Dairy and eggs
Feta on a GLP-1: protein, portions and how to actually eat it
About 15 g of protein per 100 g (3.5 oz), block, in brine, for around 270 calories. A small crumbled handful, about 40 g (1.4 oz), gives roughly 6 g of protein for 108 calories.
To reach 30 g of protein from feta alone you would need about 200 g (7.1 oz). On a small appetite that is often more than one sitting allows, which is why we pair it rather than chase the whole target from one food.
How feta sits on a GLP-1
Feta is salty, sharp and crumbly, and at about 15 g per 100 g (3.5 oz) it is a middling protein that behaves more like a seasoning. That is not a criticism on a GLP-1. When your palate has flattened and food tastes of cardboard, a small amount of feta crumbled over eggs, lentils or roast vegetables is often the difference between finishing the plate and leaving it.
When your appetite is small
Use it to make a real protein taste better rather than as the protein. A small handful, about 40 g (1.4 oz), crumbled over two scrambled eggs adds 6 g and a sharp, salty edge, and the whole plate is about 19 g. Whipped with a little yoghurt it also becomes a dip that gets cold chicken or prawns eaten.
Three ways to prepare it
Crumbled over eggs, lentils or beans
Add it at the end so it stays in soft crumbs. The salt seasons the whole dish, so you need very little else.
Whipped feta dip
Feta, Greek yoghurt and lemon blended smooth. A cold, sharp dip for cold prawns, chicken or cucumber that is about 8 g in a small bowl.
Baked feta with cherry tomatoes
A block of feta in a small dish with tomatoes and olive oil at 200C, about 390F, for 20 minutes, then stirred through a little pasta. Around 20 g in a small bowl.
What to eat it with
Tomato, cucumber, olives, watermelon, lentils, spinach, eggs. It brings the salt, so pair it with something mild that needed seasoning and skip adding more.
How it compares
| Food | Protein per 100 g | Energy per 100 g | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feta | about 15 g | 270 kcal | this page |
| Halloumi | about 22 g | 320 kcal | See the page |
| Cheddar | about 25 g | 400 kcal | See the page |
| Cottage cheese | about 11 g | 100 kcal | See the page |
All figures are typical values for the food as eaten, block, in brine, not laboratory figures for a particular brand.
Australian, US and UK names
Feta is a protected name in the UK and Europe for the Greek sheep and goat's milk cheese; cow's milk versions are sold as Greek style salad cheese there. Australia sells Greek and Danish feta side by side, the Danish being smoother and milder. In the US, feta is usually cow's milk and sold in blocks or pre-crumbled.
Questions people ask
Is feta high in protein?
Moderate: about 15 g per 100 g (3.5 oz), so a typical 40 g (1.4 oz) crumble is 6 g. Its value on a small appetite is flavour, which gets other protein eaten, rather than the grams it brings on its own.
Your number comes first
Knowing what is in a food only helps once you know how much you are aiming for. The target is 1.2 to 1.6 g of protein per kg of your goal weight, not your current weight, which for most people is 90 to 140 g a day.
Work out your protein targetMore on eating well when your appetite is small: high protein foods for a small appetite, how much protein on a GLP-1, and every food we have written up. The whole system in five documents is the Keep Muscle Kit, A$47 / US$29 / £23.
EverStrong provides nutrition and strength coaching and education. It is not medical advice and does not replace your prescribing doctor.