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Cotija cheese vs. Feta — Health Impact and Nutrition Comparison

Article author photo Jack  Yacoubian by Jack Yacoubian | Last updated on June 21, 2023
Medically reviewed by Astghik Grigoryan Article author photo Astghik Grigoryan
Cotija cheese
vs
Feta

Summary

Cotija cheese is a Mexican cheese that is derived from cow’s milk. Cotija is higher in calories, total fats, saturated fats, and sodium but richer in proteins and monounsaturated fats, zinc, phosphorus, copper, and vitamin B12. In comparison, feta cheese is richer in vitamins  B1, B2, B5, and B6. 

Introduction

Cotija cheese is originally from Mexico. It is prepared from cow’s milk and has versatile usage in Mexican cuisine as a topping for different types of foods such as tacos and salads. 
Cotija cheese is a white cheese that resembles feta. However, it is quite different. 


Cotija cheese is a white crumbling cheese with a stronger flavor and a more solid and crumbly texture than feta cheese. 

Feta cheese, on the other hand, is originally from Greece. The main difference is that it is made from sheep’s milk, something sheep’s milk and goat’s milk mixed.
 

Feta is put in brine, which makes it moister and less crumbly. Comparatively, it has a creamier texture; however, still considered a crumbly cheese. 

Feta cheese has a variety of usages in the Greek and Mediterranean culinary world. It is used in salads and sandwiches. Recently, feta cheese pasta has been a trending dish on social media. 

This article will compare cotija and feta cheese according to their nutritional content and health impacts. 

Nutritional content comparison

In this section, we will compare 100g of each. 

Calories

Cotija cheese is higher in calories compared to feta. Cotija contains 1.4 times more calories than feta cheese. 366 calories for cotija cheese and 264 calories.

Protein

Cotija cheese is a richer source of protein compared to feta cheese. It is a good protein source, containing 20g per 100g. In comparison, feta cheese contains 14g of protein per 100g. The difference is very remarkable. 

Fats

Cotija is higher in fats. It contains 1.5 times more fats compared to feta. There are 30g of fats in cotija cheese compared to feta cheese which contains 21g. 

Cotija cheese is higher in saturated fats and monounsaturated fats. 

Below we can see their distributions.

@fattypecoverage

Carbs

They are low in carbs and have similar amounts of carbs.

Macronutrient Comparison

Macronutrient breakdown side-by-side comparison
20% 30% 4% 38% 8%
Protein: 20 g
Fats: 30 g
Carbs: 3.97 g
Water: 38 g
Other: 8.03 g
Feta
2
14% 21% 4% 55% 5%
Protein: 14.21 g
Fats: 21.28 g
Carbs: 4.09 g
Water: 55.22 g
Other: 5.2 g
Contains more ProteinProtein +40.7%
Contains more FatsFats +41%
Contains more OtherOther +54.4%
Contains more WaterWater +45.3%
~equal in Carbs ~4.09g
 

Minerals

Cotija cheese is richer in calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, copper, and selenium. In addition, it contains more sodium than feta. Feta is richer in iron compared to cotija cheese.

Here is the diagram of their mineral distributions

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.
Magnesium Magnesium Calcium Calcium Potassium Potassium Iron Iron Copper Copper Zinc Zinc Phosphorus Phosphorus Sodium Sodium Manganese Manganese Selenium Selenium 27% 240% 11% 0% 79% 106% 312% 183% 0% 97%
Feta
3
Magnesium Magnesium Calcium Calcium Potassium Potassium Iron Iron Copper Copper Zinc Zinc Phosphorus Phosphorus Sodium Sodium Manganese Manganese Selenium Selenium 14% 148% 5.5% 24% 11% 79% 144% 120% 3.7% 82%
Contains more MagnesiumMagnesium +100%
Contains more CalciumCalcium +62.3%
Contains more PotassiumPotassium +101.6%
Contains more CopperCopper +643.8%
Contains more ZincZinc +34.4%
Contains more PhosphorusPhosphorus +116.3%
Contains more SeleniumSelenium +18%
Contains more IronIron +∞%
Contains less SodiumSodium -34.5%

Vitamins 

Both of these products are good sources of vitamins B2 and B12. In addition, Cotija cheese is richer in vitamin A. In comparison, feta cheese is richer in B1, B5, and B6. 

