Cheese's BNI

Perezgonzalez assessed the nutritional balance of cheese⁴ in 2012¹, as part of a research on the nutritional composition of food in New Zealand.

Cheese had, on average, a nutritional unbalance of BNI 125.09-c, being particularly biased towards deficiency in carbohydrate. It was also adequate in sugar, high in protein, fat, saturated fat and sodium, and low in fiber.

Illustration 1: Nutrition information (cheese)

BNI (diet)	125.09-c	0.00

Food, 100g	2012	Ideal
Protein	22.5	17.2
Carbohydrate	1.0	47.3
Sugar	0.9	< 0.9
Fat	27.8	9.6
Saturated fat	18.2	< 3.8
Fiber	0.0	5.2
Sodium	0.748	< 0.344
Kcal	344.2	344.2
kJul	1440.1	1440.1

Illustration 2: Nutritional profile (cheese)

75%			*
70%			*
65%			*
60%			*
55%			*
50%			*
45%			*
40%			*
35%			*
30%			*
25%	*		*
20%	*		*
15%	*		*
10%	*		*
5%	*		*
mid	p	c	f	fb
max		s	sf		na
5%			*		*
10%			*		*
15%			*		*
20%			*		*
25%			*		*
30%			*		*
35%			*		*
40%			*
45%			*
50%			*

ideal % = grey cells; actual % = asterisk (*)

International standards

Cheese appeared more unbalanced according to the World Health Organization's Recommended Dietary Intakes (RDIs), but less unbalanced according to those of Australia, the UK and the US.

Illustration 3: Nutritional balance across international RDIs

Cheese	(dietIndex)	125.09	145.09	107.91	110.21	107.91

Product100g	Company	BNI	WHO	US/CAN	AUS/NZ	UK
European emmental	General Distributors	108.43	128.43	87.64	98.43	87.64
Kapiti emmental	Kapiti	117.98	137.98	99.59	104.06	99.59
Galaxy parmesan	Fonterra	118.49	138.49	93.50	110.42	91.50
Kapiti Pamaro parmesan cheese	Kapiti	122.82	142.82	88.25	108.25	88.25
Waimata brie	Waimata	122.84	142.84	107.98	108.21	107.98
Waimata camembert	Waimata	122.84	142.84	107.98	108.21	107.98
Mainland parmesan	Fonterra	123.22	143.22	88.60	108.60	88.60
Ferndale parmesan	Fonterra	123.56	143.56	98.94	118.94	96.94
Ferndale edam	Fonterra	123.95	143.95	104.24	116.65	102.24
Signature Range tasty cheddar cheese	SR Brands	123.97	139.18	109.93	109.93	109.93
Ferndale gouda	Fonterra	124.45	144.45	113.06	113.66	111.06
Kapiti aorangi	Fonterra	124.45	131.59	114.04	114.04	112.04
Mainland smoked	Fonterra	124.81	139.78	114.00	114.00	112.00
Mainland vintage	Fonterra	126.73	141.53	112.37	112.37	112.37
Bouton d'Or feta, reduced salt	Goodman Fielder	127.54	146.72	112.32	112.32	112.32
Puhoi Valley Distinction blue	Puhoi Valley	128.54	142.17	114.07	114.07	114.07
Puhoi Valley Est'd 1863 aged cheddar	Puhoi Valley	128.56	141.63	118.26	118.26	116.26
Europomella Rustichella mozzarella fiordilatte	Europomella	129.20	149.20	116.42	124.25	114.42
Puhoi Valley Old Barn brie	Puhoi Valley	129.26	137.13	115.42	115.42	115.42
Havarti (Danish)	General Distributors	130.00	150.00	104.90	114.78	104.90
Europomella Rusticone mozzarella di bufala campana	Europomella	132.71	146.10	127.76	127.76	125.76
Puhoi Valley Stable Door parmesan	Puhoi Valley	137.19	157.19	104.05	124.05	102.05
Galaxy camembert	Fonterra	137.29	147.32	123.02	123.02	122.37
Puhoi Valley Rolling Pastures triple cream brie	Puhoi Valley	141.43	141.43	127.52	127.52	127.52
Karikaas feta	Karikaas	142.62	162.62	127.36	129.51	125.36
Bouton d'Or feta	Goodman Fielder	146.64	165.82	128.93	128.93	128.93
Bouton d'Or goat feta	Goodman Fielder	146.65	166.65	125.27	128.83	125.27
Mainland Special Reserve creamy feta reduced fat	Fonterra	151.43	171.43	124.91	144.91	122.91
Rosenborg Noble Blue	Arla Foods	155.96	158.11	139.44	139.44	139.44
(Source: Perezgonzalez, 2012b²)

Author

Jose D PEREZGONZALEZ (2013). Massey University, Turitea Campus, Private Bag 11-222, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand. (JDPerezgonzalez).

Want to know more?

BNI analyses of individual cheeses: You can access either the BNI™ database or the 'BNI™ journal (2013, issue 2) - Cheesy cheese' for individual nutrition analyses of each cheese in the sample.
WikiofScience - Nutritional balance of cheese (further knowledge): These WikiofScience pages provide descriptive and inferential analyses about the nutritional balance of cheese.
WikiofScience - Nutritional balance of foods: This WikiofScience page collates information about several foods on a single page and provides useful links to the appropriate files.