Queso Fresco vs Feta: Calories and Nutrition Compared (2026)

Queso fresco has 18.1 g of protein, while feta has 14.2 g. Queso fresco contains 299 calories, compared to feta's 265 calories.

Queso fresco and feta are both popular cheeses with distinct flavors and nutritional profiles. This comparison highlights their differences in calories, protein, and other nutrients.

What Is the Difference Between Queso Fresco and Feta?

Queso fresco is a fresh, crumbly cheese commonly used in Mexican cuisine. It has a mild flavor and is often added to dishes for texture. Feta is a brined cheese made from sheep's milk or a mixture of sheep and goat's milk. It is known for its tangy flavor and crumbly texture.

Queso Fresco vs Feta: Nutrition Side by Side

Below is a side-by-side comparison of queso fresco and feta, focusing on their nutritional content.

Nutrient (per 100 g)	Queso fresco	Feta cheese
Calories	299 kcal	265 kcal
Protein	18.1 g	14.2 g
Carbs	3.0 g	3.9 g
Sugar	2.3 g	1.0 g
Fat	23.8 g	21.5 g
Fiber	0 g	0 g
Sodium	751 mg	1139 mg

Which Is Better, Queso Fresco or Feta?

For weight loss: Queso fresco has 34 more calories than feta, making feta a slightly better choice for weight loss.

For muscle and protein: Queso fresco contains 3.9 g more protein than feta, making it a better option for muscle building.

For low-carb or low-sugar: Queso fresco has 0.9 g fewer carbs and 1.3 g more sugar than feta, making feta slightly better for low-carb diets.

How to Track Queso fresco and Feta Accurately

Serving sizes and macros can be easily misjudged, affecting overall nutritional intake. Nutrola is an AI nutrition tracking app that identifies foods from a photo and returns calories and macros from a database of more than 1.8 million foods. It also supports barcode scanning and voice logging. Nutrola is available from EUR 2.50 per month and shows no ads on any tier.

How We Compiled These Numbers

The numbers provided are rounded reference values for educational use, not medical advice. Always consider your dietary needs when evaluating food options. Values are per 100 g from USDA FoodData Central.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Which cheese has more protein?

Queso fresco has 18.1 g of protein, while feta has 14.2 g.

Which cheese has fewer calories?

Feta has 265 calories, while queso fresco has 299 calories.

What is the fat content in queso fresco?

Queso fresco contains 23.8 g of fat per 100 g.

What is the sodium content in feta?

Feta contains 1139 mg of sodium per 100 g.

How much sugar is in queso fresco?

Queso fresco has 2.3 g of sugar per 100 g.

What are the carbohydrate levels in feta?

Feta contains 3.9 g of carbohydrates per 100 g.

Key Takeaways

• Queso fresco: 299 calories, 18.1 g protein, 23.8 g fat.
• Feta: 265 calories, 14.2 g protein, 21.5 g fat.
• Queso fresco has 3.0 g carbs, feta has 3.9 g carbs.
• Queso fresco contains 2.3 g sugar, feta has 1.0 g sugar.
• Sodium in queso fresco: 751 mg, sodium in feta: 1139 mg.
• Queso fresco is higher in protein, while feta has fewer calories.