Cheddar Cheese vs. Bittersweet Chocolate
Nutrition comparison of Cheddar Cheese and Bittersweet Chocolate
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
cheddar cheese
versus
bittersweet chocolate
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in cheddar cheese and bittersweet chocolate:
- Both bittersweet chocolate and cheddar cheese are high in calcium, calories, protein and saturated fat.
- Bittersweet chocolate has 48.5 times less cholesterol than cheddar cheese.
- Bittersweet chocolate has more thiamin and niacin, however, cheddar cheese contains more riboflavin, pantothenic acid, Vitamin B6 and Vitamin B12.
- Bittersweet chocolate is an excellent source of dietary fiber, iron and potassium.
- Cheddar cheese has more beta-carotene than bittersweet chocolate, however, bittersweet chocolate contains more lutein + zeaxanthin than cheddar cheese.
- Cheddar cheese has signficantly less carbohydrates than bittersweet chocolate.
- Cheddar cheese is an excellent source of Vitamin A.
- For omega-3 fatty acids, cheddar cheese has more dpa than bittersweet chocolate.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Cheddar Cheese (Cheese, cheddar) and Bittersweet Chocolate (Baking chocolate, unsweetened, squares) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Both bittersweet chocolate and cheddar cheese are high in calories. Bittersweet chocolate has 59% more calories than cheddar cheese - bittersweet chocolate has 642 calories per 100 grams and cheddar cheese has 403 calories.
For macronutrient ratios, cheddar cheese is heavier in protein, lighter in carbs and similar to bittersweet chocolate for fat. Cheddar cheese has a macronutrient ratio of 23:3:74 and for bittersweet chocolate, 9:18:73 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.
Macro Ratios from Calories:
| Cheddar Cheese | Bittersweet Chocolate | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 23% | 9% |
| Carbohydrates | 3% | 18% |
| Fat | 74% | 73% |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Cheddar cheese has signficantly less carbohydrates than bittersweet chocolate - bittersweet chocolate has 28.4g of total carbs per 100 grams and cheddar cheese has 3.4g of carbohydrates.
dietary fiber
Bittersweet chocolate is an excellent source of dietary fiber and it has more dietary fiber than cheddar cheese - bittersweet chocolate has 16.6g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and cheddar cheese does not contain significant amounts.
sugar
Bittersweet chocolate and cheddar cheese contain similar amounts of sugar - bittersweet chocolate has 0.91g of sugar per 100 grams and cheddar cheese has 0.48g of sugar.
Protein
protein
Both bittersweet chocolate and cheddar cheese are high in protein. Cheddar cheese has 60% more protein than bittersweet chocolate - bittersweet chocolate has 14.3g of protein per 100 grams and cheddar cheese has 22.9g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Both bittersweet chocolate and cheddar cheese are high in saturated fat. Bittersweet chocolate has 71% more saturated fat than cheddar cheese - bittersweet chocolate has 32.3g of saturated fat per 100 grams and cheddar cheese has 18.9g of saturated fat.
cholesterol
Bittersweet chocolate has 48.5 times less cholesterol than cheddar cheese - bittersweet chocolate has 2mg of cholesterol per 100 grams and cheddar cheese has 99mg of cholesterol.
Vitamins
Vitamin A
Cheddar cheese is an excellent source of Vitamin A and it has more Vitamin A than bittersweet chocolate - cheddar cheese has 337ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and bittersweet chocolate does not contain significant amounts.
Vitamin D
Cheddar cheese has more Vitamin D than bittersweet chocolate - cheddar cheese has 24iu of Vitamin D per 100 grams and bittersweet chocolate does not contain significant amounts.
Vitamin E
Bittersweet chocolate and cheddar cheese contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - bittersweet chocolate has 0.4mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and cheddar cheese has 0.71mg of Vitamin E.
Vitamin K
Bittersweet chocolate and cheddar cheese contain similar amounts of Vitamin K - bittersweet chocolate has 9.7ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and cheddar cheese has 2.4ug of Vitamin K.
The B Vitamins
Bittersweet chocolate has more thiamin and niacin, however, cheddar cheese contains more riboflavin, pantothenic acid, Vitamin B6 and Vitamin B12. Both cheddar cheese and bittersweet chocolate contain significant amounts of folate.
| Cheddar Cheese | Bittersweet Chocolate | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 0.029 MG | 0.147 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.428 MG | 0.1 MG |
| Niacin | 0.059 MG | 1.355 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.41 MG | 0.168 MG |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.066 MG | 0.027 MG |
| Folate | 27 UG | 28 UG |
| Vitamin B12 | 1.1 UG | ~ |
Minerals
calcium
Both bittersweet chocolate and cheddar cheese are high in calcium. Cheddar cheese has 603% more calcium than bittersweet chocolate - bittersweet chocolate has 101mg of calcium per 100 grams and cheddar cheese has 710mg of calcium.
iron
Bittersweet chocolate is an excellent source of iron and it has 123 times more iron than cheddar cheese - bittersweet chocolate has 17.4mg of iron per 100 grams and cheddar cheese has 0.14mg of iron.
potassium
Bittersweet chocolate is an excellent source of potassium and it has 992% more potassium than cheddar cheese - bittersweet chocolate has 830mg of potassium per 100 grams and cheddar cheese has 76mg of potassium.