Here is the diagram of their vitamin distributions

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.
Vitamin C Vit. C Vitamin A Vit. A Vitamin E Vit. E Vitamin D Vit. D Vitamin B1 Vit. B1 Vitamin B2 Vit. B2 Vitamin B3 Vit. B3 Vitamin B5 Vit. B5 Vitamin B6 Vit. B6 Vitamin B12 Vit. B12 Vitamin K Vit. K Folate Folate Choline Choline 0% 52% 5% 15% 7.3% 112% 2.1% 0% 11% 283% 4.8% 7.5% 8.4%
Feta
6
Vitamin C Vit. C Vitamin A Vit. A Vitamin E Vit. E Vitamin D Vit. D Vitamin B1 Vit. B1 Vitamin B2 Vit. B2 Vitamin B3 Vit. B3 Vitamin B5 Vit. B5 Vitamin B6 Vit. B6 Vitamin B12 Vit. B12 Vitamin K Vit. K Folate Folate Choline Choline 0% 25% 3.6% 12% 39% 195% 19% 58% 98% 211% 4.5% 24% 8.4%
Contains more Vitamin AVitamin A +105%
Contains more Vitamin E Vitamin E +38.9%
Contains more Vitamin DVitamin D +25%
Contains more Vitamin B12Vitamin B12 +33.7%
Contains more Vitamin B1Vitamin B1 +431%
Contains more Vitamin B2Vitamin B2 +73.7%
Contains more Vitamin B3Vitamin B3 +769.3%
Contains more Vitamin B6Vitamin B6 +765.3%
Contains more FolateFolate +220%
~equal in Vitamin C ~0mg
~equal in Vitamin K ~1.8µg
~equal in Choline ~15.4mg

Health impacts

Health benefits of vitamins

As mentioned above, cotija cheese is a good source of vitamins B2, B12, and vitamin A, while feta cheese is rich in vitamins B1, B2, B5, and B6, B12. It may be possible to prevent deficiency of these vitamins by moderately consuming cotija cheese and feta.

Symptoms of cyanocobalamin (vitamin B12) deficiency include megaloblastic anemia and progressive peripheral neuropathy (which frequently results in pain, numbness, and weakness, typically in the hands and feet; additionally, it may have an impact on many bodily processes like digestion, urine, and circulation).

Vitamin A is important for normal vision. However, it should be noted that if vitamin A is continuously ingested at a level greater than 15 mcg (The Recommended Dietary Allowance), toxicity develops; symptoms include excessive sweating, brittle nails, diarrhea, hypercalcemia, hepatotoxicity, vertigo, nausea, and vomiting.

Alcoholism is the most common cause of thiamine (vitamin B1) deficiency. Beri-beri (peripheral neuropathy, which can cause prickling or tingling in your hands or feet), confabulation (a patient creates false memories without intending to deceive), and psychosis can all be brought on by vitamin B1 deficiency.

The symptoms of riboflavin (vitamin B2) deficiency include cheilosis, stomatitis, and a magenta-colored tongue. This condition may result in corneal neovascularization, which is harmful for vision. In the USA, riboflavin deficiency is incredibly uncommon. The majority of riboflavin-deficient cases occur in poor nations in Asia and Africa. The three groups most likely to experience riboflavin insufficiency are older people, drinkers, and women who use birth control pills (1).

Isoniazid medication, a medicine used to treat tuberculosis, is the most frequent cause of pyridoxine (vitamin B6) deficiency. Sideroblastic anemia, convulsions, cheilosis, and stomatitis are signs of vitamin B6 insufficiency.

Cardiovascular health

Section reviewed by cardiologist Astghik Grigoryan Article author photo Astghik Grigoryan

It is essential to mention that both cotija and feta cheese are high in sodium; however, cotija is significantly higher. Consumption of high amounts of sodium is associated with increased risks of cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension. 

