Know2eat

Gouda

What gouda has been studied for

2 associations assessed — 1 with at least some human evidence behind it. Strongest first.

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

About gouda

A washed-curd Dutch cheese in which some whey is replaced with water before pressing, leaving a sweeter, less acidic paste. Young gouda is supple; wheels aged for years become hard, dark and studded with amino acid crystals.

Also known as Goudse kaas, Aged gouda, Dutch wheel cheese

Bone HealthHeart Health

The evidence in depth

Best supported: Limited

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
Limited evidence

Has been studied as a source of calcium, protein and vitamin K2. Trials of menaquinone supplements on bone density report mixed results at doses far above what cheese supplies, and no trial has tested aged cheese itself.

What may be going on: Menaquinones are cofactors for the carboxylation of osteocalcin, a bone matrix protein.

Limited evidence. Early human work, or mostly lab and animal research.

3 sources

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

Cardiovascular risk markers

Heart Health
Insufficient evidence

Evidence is limited for gouda and heart outcomes. Observational analyses linking menaquinone intake with less arterial calcification are interesting but confounded, and the cheese those analyses measured also carries saturated fat and salt.

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 Gouda

Ask about Gouda

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
Calories356 kcal18%
Protein24.9 g50%
Total fat27.4 g35%
Carbohydrate2.22 g1%
Fibre0 g0%
Total sugars2.22 g—
Water41.5 g—
Fats
Saturated fat17.6 g88%
Monounsaturated fat7.75 g—
Polyunsaturated fat0.657 g—
Cholesterol114 mg38%
EPA (omega-3)0 g—
DHA (omega-3)0 g—
DPA (omega-3)0 g—
Linoleic acid (omega-6)0.263 g—
Vitamins
Vitamin A165 µg18%
Vitamin C0 mg0%
Vitamin D0.5 µg3%
Vitamin E0.24 mg2%
Vitamin K2.3 µg2%
Thiamin (B1)0.03 mg3%
Riboflavin (B2)0.334 mg26%
Niacin (B3)0.063 mg0%
Pantothenic acid (B5)0.34 mg7%
Vitamin B60.08 mg5%
Folate21 µg5%
Vitamin B121.54 µg64%
Choline15.4 mg3%
Minerals
Calcium700 mg54%
Iron0.24 mg1%
Magnesium29 mg7%
Phosphorus546 mg44%
Potassium121 mg3%
Sodium819 mg36%
Zinc3.9 mg35%
Copper0.036 mg4%
Manganese0.011 mg0%
Selenium14.5 µg26%
Other measured compounds
Beta-carotene10 µg—
Alpha-carotene0 µg—
Lycopene0 µg—
Lutein + zeaxanthin0 µg—
Caffeine0 mg—
Ash3.94 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, gouda (USDA FoodData Central, FDC ID 171241).

% 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.

  • fermentedIncreases menaquinones (vitamin K2)

    Menaquinones in cheese are made by the starter and ripening bacteria, so long-ripened cheeses generally contain more than young ones. Which forms appear depends on the culture used.

  • fermentedReduces lactose

    Ripening leaves aged gouda with essentially no lactose.

Things to know

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

  • Allergy

    Cow milk protein allergy

    A major regulated allergen; ripening does not remove milk proteins.

  • Interaction

    Tyramine in aged wheels

    Tyramine rises steeply with age in gouda. People taking non-selective monoamine oxidase inhibitors are advised to avoid aged cheese because of the risk of a hypertensive reaction.

  • Interaction

    Vitamin K and warfarin

    Aged gouda carries menaquinones, which act on the same clotting pathway warfarin blocks. The issue is a sudden change in intake rather than the cheese itself; anyone on a vitamin K antagonist should keep intake steady and tell their anticoagulation service.

  • Too much

    Sodium and saturated fat

    Gouda is brined and fat-rich. Aged wheels concentrate both as moisture is lost.