Parmesan: Calories, Nutrition & Healthier Swaps
392 kcal per 100 g · Nutri-Score E
sugar: low saturated fat: high salt: high fiber: low
Parmesan is a long-aged hard cheese: very high in protein and calcium per 100 g, and in salt too. Its strong flavor means a grating goes a long way.
Parmesan nutrition facts per 100 g and per serving
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | Serving: grated, 20 g |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 392 kcal | 78 kcal |
| Protein | 36 g | 7.2 g |
| Fat | 26 g | 5.2 g |
| incl. saturated | 17 g | 3.4 g |
| Carbohydrates | 3.2 g | 0.6 g |
| incl. sugars | 0.8 g | 0.2 g |
| Fiber | 0 g | 0 g |
| Salt | 1.6 g | 0.3 g |
Values per 100 g as eaten, averaged from food composition tables (USDA FoodData Central and others) and rounded — a specific brand or recipe will differ a little.
Parmesan: what's in it
Nutritionally it's mainly a source of energy: 392 kcal per 100 g, 78 kcal per serving.
On the open Nutri-Score algorithm, parmesan gets an E: more of a sometimes food than an everyday one. The score weighs calories, sugar, saturated fat and salt against protein, fiber and the share of fruit, vegetables, legumes and nuts.
What to watch
- High in saturated fat: 17 g per 100 g, against a daily reference of about 20 g.
- High in salt: 1.6 g per 100 g, while the WHO suggests no more than 5 g of salt a day in total.
How much movement is one serving?
One serving (grated, 20 g) is 78 kcal — roughly 26 min of easy walking or 10 min of cycling for a 70 kg (154 lb) person. In the diary, minutes are worked out for your weight and the activities you actually do.
Healthier swaps for Parmesan
There's no same-category swap that is clearly better at the same calories. The simplest move is a smaller serving with vegetables on the side.
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