The vitamin content of cheese is highly variable between the different varieties and within samples of the same variety of cheese due to variations in manufacturing processes, the bacteria used for ripening and the conditions and length of the maturing period.
Fat soluble vitamins
Cheese is a provider of the fat soluble vitamins provided from the milk originally used to make it.
Cheese such as cheddar is a provider of Vitamin A which is necessary for healthy eyes and skin.
1 portion (30g) of regular cheddar cheese will provide the average adult (19-50 years) with 16% and 18% of the recommended daily requirement for vitamin A for men and women respectively.
Water soluble vitamins
Water soluble vitamins such as the B vitamins tend to remain in the whey fraction of cheese and much of which is often forced out during processing. However the more whey that remains in the final product, the greater the content of these vitamins.
Despite this, cheeses such as cheddar are a provider of vitamins such as vitamin B12, vitamin B2 and folate.
For example 1 portion (30g) of regular cheddar cheese will provide the average adult (19-50 years old) with 46% of the recommended daily requirement for vitamin B12.
1 portion of half fat cheddar (30g) will provide the average adult (19-50 years old) with 12% of the recommended daily requirement for vitamin B2.
Similarly, 1 portion of stilton (30g) will provide the average adult (19-50 years old) with 12% of the recommended daily requirement for folate.
