The ketogenic diet, or the keto diet for short, is a high-fat (70 to upwards of 80 percent), moderate-protein, and low-carb diet. A common goal on the plan is to change your body’s biochemistry and, in turn, lose weight.
“Following a ketogenic diet changes your fuel source from one that primarily burns carbohydrates to one that burns fat,” says Olivia Wagner, RDN, a functional dietitian and founder of Liv Nourished in Chicago. In metabolic terms, this process is called ketosis.
If you find that your results are plateauing while on keto, you may want to take it easy on the cheese, says April Kelly, RDN, founder of Orange County Nutrition Coaching in Newport Beach, California. “Sometimes people lose weight much quicker and feel better when they take out dairy,” she says. If you find you tolerate it okay, there’s no reason to omit it; but if you’re struggling with gastrointestinal side effects or water retention — or if you find that you’re not losing weight despite being in ketosis — it may be time to discuss the role of dairy in your diet with your healthcare team.
If you’ve decided to include cheese on your keto diet menu, you should be aware that not all cheeses are created equal. Here’s what you need to know about which cheeses to eat, which to limit, and which to skip altogether on this low-carb plan.
Best Fats To Eat On The Keto Diet
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Goat Cheese
Blue Cheese
Cream Cheese
Parmesan Cheese
Additionally, Parmesan tastes great on nonstarchy vegetables that keto dieters rely on so heavily. Consider sprinkling it over broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, zucchini, and more.
Cheese Crisps
If you’re craving cheese and on the go, these dehydrated pieces of cheese in a bite-size shape are a delicious solution. “Clients [who are following the keto diet] miss chips and crackers,” says Dr. Bartell Weiss. “You can dip these cheese bites in guacamole for a high-fat snack.” Best of all, you don’t have to worry about refrigeration to get your cheese fix. One brand, Moon Cheese, has an Oh My Gouda variety that has 14 g of fat, 1 g of carbs, and 11 g of protein for 170 calories per 1-oz serving. Another, Whisps, offers an Asiago and Pepper Jack flavor with 11 g of fat, 1 g of carbs, and 12 g of protein per 150-calorie serving (about 19 crisps).
Unlike the other great keto cheeses listed above, cheese crisps are more processed and contain significantly more sodium, so exercise some portion control while enjoying them as a snack.
The 5 Worst Cheeses for People on the Keto Diet
Canned or Spray Cheese
American Cheese
Mild Cheddar Cheese
Ricotta Cheese
Cottage Cheese
The Takeaway
- The ketogenic, or keto, diet is a high-fat, moderate protein, low-carb diet that uses natural body chemistry changes to induce weight loss.
- Keto devotees are often enthusiastic about including cheeses in their diet to help meet their macronutrient goals, but nutrition experts warn that some choices are better than others.
- Some varieties fit within a keto diet nutritionally and can add a lot of flavor to meals, but others are poor choices, based on their larger typical serving size or processed ingredient content.
Reyna Franco, RDN
Medical Reviewer
Reyna Franco, RDN, is a New York City–based dietitian-nutritionist, certified specialist in sports dietetics, and certified personal trainer. She is a diplomate of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine and has a master's degree in nutrition and exercise physiology from Columbia University.
In her private practice, she provides medical nutrition therapy for weight management, sports nutrition, diabetes, cardiac disease, renal disease, gastrointestinal disorders, cancer, food allergies, eating disorders, and childhood nutrition. To serve her diverse patients, she demonstrates cultural sensitivity and knowledge of customary food practices. She applies the tenets of lifestyle medicine to reduce the risk of chronic disease and improve health outcomes for her patients.
Franco is also a corporate wellness consultant who conducts wellness counseling and seminars for organizations of every size. She taught sports nutrition to medical students at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, taught life cycle nutrition and nutrition counseling to undergraduate students at LaGuardia Community College, and precepts nutrition students and interns. She created the sports nutrition rotation for the New York Distance Dietetic Internship program.
She is the chair of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine's Registered Dietitian-Nutritionist Member Interest Group. She is also the treasurer and secretary of the New York State Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, having previously served in many other leadership roles for the organization, including as past president, awards committee chair, and grant committee chair, among others. She is active in the local Greater New York Dietetic Association and Long Island Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, too.
Jessica Migala
Author
Jessica Migala is a freelance writer with over 15 years of experience, specializing in health, nutrition, fitness, and beauty. She has written extensively about vision care, diabetes, dermatology, gastrointestinal health, cardiovascular health, cancer, pregnancy, and gynecology. She was previously an assistant editor at Prevention where she wrote monthly science-based beauty news items and feature stories.
She has contributed to more than 40 print and digital publications, including Cosmopolitan, O:The Oprah Magazine, Real Simple, Woman’s Day, Women’s Health, Fitness, Family Circle, Health, Prevention, Self, VICE, and more. Migala lives in the Chicago suburbs with her husband, two young boys, rescue beagle, and 15 fish. When not reporting, she likes running, bike rides, and a glass of wine (in moderation, of course).