Vegan Cheese Nutrition: What 245 Labels Say About Protein, Fat and Calcium

By Jai Farswani, co-founder of AshaPops. Published October 22, 2026.

Turn over a package of vegan cheddar and the protein line will most likely say 0 g. When researchers logged the Nutrition Facts panels of 245 plant-based cheese alternatives sold in the United States, the median protein per serving was zero, the median calcium was zero, and 57% listed 4 g or more of saturated fat, which is 20% of the Daily Value in one serving.

So is vegan cheese healthy? It depends on what the cheese is made from. Cashew and almond versions came out lowest in saturated fat, and cashew versions had the most protein and the least sodium. Vegan cheese built on coconut oil and starch, the most common type on the market, came out higher in saturated fat and sodium, with almost no protein. A cheese made only from plant foods contains no lactose and no dietary cholesterol, the clearest health benefits for anyone on a dairy-free diet. Very few vegan cheeses replace the protein and calcium that dairy-based cheese supplies.

Below: label numbers by base, a dairy comparison, a 30-second label check, and where a cheesy snack like AshaPops Vegan Cheese fits.

Is Vegan Cheese Healthy? The Short Answer in One Table

Dairy cheddar (USDA, 28 g) next to the survey medians for the two most common types of vegan cheese:

Sources: USDA FoodData Central, cheddar (FDC 328637); Craig, Mangels and Brothers, Nutrients 2022, Table 1.

Nutritional data is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical, dietary, or health advice. Consult your healthcare provider before making dietary changes.

Saturated fat is close to a tie between cheddar and coconut-based vegan cheese, so swapping one for the other does little for that line. Protein and calcium are where the gap opens. Dairy-based cheese gets both from the milk; most plant cheeses supply neither unless the maker adds them.

If what you want from vegan cheese is the cheesy flavor with a crunch, rather than something to melt on a pizza, that is a different purchase. AshaPops Vegan Cheese is popped water lily seeds seasoned with nutritional yeast, extra virgin olive oil, onion powder and sea salt. A 1 oz bag lists 120 calories, 3 g of protein and 0.5 g of saturated fat on its printed label. It is a snack, not a cheese; its full label is further down.

What a Survey of 245 Vegan Cheese Labels Found

Winston Craig, Reed Mangels and Cecilia Brothers identified 295 plant-based cheeses by visiting supermarkets and health food stores in the western United States and searching manufacturers' websites. They analyzed the 245 vegan cheeses that met their criteria, from 35 brands, between November 2021 and January 2022. Products were grouped by base:

• Coconut oil with food starch (potato, tapioca or corn): 106
• Cashews with coconut oil: 61
• Cashews alone: 35
• Oats: 16
• Almonds: 7
• Soy with coconut oil: 6
• Other blends, such as tapioca flour with canola oil: 14

The most common flavors were cheddar, mozzarella, pepper jack and smoked gouda, and the most common forms were blocks and wheels (27%), shreds (24%) and slices (20%). The base predicted almost everything else on the label. In the authors' words, few of these products could be considered good dietary sources of either protein or calcium.

Protein: the median was zero

Only 3% of the 245 vegan cheeses reached 5 g of protein per serving, which is 10% of the Daily Value, and 183 of them (75%) listed 2.5 g or less. Every product that reached 5 g was made from cashews alone. The coconut oil group had a median of 0 g.

Saturated fat: the oil sets the number

Across all products, 57% listed 4 g or more of saturated fat, yet only 2% were high in fat overall. In the coconut group the share was 87%, with a median of 5 g, while almond cheeses had a median of 0 g and cashew cheeses 1 g. The difference is the oil. USDA data lists coconut oil at 82.5 g of saturated fat per 100 g, about 83% of its total fat, so anyone watching coconut oil consumption should start with the ingredient list.

Sodium: one in three ran 230 mg or more

Median sodium was 190 mg per serving. Of the main groups, coconut ran highest at 215 mg and cashew lowest at 130 mg. About 32% listed 230 mg or more (10% of the Daily Value), and 15% stayed at 115 mg or less, the level the FDA treats as low. Sugar was rarely a factor: 98% listed 1 g or less.

