What is the number 1 cheese?

The number one cheese in the world for 2025, according to the prestigious World Cheese Awards, is an aged Swiss Gruyère (specifically, an 18-month Gruyère AOP from Bergkäserei Vorderfultigen Spezial), praised for its deep umami, crystalline texture, and butterscotch notes, marking the sixth time a Gruyère AOP has won this top honor.

What is the #1 cheese in America?

Pleasant Ridge Reserve

Each year one cheese is voted the “Best in Show” at the American Cheese Society award. Over 2,000 cheeses compete every year. Pleasant Ridge Reserve has won this highest honor four times.

What are the 5 best cheeses?

There's no single "top 5," but popular choices often include classic Cheddar, versatile Mozzarella, nutty Gouda, flavorful Parmesan, and rich Brie, while experts praise artisanal selections like aged Gruyère or Manchego for unique experiences. The best often depend on whether you want to grate, melt, snack, or savor, with favorites shifting from everyday staples to award-winning specialties.
 

What is the number one cheese in the world?

There's no single "number one" cheese, as it's subjective, but Le Gruyère AOP from Switzerland was crowned the World's Best Cheese at the 2025 World Cheese Awards, noted for its rich, nutty, umami flavor. Other top contenders and favorites globally include Parmigiano Reggiano (the "King of Cheeses") for its history and robust taste, and popular staples like Cheddar and Feta, depending on region and preference, with Italian cheeses like Buffalo Mozzarella also ranking highly in overall cheese lists.
 

Which is the best quality cheese?

The "best" quality cheese is subjective, but top contenders often include Parmigiano Reggiano (nutty, complex) and Gruyère (melty, earthy, award-winning), known for rich flavors and traditions, alongside acclaimed artisanal American cheeses like those from Cypress Grove or Jasper Hill, focusing on raw milk, farmstead quality, and specific aging. Key indicators of quality are artisanal production, raw or minimally processed milk, aging, and origin, with block cheese often better than pre-shredded.
 

Cheesemonger Tries the Same Cheese at 6 Ages (1-15 years) | The Cheesemonger | Epicurious

What is the king of all cheeses?

The title "King of Cheeses" informally refers to several cheeses, but most prominently to Parmigiano Reggiano (Parmesan) in Italy, due to its ancient origins, versatile use, and strict production rules, and Brie de Meaux in France, famously crowned at the Congress of Vienna in 1815 as "Prince of cheeses, and first among desserts". Other contenders include French cheeses like Roquefort and Époisses, and English Stilton, each respected in its own right, highlighting the informal nature of the title.
 

What's the most unhealthy cheese?

The unhealthiest cheeses are generally processed varieties (like American singles, cheese spreads) due to additives, sodium, and fats, plus rich, high-fat soft cheeses (Brie, Camembert, Mascarpone) and very hard aged cheeses (Parmesan, Double Gloucester) high in saturated fat and calories, making them best for occasional treats rather than regular consumption.
 

Which cheese is 100% real cheese?

In the American Cheese category, Sargento® cheese just set a new standard. Made with only 5 ingredients, unlike other American cheese slices in the dairy case that contain 9 ingredients or more, you can get the melt you love and the taste you crave with only 100% natural cheese.

What is the healthiest cheese to eat?

The healthiest cheese is often considered cottage cheese, due to its high protein and lower fat/calorie content, especially low-fat versions, making it great for satiety and muscle health. Other top contenders include goat cheese, which is easier to digest for some and flavorful in small amounts, and fresh mozzarella or Swiss cheese, offering good protein with fewer calories and less sodium than many other cheeses. 

What is the number one selling cheese in America?

Mozzarella still America's most popular cheese | Economic Research Service.

What is considered the most delicious cheese?

Best Cheeses in the World

• Beemster. XO. and 6 more. ...
• Lynher Dairies Cheese. Cornish Kern. and 3 more. ...
• The Farm at Doe Run. St. Malachi. ...
• Lutjewinkel 1916. Extra Oude Gouda. ...
• Caseificio Storico Amatrice. Il Magnifico. ...
• Adiano. Adiano Manchego Artesano DOP Viejo. ...
• Errington Cheese. Corra Linn. ...
• Cropwell Bishop Creamery. Whole Blue Stilton.

What is the most expensive cheese?

The most expensive cheese is generally considered to be Pule, made from rare Balkan donkey milk in Serbia, costing around $600-$1,300 per pound due to its scarcity and difficult production, requiring vast amounts of milk for small yields. However, record-breaking auction sales have seen wheels of Cabrales blue cheese from Spain fetch over $40,000 for a single wheel, highlighting the extreme prices artisanal, cave-aged cheeses can reach.
 

What's the most eaten cheese in the world?

