Cheese, goat, hard type
Whole food · Dairy and Egg Products
Photo: Wikipedia
Aged and firm, goat cheese (like a French Valençay or Spanish Murcia al Vino) loses its fresh tang, developing a dense, slightly crumbly texture with a rich, nutty, and savory flavor. Nutritionally, it's a powerhouse of protein and fat, with virtually no carbohydrates, making it a staple for low-carb and ketogenic diets.
Calorie split: 27% protein · 2% carbs · 71% fat
↓ Full nutrition💚 Why it's loved
People love it for its complex, earthy flavor that deepens with age and its satisfying, firm texture that holds up beautifully in cooking. Its versatility shines, from grating over pasta to being the star of a cheese board.
⚠️ Watch-outs & how to enjoy it better
As a hard cheese, it can be high in sodium and saturated fat, which those monitoring heart health should note. Its strong flavor can be intense for some, and it's a dairy product, so it's unsuitable for those with a milk allergy or lactose intolerance. To manage sodium, pair it with potassium-rich foods like leafy greens or tomatoes, and use it as a flavorful accent rather than the main ingredient.
Key benefits
- Excellent source of high-quality, complete protein.
- Very low in carbohydrates and sugars, ideal for blood sugar management.
- Rich in conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), a beneficial fatty acid.
- Good source of bone-supporting calcium and phosphorus.
- Often easier to digest than cow's milk cheese for some people.
🌍 Where it's eaten
💡 Did you know?
The process of aging hard goat cheese often involves washing the rind with brine, wine, or even beer, which cultivates specific molds and bacteria that create its unique flavor and sometimes a distinctive reddish or blue-tinged exterior.
Full nutrition (USDA data · scales with serving)
| Water | 29.0 g |
| Energy | 452 kcal |
| Energy | 1891 kj |
| Protein | 30.5 g |
| Total lipid (fat) | 35.6 g |
| Ash | 3.7 g |
| Carbohydrate, by difference | 2.2 g |
| Fiber, total dietary | 0.00 g |
| Total Sugars | 2.2 g |
| Calcium, Ca | 895 mg |
| Iron, Fe | 1.9 mg |
| Magnesium, Mg | 54.0 mg |
| Phosphorus, P | 729 mg |
| Potassium, K | 48.0 mg |
| Sodium, Na | 423 mg |
| Zinc, Zn | 1.6 mg |
| Copper, Cu | 0.63 mg |
| Manganese, Mn | 0.25 mg |
| Selenium, Se | 5.5 ug |
| Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid | 0.00 mg |
| Thiamin | 0.14 mg |
| Riboflavin | 1.2 mg |
| Niacin | 2.4 mg |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.41 mg |
| Vitamin B-6 | 0.08 mg |
| Folate, total | 4.0 ug |
| Folic acid | 0.00 ug |
| Folate, food | 4.0 ug |
| Folate, DFE | 4.0 ug |
| Choline, total | 15.4 mg |
| Vitamin B-12 | 0.12 ug |
| Vitamin B-12, added | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin A, RAE | 486 ug |
| Retinol | 478 ug |
| Carotene, beta | 91.0 ug |
| Carotene, alpha | 0.00 ug |
| Cryptoxanthin, beta | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin A, IU | 1745 iu |
| Lycopene | 0.00 ug |
| Lutein + zeaxanthin | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.31 mg |
| Vitamin E, added | 0.00 mg |
| Vitamin D (D2 + D3), International Units | 26.0 iu |
| Vitamin D (D2 + D3) | 0.70 ug |
| Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) | 0.70 ug |
| Vitamin K (phylloquinone) | 3.0 ug |
| Alcohol, ethyl | 0.00 g |
| Caffeine | 0.00 mg |
| Theobromine | 0.00 mg |
Fat & fatty acid profile (per 100g)
| Fatty acids, total saturated | 24.6 g |
| SFA 4:0 | 1.8 g |
| SFA 6:0 | 0.78 g |
| SFA 8:0 | 0.96 g |
| SFA 10:0 | 3.4 g |
| SFA 12:0 | 1.6 g |
| SFA 14:0 | 3.6 g |
| SFA 16:0 | 9.3 g |
| SFA 18:0 | 3.2 g |
| Fatty acids, total monounsaturated | 8.1 g |
| MUFA 16:1 | 0.85 g |
| MUFA 18:1 | 7.3 g |
| MUFA 20:1 | 0.00 g |
| MUFA 22:1 | 0.00 g |
| Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated | 0.84 g |
| PUFA 18:2 | 0.84 g |
| PUFA 18:3 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 18:4 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:4 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:5 n-3 (EPA) | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 22:5 n-3 (DPA) | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 22:6 n-3 (DHA) | 0.00 g |
| Cholesterol | 105 mg |
Amino acid profile (per 100g)
| Tryptophan | 0.32 g |
| Threonine | 1.1 g |
| Isoleucine | 1.3 g |
| Leucine | 2.6 g |
| Lysine | 2.2 g |
| Methionine | 0.81 g |
| Cystine | 0.14 g |
| Phenylalanine | 1.2 g |
| Tyrosine | 1.2 g |
| Valine | 2.1 g |
| Arginine | 0.90 g |
| Histidine | 0.83 g |
| Alanine | 0.53 g |
| Aspartic acid | 1.5 g |
| Glutamic acid | 5.7 g |
| Glycine | 0.34 g |
| Proline | 3.7 g |
| Serine | 1.2 g |
FAQ
How does it differ from fresh goat cheese?
Fresh goat cheese (chèvre) is soft, spreadable, and tangy. Hard goat cheese is aged for months, resulting in a firm, crumbly texture with a deeper, nuttier, and more complex flavor.
Is it lactose-free?
Most hard, aged cheeses are very low in lactose (often less than 0.5g per serving) because the aging process breaks down the milk sugar. However, it is not completely lactose-free and may still affect those with severe intolerance.
What's a good substitute?
A firm sheep's milk cheese like Pecorino Romano or Manchego offers a similar texture and salty intensity. For a cow's milk alternative, a dry, aged cheddar or Gouda can work in recipes.
Nutrient density (calculated · NRF9.3)
Nutrient Rich Foods index: beneficial nutrients (protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals) minus saturated fat, added sugar & sodium, per 100 kcal.
NRF9.3 index — Fulgoni, Keast & Drewnowski, 2009. Computed from USDA nutrients.
Weight-loss friendliness (composite index)
Energy density 4.52 kcal/g · 27% calories from protein · 0.0 g fiber · 2.2 g sugar per 100 g.
Composite of energy density (Rolls et al., 1999), protein & fiber satiety, minus sugar. A calculated heuristic — ranks satiety-per-calorie, not a clinical measure.
Dietary load (calculated from USDA values)
Potential renal acid load. Positive = acid-forming, negative = alkaline-forming.
Sodium-to-potassium ratio: 8.81 (lower is better — aim for ≤ 1)
Sodium:potassium per WHO potassium guidance. Computed from USDA nutrients.