Calcium, vitamin B12 and vitamin D: mostly missing

Dairy cheese carries calcium from the milk. A plant-based cheese only carries it when the maker adds it. In the survey, 19% of products were fortified with calcium, 14% with vitamin B12 and 1% with vitamin D. By brand, 12 of 35 added calcium, 4 added B12 and 1 added vitamin D, and 22 brands (63%) added nothing. The pattern holds outside the US. A 2022 survey of UK supermarkets, which also covered plant-based milk, found a 30 g serving of non-dairy cheddar carried 0.2 g of protein and 45 mg of calcium, against 7.6 g and 222 mg for dairy cheddar, with saturated fat and salt about even; matching the dairy calcium would take 147 g of the non-dairy version. In Greece, a 2023 analysis of 80 cheese imitations found 83.1% were made from vegetable oils, and those were the lowest in protein and the highest in saturated fat and salt. A 2025 systematic review of cheese analogue research agreed: plant-based cheeses often have lower protein and lack the calcium, vitamin B12 and iodine found in dairy unless fortified.

How Vegan Cheese Is Made, and Why That Shapes the Label

Here is how dairy cheese is made. Under the FDA standard of identity for cheddar, milk is treated with a lactic acid-producing culture, a clotting enzyme such as rennet sets it into a soft mass, the whey is drained, and the curd is salted and pressed into forms. The protein and calcium in traditional cheese come from the milk.

Making vegan cheese works differently. The 2022 paper describes plant-based cheese alternatives as produced using techniques similar to the production of processed dairy cheese: an emulsion of oil, plant protein, water, emulsifiers, stabilizers and natural flavorings. In many vegan cheeses that oil is coconut oil, and starch provides the structure. Potato starch provides anti-clumping properties in shreds, tapioca starch adds elasticity, and powdered cellulose works as an anti-caking agent. Some products add preservatives such as olive extract or sorbic acid, and color such as beta carotene or annatto. Other additives include gums: FDA rules allow xanthan gum as a stabilizer, emulsifier or thickener, and the same for carrageenan, which the Whole30 program describes as an additive found in non-dairy milk and cheese products.

Nut-based cheeses take a different route: cashews or almonds give the cheese its body and a creamy texture, and bring some protein with them. That is why a creamy vegan cheese made from cashews beat the coconut versions on protein. The authors also point to fermentation as a way to improve the texture and flavor of plant cheeses. Herbs, spices and other natural flavorings fill in the taste, and nutritional yeast can add a savory, cheesy note to the flavor profile.

Vegan Cheese vs Dairy Cheese: Nutrients and Health Benefits Compared

Protein. A 28 g serving of dairy-based cheese like cheddar carries 6.5 g, and the 2022 paper cites a survey of dairy cheeses that found roughly 5 to 8 g per serving across formats. The vegan cheese median was 0 g, so regular cheese wins this line, and few vegan cheeses come close to their dairy counterparts.

Calcium. That cheddar serving holds 198 mg; the median vegan cheese held none. If cheese is one of your calcium sources, the swap has to be a fortified product or other food sources.

Saturated fat. Cheddar lists 5.4 g per 28 g and coconut vegan cheese a median of 5 g; cashew and almond versions list far less. Plant-based cheese is not automatically lower in saturated fat, and a 2024 survey of the Swedish market found the median for plant-fat cheese alternatives was higher than for dairy-based cheese, at 21.00 g against 14.45 g per 100 g. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025 to 2030, state that, in general, saturated fat consumption should not exceed 10% of total daily calories, and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute notes that eating a lot of foods high in saturated fats raises LDL cholesterol.

Sodium. Cheddar lists 183 mg per 28 g; the coconut median was 215 mg per serving and the cashew median 130 mg. Blocks and shreds were most often 28 to 30 g and slices about 20 g, so check the grams before comparing packages or counting sodium intake.

Cholesterol and lactose. MedlinePlus notes that cholesterol is found in foods from animal sources, such as egg yolks, meat and cheese, and the NIDDK describes lactose as a sugar naturally found in milk and milk products. A cheese made entirely from plant-based ingredients carries neither. Some plant-based products are only partly dairy free and contain casein, a milk protein, which is why the 2022 survey left them out.

Those two lines are the real health benefits of vegan cheese for people who avoid dairy products for ethical, allergy or digestive reasons. On every other line, vegan cheese only matches its dairy counterparts when the maker picks a nut base or adds nutrients on purpose. One more honest note: a PubMed search for this page on October 22, 2026 found no long-term clinical trials and no meta analysis comparing cardiovascular outcomes for people eating dairy cheese versus plant-based cheese, only label surveys and short feeding studies.

