Feta Cheese: Nutrition, Is It Healthy, Sodium and Safety

Feta cheese is a white, crumbly, brined cheese from Greece, traditionally made from sheep’s milk or a mix of sheep’s and goat’s milk. In USDA data one ounce has about 75 calories, 4 grams of protein, 11% of the Daily Value (DV) for calcium and 14% DV for sodium. So is feta cheese healthy? It is a flavorful source of protein, calcium, riboflavin and vitamin B12 that goes a long way in small amounts, but it is salty and high in saturated fat for its size. This guide covers feta cheese nutrition, how it compares with other cheeses, what the EU name protection means, and the pasteurization question that matters in pregnancy.

Peptide Labs does not sell feta cheese or cheese products. This article is general nutrition information, not medical advice.

What is feta cheese?

Feta is a soft to semi-hard white cheese that ripens and is stored in salty brine, which gives it its tang and keeps it moist. In the European Union the name is legally protected. A 2002 Commission regulation registered Feta as a protected designation of origin (PDO), and in 2005 the EU Court of Justice rejected challenges from Germany and Denmark, ruling that the name had not become generic. The registered description sets out the rules:

• Milk: only sheep’s milk, or a mix of sheep’s and goat’s milk with goat’s milk at no more than 30% of the milk weight.
• Place: Macedonia, Thrace, Thessaly, Central Mainland Greece, the Peloponnese and the Lesbos prefecture.
• Method: the curd drains in molds, is dry salted, then ripens in brine for a total of at least two months.

Outside the EU, cheese sold as feta does not have to follow these rules, so the milk can differ. The ingredient list tells you whether a pack uses cow’s, sheep’s or goat’s milk and whether the milk was pasteurized.

Feta cheese nutrition (USDA)

The table uses the USDA FoodData Central SR Legacy entry Cheese, feta (FDC 173420), with %DV based on FDA Daily Values. One ounce is about the size of two thumbs, or a generous crumble over a salad. A cup of crumbled feta (150 g in USDA data) has about 398 calories, 74% DV for sodium and 100% DV for saturated fat, which shows how quickly the numbers climb when feta is the main event rather than a topping.

Feta cheese calories are modest because feta holds more water than aged hard cheeses: about 55 grams of water per 100 grams in USDA data, against 30 grams for hard parmesan. The standouts per ounce are riboflavin and vitamin B12. If you eat little meat, the B12 foods guide lists other sources.

Is feta cheese healthy?

Feta is neither a health food nor a food to fear. A fair summary of the evidence and the label:

• What it offers: protein, calcium, phosphorus, riboflavin and B12, with strong flavor that lets a small amount season a whole dish. For more calcium options see this calcium food list.
• Sodium: the brine makes feta salty. One ounce supplies 14% of the FDA Daily Value for sodium, more than twice the share in an ounce of whole-milk mozzarella. Our guide to cutting back on salt explains how sodium adds up.
• Saturated fat: about a fifth of the DV per ounce, similar to most full-fat cheeses. Reduced-fat feta exists; compare the Nutrition Facts panels.
• Fermentation: feta is a cultured cheese, but most retail feta is not sold or tested as a probiotic product. Our fermented foods article explains the difference.

Feta compared with other cheeses (per ounce)

Per ounce, feta and soft goat cheese tie on calories, while hard parmesan packs more than twice the protein and calcium. For a lower-sodium, higher-protein dairy option, cottage cheese and Greek yogurt are worth a look on the label.

Is feta cheese pasteurized? Listeria and pregnancy

Listeria is a bacterium that can grow in some soft cheeses, especially those made from raw milk. The FDA says pregnant women are about 10 times more likely to get listeriosis than other healthy adults, and that the infection can lead to miscarriage, premature labor, low birth weight or infant death. CDC also names newborns, adults 65 or older and people with weakened immune systems as higher-risk groups.

• Pasteurized feta: CDC lists feta made with pasteurized milk among the safer cheese choices during pregnancy.
• Raw-milk feta: FDA advises pregnant women to avoid cheeses made with unpasteurized milk, and CDC puts soft cheese made from raw milk on its riskier list.
• Check the label: look for the words made with pasteurized milk. At restaurants, markets and abroad, ask; artisanal and imported brined cheeses may be made from raw milk.
• A related caution: FDA advises pregnant women to skip queso fresco-type cheeses, even when pasteurized, because of past contamination after processing.

Fever, muscle aches or stomach upset after eating a recalled cheese, especially in pregnancy, is a reason to call your clinician promptly. Our prenatal vitamins guide covers other pregnancy nutrition questions to raise with an OB-GYN.

Lactose and milk allergy

USDA SR Legacy gives no separate lactose value for feta, and its total carbohydrate is low at about 1 gram per ounce. NIDDK notes that lactose intolerance is not the same as milk allergy and suggests yogurt and hard cheeses as foods some people find easier to tolerate. Feta is a fresher, moister cheese than parmesan, so tolerance varies; our lactase guide covers enzyme products and how to read labels. Milk allergy is different: milk is one of the nine major food allergens under US law, and sheep’s and goat’s milk are still milk, so anyone with a milk allergy should ask an allergist before trying feta.

Ways to use feta

Feta’s strong flavor makes it a seasoning as much as a protein. Crumble it over tomatoes, cucumbers and olives with olive oil, bake it with vegetables, fold it into eggs, or whip it into a dip. It is a classic part of Greek cooking and fits the traditional eating pattern described in our Mediterranean diet guide, where cheese appears in modest amounts alongside vegetables, legumes and grains. For more protein ideas, see our protein food list. Keep feta in its brine in the refrigerator so it does not dry out.

Frequently Asked Questions

Questions about a label? Contact us or read our Buyer’s Guide. Food comes first; follow the label and ask a healthcare provider before starting a supplement, especially if you take medicines, are pregnant or have a food allergy. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Last reviewed October 2026.

Related guides: Parmesan: Nutrition, Lactose and Parmigiano Reggiano Rules, Mediterranean Diet: What It Is, Food List and What the Research Shows, Low Sodium Foods: USDA List, Foods High in Sodium and Label Terms.