Cheese, low fat, cheddar or colby
Cheese, low fat, cheddar or colby is a dairy/egg product at 173 calories per 100g. It is an excellent source of Sodium, Phosphorus and Calcium, providing 95%, 62% and 59% of the Daily Value respectively. This dairy/egg product is high in protein. Dairy products and eggs provide high-quality protein, calcium, and essential vitamins. They are significant dietary sources of vitamin B12, riboflavin, and phosphorus. Our database tracks 91 nutrients for this food, plus insulin index, environmental footprint data.
Top Nutrients
Data for 91 of 150 tracked nutrients
Nutrient Fingerprint
How this food scores across key nutrient categories, as a percentage of the daily recommended value per 100 g. Based on USDA DRIs for adults.
Complete Nutrient Profile
Macronutrients 10
| Nutrient | Per 100g | Unit | Per Serving | % DV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water AFCD | 48.4 | g | — | 1% |
| Calories SR | 173 | kcal | — | — |
| Energy (kJ) SR | 724 | kj | — | — |
| Protein SR | 24.4 | g | — | 44% |
| Total Fat SR | 7.0 | g | — | — |
| Carbohydrate AFCD | 1.9 | g | — | 2% |
| Fiber AFCD | 0 | g | — | — |
| Total Sugars SR | 0.52 | g | — | — |
| Starch AFCD | 0.40 | g | — | — |
| Ash AFCD | 5.9 | g | — | — |
Minerals 11
| Nutrient | Per 100g | Unit | Per Serving | % DV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calcium AFCD | 588 | mg | — | 59% |
| Iron AFCD | 0.21 | mg | — | 3% |
| Magnesium AFCD | 26.0 | mg | — | 6% |
| Phosphorus AFCD | 436 | mg | — | 62% |
| Potassium AFCD | 125 | mg | — | 4% |
| Sodium AFCD | 1,420 | mg | — | 95% |
| Zinc AFCD | 2.9 | mg | — | 26% |
| Copper AFCD | 0.02 | mg | — | 3% |
| Manganese AFCD | 0.03 | mg | — | 1% |
| Selenium AFCD | 8.4 | µg | — | 15% |
| Fluoride AFCD | 0 | µg | — | — |
Vitamins 30
| Nutrient | Per 100g | Unit | Per Serving | % DV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vitamin A (RAE) AFCD | 358 | µg | — | 40% |
| Vitamin A (IU) SR | 60.0 | IU | — | — |
| Retinol AFCD | 310 | µg | — | — |
| Beta-Carotene AFCD | 290 | µg | — | — |
| Alpha-Carotene AFCD | 0 | µg | — | — |
| Beta-Cryptoxanthin AFCD | 0 | µg | — | — |
| Lycopene SR | 0 | µg | — | — |
| Lutein + Zeaxanthin SR | 0 | µg | — | — |
| Vitamin C AFCD | 0 | mg | — | — |
| Vitamin D SR | 0.10 | µg | — | 1% |
| Vitamin D (IU) AFCD | 0.59 | IU | — | — |
| Vitamin D2 AFCD | 0.05 | µg | — | — |
| Vitamin D3 AFCD | 0.17 | µg | — | — |
| Vitamin E AFCD | 0.60 | mg | — | 4% |
| Beta-Tocopherol AFCD | 0 | mg | — | — |
| Gamma-Tocopherol AFCD | 0 | mg | — | — |
| Delta-Tocopherol AFCD | 0 | mg | — | — |
| Vitamin K1 SR | 0.60 | µg | — | 0% |
| Thiamin (B1) AFCD | 0.05 | mg | — | 4% |
| Riboflavin (B2) AFCD | 0.30 | mg | — | 23% |
| Niacin (B3) AFCD | 0 | mg | — | — |
| Pantothenic Acid (B5) AFCD | 0.21 | mg | — | 4% |
| Vitamin B6 AFCD | 0 | mg | — | — |
| Biotin (B7) AFCD | 2.8 | µg | — | 9% |
| Folate AFCD | 0 | µg | — | — |
| Folic Acid SR | 0 | µg | — | — |
| Folate (food) AFCD | 0 | µg | — | — |
| Folate (DFE) AFCD | 0 | µg | — | — |
| Vitamin B12 AFCD | 1.0 | µg | — | 42% |
| Choline SR | 15.4 | mg | — | 3% |
Fatty Acids 9
| Nutrient | Per 100g | Unit | Per Serving | % DV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturated Fat AFCD | 16.0 | g | — | — |
| Monounsaturated Fat AFCD | 5.5 | g | — | — |
| Polyunsaturated Fat AFCD | 0.62 | g | — | — |
