Last Updated on March 22, 2024 by Aaron
Mozzarella is a type of cheese made from cow’s milk, and it does contain calories and fat. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean that eating mozzarella will make you gain weight.
Compared to other cheeses, mozzarella is one of the lowest in fat and calories. Thus, a healthier option. For example, a 100-gram serving of mozzarella contains 280 calories and 17 grams of total fat, while 100-gram of cheddar contains about 402 calories and 33g of fat. That’s about 30% lower calories and 48% lower fat content! The number varied depending on the type of milk source used.
This means that if you’re looking to reduce your calorie and fat intake — mozzarella is supposed to be the cheese to go among the rest. If you would really like to cut down the calories by a lot, you could also try part-skim or non-fat mozzarella which gives you another 10% and 50% reduction of calories.
In fact, researchers have found that dairy products like mozzarella may actually help people manage their weight by increasing satiety (the feeling of fullness after eating a meal) [1]. According to DietDoctor, part-skim mozzarella with cucumber slices together give you a great 74 satiety score. So, you are unlikely to feel hunger pangs in the hours to come.
Additionally, mozzarella is low in carbohydrates, making it a great choice for those following a low-carb diet, such as Keto and Atkins diet. And low-carb diet is very effective for people who want to lose weight.
Frankly speaking, mozzarella is a light and healthy food, but if you eat anything more than the total calories you burn, you’re going to gain weight no matter what. So, how much is too much The American Heart Association recommended not more than 3 portions of cheese per day, while each capped at 45 grams.
Therefore, incorporating mozzarella into your diet can be beneficial if you practice portion control and stay mindful of other sources of calories. To help with this, try to add mozzarella to other foods that are low in calories and high in nutrients, such as lean proteins, fruits and vegetables.
Reference:
- Hansen, Thea Toft et al. “Macronutrient manipulations of cheese resulted in lower energy content without compromising its satiating capacity.” Journal of nutritional science vol. 7 e7. 5 Feb. 2018, doi:10.1017/jns.2017.73