While Cheddar is often cited as the world's most popular and studied cheese, especially in English-speaking countries, Mozzarella is a strong contender and arguably leads in sheer volume consumed globally due to pizza's massive popularity, with the US leading consumption in recent years for both, according to USDA data. Other globally popular cheeses include Parmesan (Parmigiano Reggiano) and various Italian styles, alongside regional favorites like Paneer. 

Which cheese is the oldest?

The oldest known cheese is a 3,600-year-old kefir cheese found buried with mummies in China's Xiaohe Cemetery, identified by DNA analysis of preserved curds from cow and goat milk. For commercially available aged cheeses, Bitto Storico from Italy is a contender, aged up to 18 years, while a 40-year-old cheddar from Wisconsin is noted as the oldest aged cheddar.
 

Is cheese good for your health?

Yes, cheese can be good for your health as a source of protein, calcium, and vitamins, supporting bone, muscle, and immune health, but it's often high in saturated fat, sodium, and calories, so moderation is key, with healthier choices being fresh, low-fat options like ricotta or cottage cheese, or reduced-fat versions, while fermentation may offer heart benefits that counteract some risks. 

Which cheese is best to eat daily?

Mozzarella cheese is rich in protein and low sodium. Cottage cheese is low in fat, but higher in sodium. Ricotta cheese is also lower in fat, but higher in sodium. Feta cheese is low in calories but also lower in protein and higher in sodium.

What cheese is best for gut health?

For gut health, the best cheeses are ** aged, fermented varieties like Gouda, Swiss, aged Cheddar, Gruyère, and Feta**, as they contain probiotics (good bacteria) that support digestion, especially when unheated after aging. Look for labels indicating "live and active cultures," particularly in cottage cheese, and choose hard, aged cheeses (like Parmesan, Comté) for lower lactose and more beneficial microbes, pairing them with fiber-rich foods for best results.
 

What cheese is the highest in protein?

Parmesan is generally the highest in protein by weight (around 35g per 100g), but Cottage Cheese offers the most protein per serving (around 13-14g per half-cup) with less fat, making it a great choice for muscle building, alongside other high-protein options like Swiss, Gruyère, and Pecorino Romano.
 

What is the most unhealthy cheese?

There isn't one single "unhealthiest" cheese, but highly processed options like American cheese (high sodium, additives) and rich, creamy cheeses like Triple-Cream Brie, Mascarpone, or Double Gloucester are less healthy due to high saturated fat and calories; however, processed cheeses often contain more non-cheese ingredients and sodium compared to naturally high-fat cheeses. Key factors making a cheese "unhealthy" are high processing, sodium, and saturated fat content, with processed singles and creamy varieties often topping the list.
 

What cheese does McDonald's use?

McDonald's uses a proprietary, pasteurized processed American cheese, which is a blend of cheeses (like cheddar, Colby, and Swiss) and other ingredients, designed to melt smoothly, often containing about 60% real cheese, with natural colorants like annatto for its iconic look. While it's a specific product for the chain, Walmart's Great Value Deluxe American cheese is often cited as the closest store-bought alternative for home cooks.
 

What is considered the world's best cheese?

The "best cheese in the world" is subjective, but the Swiss Gruyère AOP (specifically an 18-month aged one from Vorderfultigen dairy) won the prestigious World Cheese Awards in 2025 for its complex notes of butterscotch, caramel, and umami, featuring crystalline texture and long finish. While this is the current reigning champion in a major competition, many other cheeses, like French Crémeux des Aldudes, Dutch Gouda, and U.S. cheeses, also receive top honors, with popular favorites also including Italian Parmigiano Reggiano and Stilton.
 

Which cheeses should I avoid?

Unhealthy Cheeses

• Halloumi Cheese. Be aware of how much of this squeaky cheese you're adding to your morning bagel and salads! ...
• Goats/ Blue Cheese. 1 oz. ...
• Roquefort Cheese. Roquefort is a processed blue cheese and is incredibly high in sodium. ...
• Parmesan. ...
• Cheddar Cheese.

What is considered the worst cheese?

The "worst" cheese is subjective, but often cited are highly processed types like spray cheese (unnatural ingredients, high salt) or American cheese (emulsifiers, low quality) for health/taste reasons, and pungent varieties like Limburger or intensely flavored blues for those who dislike strong smells/tastes. Infamous examples also include Casu Marzu, a Sardinian cheese with live maggots, considered dangerous. 

Which cheese is most fattening?

The highest fat cheeses are often triple-crème varieties like Mascarpone, Brillat-Savarin, and Délice de Bourgogne, which can have over 20-22g of fat in just 50g, making them extremely rich due to added cream, with other contenders being aged blue cheeses and dense Cheddars, but triple-cremes usually top the list.