A simple question with a slightly complicated answer: it depends heavily on the type of cheese.

Below is a clear breakdown so you can estimate protein properly instead of just guessing.

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1. Why cheese protein varies so much

The protein content in cheese mainly depends on:

• How hard or soft it is
• How much water it contains
• How it was processed (aged, fresh, reduced-fat, etc.)

Hard, aged cheeses usually have more protein per 100 g because they contain less water and are more concentrated. Softer, fresher cheeses tend to have less.

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2. Approximate protein in 100 g of common cheeses

These are typical ranges based on standard nutrition data for plain, full-fat cheeses (values rounded):

• Cheddar: about 24–25 g protein per 100 g
• Mozzarella (whole milk, not low-moisture part-skim pizza cheese): about 22–24 g per 100 g
• Parmesan (hard, aged): about 32–36 g per 100 g
• Swiss / Emmental: about 26–28 g per 100 g
• Gouda: about 24–25 g per 100 g
• Provolone: about 25–27 g per 100 g
• Feta: about 14–16 g per 100 g
• Brie: about 20–21 g per 100 g
• Camembert: about 19–21 g per 100 g
• Cream cheese: about 6–8 g per 100 g
• Cottage cheese (4% fat): about 11–13 g per 100 g
• Ricotta (whole milk): about 7–11 g per 100 g

Those numbers give you a realistic ballpark: most “normal” firm cheeses sit in the low-to-mid 20s per 100 g, very hard cheeses go into the 30s, and soft/fresh cheeses drop into the teens or single digits.

If you just want a quick rule of thumb for a random block of regular cheese like cheddar, marble, or mozzarella, you can estimate about 22–25 grams of protein per 100 grams.

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3. Comparing cheese to meat and other proteins

To put it in context:

• Many meats (chicken breast, lean beef) have about 30–32 g of protein per 100 g cooked.
• Firm cheeses sit slightly lower, often in the 20–28 g range.
• Very hard cheeses like parmesan can be close to meat, sometimes higher, because they are so dense.
• Fresh cheeses and spreads are more like a mild protein bonus rather than a primary protein source.

So cheese can contribute a good chunk of protein, but gram for gram, it is usually a bit less efficient than lean meat because of the extra fat and water.

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4. How to estimate quickly without labels

If you do not have a label handy, these shortcuts help:

• Hard, dry, aged cheese (parmesan, grana padano): think around 32–35 g per 100 g
• Normal semi-hard cheese (cheddar, gouda, marble, provolone): around 23–26 g per 100 g
• Softer bloomy rind cheese (brie, camembert): around 18–21 g per 100 g
• Salty crumbly cheese (feta): around 14–17 g per 100 g
• Fresh soft cheese (cream cheese, ricotta, cottage cheese): roughly 7–14 g per 100 g

If you are tracking macros, it is always best to check the specific nutrition label for the brand you are eating, but these ranges are close enough for rough planning.

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5. Practical takeaways

1. For high protein:
   Choose harder cheeses like parmesan, grana, aged cheddar, or Swiss.
2. For balanced fat and protein:
   Semi-hard cheeses (cheddar, gouda, mozzarella) give you 20-plus grams of protein per 100 g.
3. For lighter protein snacks:
   Cottage cheese and Greek yogurt are usually better than cream cheese or ricotta if protein is the priority.

In short:
If someone says “100 grams of cheese,” and you have to guess the protein, a safe, simple estimate is about 20–25 grams, unless you know it is a very hard cheese (then bump it up) or a very soft/fresh one (then bump it down).