In addition, cotija cheese is higher in saturated fats, which poses a higher risk increase in atherosclerosis rates. Compared to feta cheese, cotija cheese has increased hypertension and atherosclerosis risks (2.3).

ACE protein raises blood pressure by various mechanisms. It should be noted, Cotija and Feta contain some peptides that inhibit ACE (angiotensin-converting enzyme). The biopeptides found in cheese cause a decrease in both systolic and diastolic pressure by inhibiting the action of the ACE. ACE-inhibitor medications (Captopril, Lisinopril, etc.) also activate a similar mechanism (4.5). 

People taking MAO inhibitors (particularly antidepressants) may experience a hypertensive crisis when eating cheeses (including these cheeses) that contain tyramine (6).

Bone health

Consuming these foods may help maintain normal levels of calcium in the body.

1–2% of the weight of an adult human is calcium. The teeth and bones contain more than 99% of the calcium in the body. So, in addition to its obvious structural function, the skeleton also acts as a calcium store. Dietary calcium consumption significantly affects bone metabolism and bone health. One of the main reasons for decreased bone mass and osteoporosis is chronic calcium insufficiency brought on by insufficient ingestion or poor intestinal absorption (7).

During menopause, estrogen levels are significantly reduced, which accelerates bone loss since estrogen slows the natural breakdown of bones. Based on this, during this period it is very important to control the concentrations of calcium, and phosphorus in the body to prevent osteomalacia and osteoporosis (8).

In addition, your body absorbs calcium through vitamin D. However, vitamin D overdose may activate osteoclasts (a type of bone cell that destroys bone tissue), so if you have vitamin D deficiency, you must give an analysis for the regulation of its concentration and for preventing vitamin D overdose.

Digestive Health

Milk and dairy products like cheese (including cotija and feta) contain the natural sugar lactose. Lactose cannot be adequately digested in the small intestine by people who are lactose intolerant. Instead, it enters the colon (large intestine) undigested, resulting in the following typical symptoms: stomach distension, cramps, or pain; noisy bowel movements; excessive gas; diarrhea with rapid or watery bowel movements; and an unexpected urge to urinate.

The optimal treatment for lactose intolerance combines dietary changes to avoid foods containing lactose and supplementation to help with lactose digestion when eating foods containing lactose (9). 

Diabetes mellitus

According to this meta-analysis, there is a significant inverse relationship between dairy products, low-fat dairy products, cheese consumption, and the risk of type 2 diabetes (10).

Cancer

According to this study, among European Union countries, Greece has the lowest percentage of breast cancer mortality and the highest cheese consumption. This is the first evidence that cheese eating can help prevent breast cancer (11). This information is unknown for cotija cheese.

According to research, postmenopausal breast cancer risk might be reduced by consuming dairy products (12).

Article author photo Jack  Yacoubian
Education: Haigazian Medical University
Last updated: June 21, 2023
Medically reviewed by Astghik Grigoryan

Infographic

Cotija cheese vs Feta infographic
Infographic link

Fat Type Comparison

Fat type breakdown side-by-side comparison
65% 31% 4%
Saturated Fat: Sat. Fat 17.5 g
Monounsaturated Fat: Mono. Fat 8.333 g
Polyunsaturated fat: Poly. Fat 1.187 g
Feta
1
74% 23% 3%
Saturated Fat: Sat. Fat 14.946 g
Monounsaturated Fat: Mono. Fat 4.623 g
Polyunsaturated fat: Poly. Fat 0.591 g
Contains more Mono. FatMonounsaturated Fat +80.3%
Contains more Poly. FatPolyunsaturated fat +100.8%
Contains less Sat. FatSaturated Fat -14.6%

Comparison summary table

Pay attention to the rightmost column. It displays the amounts side by side, giving a clearer understanding of the difference.
Cotija cheese Feta
Lower in Cholesterol ok
Lower in Sodium ok
Lower in Saturated Fat ok
Lower in Sugar ok
Lower in Glycemic Index ok
Lower in price ok
Rich in minerals ok
Rich in vitamins Equal