Antioxidants and Phytonutrients
carotenoids
Carotenoids are micronutrients commonly found in plants and some animal products. An example is beta-carotene, the notable carotenoid which is a popular source of Vitamin A.[4][5]
For specific types of carotenoids, cheddar cheese has more beta-carotene than bittersweet chocolate per 100 grams, however, bittersweet chocolate contains more lutein + zeaxanthin than cheddar cheese per 100 grams.
| Cheddar Cheese | Bittersweet Chocolate | |
|---|---|---|
| beta-carotene | 85 UG | ~ |
| lutein + zeaxanthin | ~ | 38 UG |
Omega-3 and Omega-6
omega 3s
For omega-3 fatty acids, cheddar cheese has more DPA than bittersweet chocolate per 100 grams. Both cheddar cheese and bittersweet chocolate contain significant amounts of alpha linoleic acid (ALA).
| Cheddar Cheese | Bittersweet Chocolate | |
|---|---|---|
| alpha linoleic acid | 0.114 G | 0.117 G |
| DHA | 0.001 G | ~ |
| EPA | 0.01 G | ~ |
| DPA | 0.017 G | ~ |
| Total | 0.142 G | 0.117 G |
omega 6s
Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, both cheddar cheese and bittersweet chocolate contain significant amounts of linoleic acid.
| Cheddar Cheese | Bittersweet Chocolate | |
|---|---|---|
| other omega 6 | 0.048 G | 0.553 G |
| linoleic acid | 1.171 G | 1.435 G |
| Total | 1.219 G | 1.988 G |
Customize your serving size
The comparison below is by weight, but sometimes 100g isn't that intuitive of a measurement for food. View a custom portion comparison (e.g. cups, oz, package).
You can try adding or subtracting the amount of either Cheddar Cheese or Bittersweet Chocolate .
Note: The specific food items compared are: Cheddar Cheese (Cheese, cheddar) and Bittersweet Chocolate (Baking chocolate, unsweetened, squares) .
Cheddar Cheese g
()
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Daily Values (%) |
Bittersweet Chocolate g
()
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| G | 5% | monounsaturated fat | 5% | G | |||
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| G | 5% | trans fat | 5% | G | |||
| MG | 5% | cholesterol | 5% | MG | |||
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5% | sodium | 5% |
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5% | Vitamin A | 5% |
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5% | Vitamin C | 5% |
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5% | thiamin (Vit B1) | 5% |
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5% | riboflavin (Vit B2) | 5% |
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5% | niacin (Vit B3) | 5% |
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5% | Vitamin B6 | 5% |
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5% | pantothenic acid (Vit B5) | 5% |
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5% | folate (Vit B9) | 5% |
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5% | Vitamin B12 | 5% |
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5% | Vitamin E | 5% |
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5% | protein | 5% |
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5% | biotin (Vit B7) | 5% |
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5% | choline | 5% |
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5% | chlorine | 5% |
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5% | chromium | 5% |
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5% | copper | 5% |
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5% | fluoride | 5% |
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5% | iodine | 5% |
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5% | manganese | 5% |
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5% | molybdenum | 5% |
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5% | phosphorus | 5% |
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5% | selenium | 5% |
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5% | zinc | 5% |
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| G | 5% | Water | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | Starch | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | Alcohol | 5% | G | |||
FAQ
Does bittersweet chocolate or cheddar cheese contain more calories in 100 grams?Both bittersweet chocolate and cheddar cheese are high in calories. Bittersweet chocolate has 60% more calories than cheddar cheese - bittersweet chocolate has 642 calories in 100g and cheddar cheese has 403 calories.
Does bittersweet chocolate or cheddar cheese contain more calcium?
Both bittersweet chocolate and cheddar cheese are high in calcium. Cheddar cheese has 600% more calcium than bittersweet chocolate - bittersweet chocolate has 101mg of calcium in 100 grams and cheddar cheese has 710mg of calcium.
Does bittersweet chocolate or cheddar cheese contain more iron?
Bittersweet chocolate is an abundant source of iron and it has 123 times more iron than cheddar cheese - bittersweet chocolate has 17.4mg of iron in 100 grams and cheddar cheese has 0.14mg of iron.
Does bittersweet chocolate or cheddar cheese contain more potassium?
Bittersweet chocolate is a rich source of potassium and it has 990% more potassium than cheddar cheese - bittersweet chocolate has 830mg of potassium in 100 grams and cheddar cheese has 76mg of potassium.