Brie vs. Camembert — Health Impact and Nutrition Comparison

Introduction

In this article, you can find a detailed description of the differences between brie and camembert.

What's The Actual Difference?

Brie and camembert may look similar, be served in similar ways, and even be made from the same recipe, but subtle differences distinguish these two kinds of cheese. Both kinds of cheese are made from cow's milk and have soft, bloomy, edible rinds. They originated in northern France. Brie has a milder flavor with buttery, creamy notes, whereas camembert can have a more intense flavor with deeper earthy notes. Camembert and brie have similar textures, with camembert being denser and brie being runnier. Brie is frequently sold by the slice, a wedge of the giant wheel, whereas camembert is sold whole. The reason for this is because of size. A wheel of brie typically measures between 9 and 17 inches in diameter, whereas a camembert is only 5 inches across.

Nutrition

At the bottom of the page, you can find nutrition infographics that visually demonstrate the differences between these two foods.

Vitamins

The vitamin content of brie is richer than that of camembert.

Brie contains more Vitamin E, Vitamin D, Vitamin B1, Vitamin B12, and Vitamin K.

On the other hand, camembert contains more Vitamin B3, Vitamin B5, and Vitamin A.

Brie and camembert are equal in Vitamin B2, B6, and folate.

Vitamin Comparison

Vitamin comparison score is based on the number of vitamins by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" charts below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food.

Brie

5

Camembert

3

Contains more Vitamin EVitamin E	+14.3%
Contains more Vitamin DVitamin D	+25%
Contains more Vitamin B1Vitamin B1	+150%
Contains more Vitamin B12Vitamin B12	+26.9%
Contains more Vitamin KVitamin K	+15%

Contains more Vitamin AVitamin A	+38.5%
Contains more Vitamin B3Vitamin B3	+65.8%
Contains more Vitamin B5Vitamin B5	+97.7%

~equal in Vitamin C ~0mg

~equal in Vitamin B2 ~0.488mg

~equal in Vitamin B6 ~0.227mg

~equal in Folate ~62µg

~equal in Choline ~15.4mg

Minerals

Brie contains more iron and less sodium than camembert.

Camembert has more calcium, potassium, phosphorus, and copper than brie. Both have equal amounts of magnesium and zinc.

Important notes: both types of cheese are high in sodium, so it is better to consume them in moderation.

Mineral Comparison

Mineral comparison score is based on the number of minerals by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" charts below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food.

Brie

2

Camembert

5

Contains more IronIron	+51.5%
Contains less SodiumSodium	-25.3%

Contains more CalciumCalcium	+110.9%
Contains more PotassiumPotassium	+23%
Contains more CopperCopper	+10.5%
Contains more PhosphorusPhosphorus	+84.6%
Contains more ManganeseManganese	+11.8%

~equal in Magnesium ~20mg

~equal in Zinc ~2.38mg

~equal in Selenium ~14.5µg

Health Impact

Both types of cheese are high in riboflavin and Vitamin B12, essential for energy production. Its calcium content is essential for healthy bone growth, and its Vitamin A content promotes healthy skin and vision [1].

One study [2] shows that brie, camembert, and other ripened cheeses can slow the growth of leukemia cells.

Brie and camembert are high in fat; full-fat dairy consumption is linked to healthier body weight and does not appear to increase your risk of heart disease [3].

The Catholic University of Louvain in Belgium discovered that eating ripened cheese reduced blood sugar levels and fat tissue in obese/diabetic mice [4]. Besides, both cheese types have low glycemic indexes and tiny amounts of carbs, so their consumption will not raise blood glucose levels.

However, more human research is needed.

Side Effects

Camembert contains more sodium than brie. It contains 8% of the daily recommended sodium, which adds up quickly when combined with other salty foods. In salt-sensitive people, too much sodium can cause high blood pressure [5].

References

1. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25824066/
2. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20338416/
3. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27483308/
4. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22300436/
5. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33322108/