry named on this page and vary with variety, growing conditions, storage and preparation.

Source record: Cheese, feta (USDA FoodData Central, FDC ID 173420).

% DV uses the FDA Daily Values for adults and children aged 4 and over. A dash means no Daily Value has been established for that nutrient.

Bioactive compounds

Compounds present in meaningful amounts. Presence is banded rather than quantified, because whole-food levels vary enormously with variety, growing conditions, storage and preparation.

How preparation changes things

Only effects with real support are listed. If a preparation method is missing, it is because nothing dependable is documented — not because it makes no difference.

  • fermentedReduces lactose

    Lactic fermentation converts much of the lactose to lactic acid during ripening, and further lactose leaches into the brine.

Things to know

Allergies, interactions and intake concerns. Every food gets this section — a reference where everything is uniformly good is not a reference.

  • Too much

    Very high sodium

    Feta is preserved in brine, which makes it one of the saltiest cheeses sold. Rinsing the block before use removes some surface salt but not the salt taken up during ripening.

  • Worth knowing

    Unpasteurised soft cheese in pregnancy

    Soft and brined cheeses made from unpasteurised milk are a recognised vehicle for Listeria monocytogenes, which can cross the placenta and cause miscarriage, stillbirth or neonatal infection. Standard advice in pregnancy is to avoid them and choose cheese explicitly labelled as made with pasteurised milk.

  • Allergy

    Milk protein allergy

    Cow milk protein allergy is an immune reaction to casein or whey and is not the same thing as lactose intolerance. Sheep and goat milk proteins cross-react with cow milk proteins in most people who are allergic, so feta is not a safe substitute.

  • Worth knowing

    Residual lactose

    Brined fresh cheeses retain more lactose than long-aged hard cheeses, though far less than milk. People who tolerate parmesan or gruyere may still notice feta in quantity.