| Trans Fat AFCD | 0.05 | g | — | — |
| Cholesterol AFCD | 68.0 | mg | — | — |
| Omega-3 ALA AFCD | 0.19 | g | — | 12% |
| Omega-3 EPA AFCD | 0.006 | g | — | — |
| Omega-3 DPA AFCD | 0.02 | g | — | — |
| Omega-3 DHA AFCD | 0 | g | — | — |
Individual Fatty Acids 10
| Nutrient | Per 100g | Unit | Per Serving | % DV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Butyric Acid (4:0) SR | 0.22 | g | — | — |
| Caproic Acid (6:0) SR | 0.06 | g | — | — |
| Caprylic Acid (8:0) AFCD | 2.5 | g | — | — |
| Capric Acid (10:0) AFCD | 6.8 | g | — | — |
| Lauric Acid (12:0) AFCD | 2.4 | g | — | — |
| Myristic Acid (14:0) AFCD | 0.42 | g | — | — |
| Palmitic Acid (16:0) SR | 2.0 | g | — | — |
| Stearic Acid (18:0) SR | 0.87 | g | — | — |
| Linoleic Acid (18:2) AFCD | 0.40 | g | — | 2% |
| Linolenic Acid (18:3) SR | 0.07 | g | — | — |
Amino Acids 18
| Nutrient | Per 100g | Unit | Per Serving | % DV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tryptophan AFCD | 0.21 | g | — | — |
| Threonine SR | 0.80 | g | — | — |
| Isoleucine SR | 1.4 | g | — | — |
| Leucine SR | 2.1 | g | — | — |
| Lysine SR | 1.9 | g | — | — |
| Methionine SR | 0.59 | g | — | — |
| Cystine SR | 0.11 | g | — | — |
| Phenylalanine SR | 1.2 | g | — | — |
| Tyrosine SR | 1.1 | g | — | — |
| Valine SR | 1.5 | g | — | — |
| Arginine SR | 0.85 | g | — | — |
| Histidine SR | 0.79 | g | — | — |
| Alanine SR | 0.63 | g | — | — |
| Aspartic Acid SR | 1.4 | g | — | — |
| Glutamic Acid SR | 5.5 | g | — | — |
| Glycine SR | 0.39 | g | — | — |
| Proline SR | 2.5 | g | — | — |
| Serine SR | 1.3 | g | — | — |
Nutrient Density Score
The NRF9.3 score measures overall nutritional quality per 100 kcal. It rewards 9 nutrients to encourage (protein, fiber, vitamins A, C, E, calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium) and penalizes 3 to limit (saturated fat, added sugars, sodium). Higher is better; negative scores indicate the food is high in limit nutrients relative to its beneficial content.
NRF9.3 index: Fulgoni et al. (2009), J Nutr 139(8). DVs based on FDA 2020 reference values.
Nutrient Interactions in This Food
Nutrients in this food that enhance or compete with each other during absorption.
✔ Synergies — nutrients that help each other
Vitamin A is fat-soluble and requires dietary fat for absorption. Adding fat to a meal significantly increases beta-carotene and retinol absorption.
Ribaya-Mercado et al., Am J Clin Nutr, 2007
Moderate protein intake enhances calcium absorption and supports bone health. The acid-ash hypothesis suggesting protein harms bones has been largely disproven.
Kerstetter et al., J Clin Endocrinol Metab, 2005
⚠ Antagonisms — nutrients that compete
Very high calcium intake can reduce magnesium absorption by competing for shared intestinal transport pathways. A calcium:magnesium ratio above 2.6:1 may impair magnesium status.
Rosanoff et al., Nutr Rev, 2012
High calcium intake may modestly reduce zinc absorption, though the effect is smaller than calcium's impact on iron. Phytate amplifies this interaction.
Wood & Zheng, Am J Clin Nutr, 1997
Amino Acid Profile
Essential amino acid composition compared to the WHO/FAO adult reference pattern. The Amino Acid Score indicates protein quality — 100 means all essential amino acid requirements are met.
✓ Complete protein — all essential amino acids meet or exceed WHO reference levels.