Which Vegan Cheese Is the Healthiest? Compare the Base First

Source: Craig, Mangels and Brothers, Nutrients 2022, Table 1.

• Cashew-only cheeses had the most protein and the least sodium, with a median of just 1 g of saturated fat. If protein matters to you, start here.
• Almond cheeses had the least saturated fat, though only seven were in the survey.
• Coconut oil and starch cheeses, the largest group, had a median of 5 g of saturated fat and 0 g of protein, and were the most commonly fortified with vitamin B12.
• Soy and coconut oil cheeses had the highest median, 8 g. Coconut still made up most of the product, so a soy base alone is no guarantee of protein.
• Oat cheeses were more often fortified with calcium than most groups (38% of them), but protein stayed under half a gram.

So the healthiest vegan cheese depends on the job: cashew for protein, a fortified product for calcium, almond or cashew for the least saturated fat. A product that does all three is rare.

How to Read a Vegan Cheese Label in 30 Seconds

The front of the package tells you the flavor; the back tells you the nutrition facts. The FDA rule of thumb for the percent Daily Value column: 5% DV or less of a nutrient per serving is low, and 20% DV or more is high. Read the panel in this order:

1. Serving size. Servings in the survey ranged from 14 to 40 g. Compare two products at the same weight.
2. First ingredient. Coconut plus starch generally means more saturated fat and little protein. Cashews or almonds near the top usually point the other way.
3. Saturated fat. 4 g is 20% of the Daily Value. 1 g or less is 5%.
4. Protein. 5 g is 10% of the Daily Value. Many vegan cheeses list far less.
5. Sodium. 230 mg is 10% of the Daily Value; 115 mg or less is low.
6. Calcium, vitamin B12 and vitamin D. These lines only count if something was added, such as tricalcium phosphate.
7. Allergens. Cashew and almond cheeses contain tree nuts, and some contain soy. Dairy free cheese alternatives are not automatically free of every allergen.

The AshaPops guide to reading packaged snack labels covers serving sizes and percent Daily Value in more depth, and the guide to allergen labels on snacks covers the allergen statement.

Vegan Cheese on Gluten-Free, Keto, Paleo, Whole30 and Low-FODMAP Diets

Gluten free. Most vegan cheese bases (coconut, nuts, potato starch, tapioca starch) contain no wheat, but flavorings and shared facilities vary. Under FDA rules, a food labeled gluten free must keep any unavoidable gluten below 20 parts per million. The AshaPops guide to gluten-free snacks by category covers what the label has to say.

Keto and lower carb. The survey median was 5 g of carbohydrate per serving, so many vegan cheeses fit a lower-carb diet. Almond cheeses had the lowest median at 3 g.

Paleo. A paleo diet leaves out dairy, grains and legumes such as soy, so a nut-based cheese with a short ingredient list fits more closely than a starch-and-oil product. For packaged options, see the AshaPops paleo snacks buyer's guide.

Whole30. Whole30 removes dairy products, including cheese, but its official guide treats nut-based dairy-free cheese as a read-your-labels item: almond cream cheese or ricotta, cashew queso and similar products can be part of the elimination phase as long as every ingredient is compatible. Since a 2024 rule change, carrageenan no longer rules a product out.

Low FODMAP. Monash University lists cashews among the high FODMAP nuts, with fructans and GOS as the FODMAPs present, so many cashew cheeses do not fit the elimination phase of a low FODMAP diet.

Where Vegan Cheese Fits in a Plant-Based Diet

In a plant-based diet, most vegan cheese works best as a flavor ingredient rather than a main source of protein or calcium. Beans, lentils, tofu, tempeh, nuts, seeds and fortified soy milk or other plant-based milk do more of that work. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025 to 2030, list protein, calcium and vitamin B12 among the nutrients where vegan diets show shortfalls, so the fortification lines on a vegan cheese label are worth reading. Count vegan cheese as one food in a healthy eating pattern built on a variety of plant-based foods.

• A thin layer of a fortified vegan shred on a lentil lasagna, where the beans carry the protein.
• Slices of a cashew cheese in a chickpea salad wrap.
• A crunchy, cheese-flavored snack next to fruit or raw vegetables when the craving is for something savory rather than a meal.

