Feta vs. Mozzarella — Health Impact and Nutrition Comparison

Calories

Feta and mozzarella contain similar amounts of calories. They are classified as moderate caloric foods.

Glycemic index

Feta and mozzarella have equal glycemic indices.

Carbs

They are both classified as low-carb foods. The difference between them is negligible.

Fats

Feta contains higher amounts of fat compared to mozzarella.

Proteins

Mozzarella contains almost double the amount of proteins compared to feta. The amount of proteins is very significant.

Minerals

Feta is high in minerals such as zinc, phosphorus, and calcium.

Sodium

Feta is high in sodium, whereas mozzarella contains negligible amounts.

In the diagrams below, we can see the distribution of minerals in both foods.

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.

Feta

3

Mozzarella

5

Contains more IronIron	+160%
Contains more CopperCopper	+18.5%
Contains more ManganeseManganese	+∞%

Contains more MagnesiumMagnesium	+36.8%
Contains more CalciumCalcium	+48.3%
Contains more PotassiumPotassium	+53.2%
Contains more PhosphorusPhosphorus	+55.5%
Contains less SodiumSodium	-98.3%

~equal in Zinc ~3.13mg

~equal in Selenium ~15.7µg

Vitamins

Feta has a richer vitamin profile, it is richer in B2, B5, B6, and B12. Whereas, mozzarella is richer in vitamin A.

In the diagrams below, we can see the distribution of vitamins in both 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.

Feta

9

Mozzarella

2

Contains more Vitamin EVitamin E	+20%
Contains more Vitamin DVitamin D	+33.3%
Contains more Vitamin B1Vitamin B1	+670%
Contains more Vitamin B2Vitamin B2	+148.2%
Contains more Vitamin B3Vitamin B3	+725.8%
Contains more Vitamin B5Vitamin B5	+∞%
Contains more Vitamin B6Vitamin B6	+430%
Contains more Vitamin B12Vitamin B12	+83.7%
Contains more FolateFolate	+255.6%

Contains more Vitamin AVitamin A	+22.5%
Contains more CholineCholine	+19.5%

~equal in Vitamin C ~0mg

~equal in Vitamin K ~1.8µg

Feta cheese health impacts

Feta cheese has both positive and negative health impacts.

It is a rich source of calcium and phosphorus, which promotes overall bone health and reduces osteoporosis damage to bones. (1)

Feta cheese contains lactobacillus bacteria which improves overall gut microflora and helps with digestion. (2)

Feta cheese contains healthy fats such as conjugated linoleic acids with anticarcinogenic and anti-diabetic properties. (3) (4)
Calcium-rich foods such as feta decrease the risk of colorectal cancer. (5)

It is also important to mention some bad health impacts that feta cheese might have.

Feta cheese contains lactose, which may lead to digestive symptoms such as abdominal cramps, diarrhea, bloating, and flatulence in people with lactose intolerance. The sodium content of feta is linked with an increased risk of hypotension development.

There is an increased risk of prostate cancer development when high-calcium foods are consumed. (7)

Mozzarella cheese health impacts

Mozzarella is rich in calcium which, as discussed for feta, promotes bone health and reduces damage caused by osteoporosis on bones. (1)
Calcium-rich foods such as mozzarella decrease the risk of colorectal cancer. (5)

Mozzarella contains lactobacilli which are probiotics that improve microflora and digestion. (8)

The adverse effects of mozzarella have similarities with feta's negative impacts. They may cause digestive symptoms in lactose-intolerant individuals. 

Prostate cancer risks are increased when high-calcium foods are consumed. (7)

Cardiovascular system

Section reviewed by cardiologist Astghik Grigoryan

According to this study, intramuscular vitamin B12 injection in early-lactation dairy cows increases vitamin B12 content in milk and Mozzarella with no adverse effect on cheese quality, but significant vitamin B12 is lost during cheesemaking and rapidly decreases during storage. Vitamin B12 is helpful in controlling homocysteine levels, which are the primary cause of blood vessel inflammation and atherosclerosis (9). These effects are unknown for Feta cheese.

There are a lot of types of Feta and Mozzarella cheese with different amounts of cholesterol (10). This study demonstrated the possibility of producing cholesterol-reduced Feta cheese with little difference in physicochemical and sensory properties compared with regular Feta cheese (11). It should be noted the amount of cholesterol in Mozzarella cheese considerably increased over the course of storage (12).

People taking MAO inhibitors (particularly antidepressants) may experience a hypertensive crisis when eating cheeses, including Feta and Mozzarella, which contain tyramine (13).

Video Summary