Feta Cheese: Is It Best?

A Q&A column in the London Times answers some common questions about cheeses.

Which is the best cheese to eat if you are conscious of your weight?

• Feta contains 20g of fat per 100g -- 20 per cent -- as does mozzarella,


• Camembert 24 per cent,


• Brie has 29 per cent,


• Parmesan 30 per cent,


• Stilton 31 per cent,


• Gruyère 33 per cent


• Cheddar 35 per cent.

Edam contains 26 per cent fat, which is surprising - how often do you hear of dieters sticking to Edam in the belief that this is the only cheese they can eat, when actually it is 26 per cent fat?

One of the lowest-fat cheeses is cottage cheese, with about 4g of fat per 100g, although you can get even lower-fat versions.

Cheese needn't be avoided if trying to lose fat. Cottage cheese is a fantastic food - high in protein with good fats. Enjoy!

The joy of feta is that when crumbled into salads, it goes a long way, especially if you use your hands to break it up. If you're making, say, a Greek salad with olives and tomatoes, adding crumbled feta means you shouldn't need to add too much oil to make it deliciously creamy.