If you are managing heart disease, cardiovascular risk factors or other health issues, a registered dietitian or your doctor can tell you what fits your own plan.

Cheese Replacement or Cheesy Snack? Where AshaPops Vegan Cheese Fits

Two different products are sold under the word cheese in the plant-based aisle. Cheese replacements (blocks, slices, shreds and creamy vegan cheese spreads) are meant to melt and slice like regular cheese, so they get judged on protein and calcium. Cheese-flavored snacks borrow the taste and get judged on ingredients, calories and crunch. AshaPops Vegan Cheese sits firmly in the second group.

It is made from popped water lily seeds, also called makhana, from the Euryale ferox plant. The seeds are roasted with dry heat until they pop, never fried, then seasoned. The ingredient list has five items: water lily seeds, nutritional yeast, extra virgin olive oil, onion powder and sea salt. The cheesy flavor comes from the nutritional yeast. There is no milk, no cheese powder, no coconut oil and no seed oil in the bag.

Read it like any vegan cheese label: AshaPops Vegan Cheese is not a calcium source and will not melt on a sandwich. What it offers is savory, cheesy flavor in a puffed snack with a satisfying texture and a short ingredient list. The bag carries Vegan, Gluten Free, Grain Free, Soy Free, Corn Free, Seed Oil Free and Paleo marks, plus Non-GMO Project Verified and OU Kosher certification. It is made in a facility that also processes wheat, dairy, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, soybeans and corn, so anyone with a food allergy should read the allergen statement and check with their healthcare provider first.

Use it in place of conventional cheese puffs: as a desk-drawer or travel snack that needs no fridge, a crunchy topping on soups or salads where you might use croutons, or a savory side next to a sandwich. For the wider cheese puff aisle, see the AshaPops comparison of vegan cheese puffs and dairy-free cheesy snacks, and the AshaPops Vegan Cheese ingredient breakdown. You can also browse all four AshaPops flavors.

Vegan Cheese FAQ: Health, Protein and the Healthiest Picks

Is vegan cheese actually healthy?

It depends on the base. Vegan cheese has no cholesterol and no lactose, but most products on US shelves are made from coconut oil and starch, which puts saturated fat near dairy cheese levels with almost no protein or calcium. Cashew and almond cheeses come out better than coconut oil cheeses on saturated fat, sodium and protein.

Which vegan cheese is the healthiest?

In the 2022 survey of 245 products, cashew-only cheeses had the most protein and the least sodium, and almond cheeses had the least saturated fat. If you rely on cheese for calcium, choose one that lists added calcium on the Nutrition Facts panel.

Is there any nutritional value in vegan cheese?

Some. Nut-based cheeses supply a few grams of protein, and fortified products add calcium, vitamin B12 or vitamin D, which are the main nutritional benefits to look for. Unfortified coconut cheeses mostly supply fat and calories. Across all 245 products, median protein and median calcium were both zero.

Are there any vegan cheeses that are high in protein?

Very few. Only 3% of the products in the survey reached 5 g of protein per serving (10% of the Daily Value), and all of them were cashew-based. A 28 g serving of dairy cheddar has 6.5 g.

Nutritional data is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical, dietary, or health advice. Consult your healthcare provider before making dietary changes.

Sources

1. Craig, Mangels and Brothers. Nutrients, 2022. Nutritional Profiles of Non-Dairy Plant-Based Cheese Alternatives.
2. Glover and colleagues. Nutrition and Health, 2022. Dairy and non-dairy milks and cheeses in UK supermarkets.
3. Katidi and colleagues. Nutrients, 2023. Plant-based meat and dairy imitation products.
4. Moshtaghian and colleagues. Current Research in Food Science, 2024. Plant-based dairy alternatives in the Swedish market.
5. Leal and colleagues. Foods, 2025. Cheese analogues: systematic review.
6. USDA FoodData Central: cheddar (FDC 328637), coconut oil (FDC 171412).
7. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025 to 2030; FDA Nutrition Facts guidance; 21 CFR 101.91 (gluten free), 133.113 (cheddar), 172.620 (carrageenan), 172.695 (xanthan gum).
8. NHLBI; MedlinePlus; NIDDK; Monash University FODMAP; Whole30 Can I Have Guide.
9. AshaPops Vegan Cheese printed Nutrition Facts panels.