All nutrients comparison - raw data values

Nutrient Cotija cheese Feta Opinion
Calories 366kcal 264kcal Cotija cheese
Protein 20g 14.21g Cotija cheese
Fats 30g 21.28g Cotija cheese
Net carbs 3.97g 4.09g Feta
Carbs 3.97g 4.09g Feta
Cholesterol 100mg 89mg Feta
Vitamin D 21IU 16IU Cotija cheese
Magnesium 38mg 19mg Cotija cheese
Calcium 800mg 493mg Cotija cheese
Potassium 125mg 62mg Cotija cheese
Iron 0mg 0.65mg Feta
Sugar 0g 4.09g Cotija cheese
Copper 0.238mg 0.032mg Cotija cheese
Zinc 3.87mg 2.88mg Cotija cheese
Phosphorus 729mg 337mg Cotija cheese
Sodium 1400mg 917mg Feta
Vitamin A 865IU 422IU Cotija cheese
Vitamin A RAE 229µg 125µg Cotija cheese
Vitamin E 0.25mg 0.18mg Cotija cheese
Vitamin D 0.5µg 0.4µg Cotija cheese
Manganese 0.028mg Feta
Selenium 17.7µg 15µg Cotija cheese
Vitamin B1 0.029mg 0.154mg Feta
Vitamin B2 0.486mg 0.844mg Feta
Vitamin B3 0.114mg 0.991mg Feta
Vitamin B5 0.967mg Feta
Vitamin B6 0.049mg 0.424mg Feta
Vitamin B12 2.26µg 1.69µg Cotija cheese
Vitamin K 1.9µg 1.8µg Cotija cheese
Folate 10µg 32µg Feta
Choline 15.4mg 15.4mg
Saturated Fat 17.5g 14.946g Feta
Monounsaturated Fat 8.333g 4.623g Cotija cheese
Polyunsaturated fat 1.187g 0.591g Cotija cheese
Tryptophan 0.2mg Feta
Threonine 0.637mg Feta
Isoleucine 0.803mg Feta
Leucine 1.395mg Feta
Lysine 1.219mg Feta
Methionine 0.368mg Feta
Phenylalanine 0.675mg Feta
Valine 1.065mg Feta
Histidine 0.397mg Feta

Which food is preferable for your diet?

ok
ok
is better in case of low diet
Cotija cheese Feta
Low Calories diet ok
Low Fats diet ok
Low Carbs diet ok
Low Glycemic Index diet ok

People also compare

Vitamins & Minerals Daily Need Coverage Score

The summary scores indicate the extent to which this food can fulfill your daily vitamin and mineral requirements if you consume 3 servings, consisting of 100 grams of each (an approximation of 3 serving sizes).
Vitamins Daily Need Coverage Score
39%
Cotija cheese
54%
Feta
Minerals Daily Need Coverage Score
105%
Cotija cheese
63%
Feta

Comparison summary

Which food is lower in Cholesterol?
Feta
Feta is lower in Cholesterol (difference - 11mg)
Which food contains less Sodium?
Feta
Feta contains less Sodium (difference - 483mg)
Which food is lower in Saturated Fat?
Feta
Feta is lower in Saturated Fat (difference - 2.554g)
Which food is lower in Sugar?
Cotija cheese
Cotija cheese is lower in Sugar (difference - 4.09g)
Which food is lower in glycemic index?
Cotija cheese
Cotija cheese is lower in glycemic index (difference - 27)
Which food is cheaper?
Cotija cheese
Cotija cheese is cheaper (difference - $2.5)
Which food is richer in minerals?
Cotija cheese
Cotija cheese is relatively richer in minerals
Which food is richer in vitamins?
?
It cannot be stated which food is richer in vitamins. See the charts below for detailed information. See the charts below for detailed information. See the charts below for detailed information.

References

All the values for which the sources are not specified explicitly are taken from FDA’s Food Central. The exact link to the food presented on this page can be found below.

  1. Cotija cheese - https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/170898/nutrients
  2. Feta - https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/173420/nutrients

All the Daily Values are presented for males aged 31-50, for 2000-calorie diets.

Data provided by FoodStruct.com should be considered and used as information only. Please consult your physician before beginning any diet.