All Amino Acids (18)
| Amino Acid | g / 100g | mg / g protein |
|---|---|---|
| Tryptophan | 0.21 | 8.5 |
| Threonine | 0.80 | 32.8 |
| Isoleucine | 1.4 | 57.0 |
| Leucine | 2.1 | 88.1 |
| Lysine | 1.9 | 76.6 |
| Methionine | 0.59 | 24.1 |
| Cystine | 0.11 | 4.6 |
| Phenylalanine | 1.2 | 48.4 |
| Tyrosine | 1.1 | 44.4 |
| Valine | 1.5 | 61.4 |
| Arginine | 0.85 | 34.8 |
| Histidine | 0.79 | 32.3 |
| Alanine | 0.63 | 26.0 |
| Aspartic Acid | 1.4 | 59.1 |
| Glutamic Acid | 5.5 | 225.1 |
| Glycine | 0.39 | 15.8 |
| Proline | 2.5 | 103.7 |
| Serine | 1.3 | 53.8 |
Fatty Acid Profile
Breakdown of fat types per 100g. A healthy fat profile favours unsaturated fats (mono + poly) and a balanced omega-3 to omega-6 ratio.
How Cooking Changes Nutrients
Estimated percentage of each nutrient retained after cooking, based on USDA retention factors for the “Cheese” food category. Values of 100% mean no loss; lower values indicate nutrients lost to heat, water, or oxidation.
Source: USDA Table of Nutrient Retention Factors, Release 6 (2007). Retention values are category-level averages — actual retention depends on cooking time, temperature, and water volume.
Insulin Response
The Insulin Index (II) measures the actual insulin response to food on a scale where white bread = 100. Unlike the Glycemic Index (which only measures blood sugar), the II captures the full hormonal response — including the effect of protein and fat on insulin secretion. This is why high-protein foods like meat and dairy can have significant insulin scores despite having low or zero GI values.
Source: Holt et al. 1997; Bao et al. 2016; Bell 2014
Environmental Impact
Environmental footprint per kilogram of food produced. Data represents the global average for the “Cheese” category.
- Global averages: These figures are production-weighted averages from a meta-analysis of ~38,700 farms across 119 countries (Poore & Nemecek, 2018). Actual impact varies enormously by farming method, geography, and supply chain.
- System boundary: Cradle-to-retail only — does not include consumer transport, home cooking energy, or food waste.
- Soil carbon not included: This data does not account for soil carbon sequestration. Some argue that well-managed regenerative grazing partially offsets ruminant emissions; however, full lifecycle accounting — including methane, land-use change, and the opportunity cost of using land for grazing vs. reforestation — typically makes the net footprint of ruminant meat higher, not lower. This is especially relevant in temperate grassland regions like Ireland.
- Not gospel: This data is informational and illustrative. It is useful for understanding relative magnitudes, but should not be treated as precise measurements for any individual product or farm.
Source: Poore & Nemecek (2018), Science 360(6392). Meta-analysis of ~38,700 farms, 119 countries, 46 product categories.
Global Supply: Milk
Top 10 countries by per capita supply of the “Milk” food group (kcal/capita/day, 2023). This is food group–level data from FAO Food Balance Sheets, not specific to this individual food.
Global Supply Trend (1961–2023)
+25%Source: FAO Food Balance Sheets (2023). Supply = production + imports − exports − waste, converted to kcal/capita/day.
Related Foods in Dairy and Egg Products
Frequently Asked Questions
How many calories are in Cheese, low fat, cheddar or colby?
Cheese, low fat, cheddar or colby contains 173 kcal per 100 grams, making it a moderate-calorie food. The energy comes from 24.4g of protein (56% of calories), 7.0g of fat (36%), and 1.9g of carbohydrates (4%). Protein is the primary energy source.
What is Cheese, low fat, cheddar or colby most nutritious for?
The standout nutrient in Cheese, low fat, cheddar or colby is Sodium, providing 1,420 mg per 100g (95% of the Daily Value). It is also a notable source of Phosphorus (62% DV). Our database tracks 91 individual nutrients for this food, allowing detailed comparison across vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and fatty acids.
Is Cheese, low fat, cheddar or colby high in protein?
With 24.4g per 100 grams, Cheese, low fat, cheddar or colby is a high-protein food. Protein accounts for 56% of its total calories, making it suitable for diets focused on protein intake.
How much fiber is in Cheese, low fat, cheddar or colby?
Cheese, low fat, cheddar or colby contains no dietary fiber. This is typical for animal-derived food. Pair with plant-based foods to ensure adequate fiber intake.
What is the insulin index of Cheese, low fat, cheddar or colby?
Cheese, low fat, cheddar or colby has a moderate insulin response (II: 45) (clinically measured) on the insulin index scale (white bread = 100). This is a typical insulin response for most mixed foods. Note that the insulin index can differ substantially from the glycemic index — dairy products and high-protein foods often have higher insulin responses than their GI would suggest.