Cheese vs. Milk — Health Impact and Nutrition Comparison

Processing of milk into cheese

To make cheese, milk should undergo a process. First, we should heat the milk and we should add acids. This will cause the proteins to solidify and transform the milk into curds.

The curds are mainly composed of casein, proteins in milk. These cards are collected, salted, and dried, forming cheese. The processing may take long durations; thus, aged cheese is classified in that category.

History

Processing and consumption of cheese and milk date back to 7000-6000 years ago. All cultures around the world consume cheese and milk.

Culinary world

Cheese is considered one of the most used elements in the culinary world and can be used for savory and sweet foods. Milk is considered one of the base elements that are required for cooking. It is also the primary source of all dairy derivatives.

Calories

Cheese is higher in calories compared to milk. Cheese has 404 calories per 100g, while milk has 42 calories per 100g.

Carbs

Cheese contains 3.09g of carbs; on the other hand, milk contains 4.99g of carbs. The amounts of carbs are low in both, as they make up to 2% of the daily required values.

Lactose

Milk contains higher amounts of lactose compared to cheddar cheese. Milk comprises 4.99g of lactose, most of its carbohydrate content.

Proteins

Cheese is obtained after processing (curdling) milk and solidifying its protein, meaning cheese has a higher protein content than milk. Cheese contains 23g of protein, while milk contains 3g. The protein amount is approximately 7.6x higher in cheese compared to milk.

Fats

Cheese also has higher amounts of fat compared to milk.

Cheese contains 33g of fats, which makes up 51% of the daily recommended value, subdivided into 19g of saturated fats, constituting 95% of the daily recommended value.

The fat in milk is negligible, as it has 1g of fat per 100g.

For cholesterol, cheese contains 99mg of cholesterol which makes 33% of the daily recommended value. In comparison, milk contains 5mg of cholesterol, considered negligible.

Glycemic index

Both cheese and milk are categorized as low glycemic index foods, although they differ. The glycemic index of cheese is 27, while the glycemic index of milk is 38.

Vitamins

Cheese is richer in Vitamins B2, B12, and A than milk. Cheese is also considered a good source of vitamins A and B2.

Milk is richer in vitamin D compared to cheese. However, this amount is not very high compared to other foods.

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.

Cheese

9

Milk

2

Contains more Vitamin AVitamin A	+533.7%
Contains more Vitamin EVitamin E	+7000%
Contains more Vitamin B1Vitamin B1	+45%
Contains more Vitamin B2Vitamin B2	+131.4%
Contains more Vitamin B5Vitamin B5	+13.6%
Contains more Vitamin B6Vitamin B6	+78.4%
Contains more Vitamin B12Vitamin B12	+134%
Contains more Vitamin KVitamin K	+2300%
Contains more FolateFolate	+440%

Contains more Vitamin DVitamin D	+100%
Contains more Vitamin B3Vitamin B3	+57.6%

~equal in Vitamin C ~0mg

~equal in Choline ~17.7mg

Minerals

Like the vitamin content, cheese is richer in calcium, phosphorus, sodium, zinc, selenium, and magnesium.

Due to its high sodium content, we should monitor cheese consumption for patients with hypertension and kidney impairment.

Calcium

Cheese is considered in the top 5% of foods rich in calcium and satisfies 71% of the required daily value. However, milk has less calcium than cheese since it only satisfies 12% of the required daily value.

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.

Cheese

8

Milk

2

Contains more MagnesiumMagnesium	+145.5%
Contains more CalciumCalcium	+468%
Contains more IronIron	+366.7%
Contains more CopperCopper	+200%
Contains more ZincZinc	+766.7%
Contains more PhosphorusPhosphorus	+378.9%
Contains more ManganeseManganese	+800%
Contains more SeleniumSelenium	+763.6%

Contains more PotassiumPotassium	+97.4%
Contains less SodiumSodium	-93.3%

Vegan

Cheese and milk are excluded from vegan diets because they are dairy products.

Keto

In the keto diet, we can consume milk in minimal amounts. Whole milk is recommended to be used due to its higher fat content. However, 1 cup of whole milk contains 50% of the carbohydrate amount allowed to be consumed while on a keto diet.

On the other hand, cheese is a keto-friendly food that we can consume due to its low-carb, high-fat composition.

Dairy-free

Section reviewed by gastroenterologist Arpi Gasparyan

Lactose-intolerant people cannot digest lactose which is present in both cheese and milk. Although with scientific advancements, this obstacle is somehow resolved by giving pills that contain lactase enzymes that digest lactose. However, this doesn't help all lactose-intolerant individuals, and they should follow a dairy-free diet. (1)

People with milk allergies should also follow a dairy-free diet and may substitute milk with milk alternatives.

Weight loss

Consuming milk is the perfect choice for weight loss as it is low in calories. However, one should not cut out cheese consumption completely, even on a weight loss diet, because of all the essential nutrients, like vitamins and minerals, specifically calcium. Consumption in low to moderate amounts is vital so that malnourishment doesn't occur.

Health benefits

Cardiovascular health

Section reviewed by cardiologist Astghik Grigoryan

Consumption of dairy products, in moderation, which is rich in calcium and phosphorus, in this case, cheese, has beneficial effects on decreasing hypertension in patients with high blood pressure (2,3).

It should be noted that people taking MAO inhibitors (particularly antidepressants, for example, Phenelzine) may experience a hypertensive crisis when eating dairy products that contain tyramine (4).

Downsides & Risks

Cardiovascular health

Section reviewed by cardiologist Astghik Grigoryan

Consumption in moderate amounts has shown that milk and cheese consumption can neutral or positively affect cardiovascular health.

Although, overconsumption of cheese that contains higher amounts of fats and sodium might negatively affect cardiovascular health and hypertension.

Intolerance and allergies

Section reviewed by gastroenterologist Arpi Gasparyan

As previously mentioned, milk contains more lactose than cheese, which makes it harder to digest for lactose-intolerant people, causing bloating, flatulence, diarrhea, and abdominal cramps.

Individuals with a milk allergy may have hives, wheezing, itching, vomiting, or mainly digestive symptoms, such as diarrhea, cramps, and bloody stools.

References

1. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27706451/
2. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26786887/
3. Relations between dairy product intake and blood pressure
4. https://europepmc.org/article/med/3283290
5. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23945722/
6. https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/76/1/274S/4689498
7. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22081693/
8. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6352799/