• Careers
  • Education
  • Research
Ochsner Health Ochsner Health
  • About
  • Find A Doctor (current)
  • Find A Location
  • Specialties & Treatments
MyOchsner Logo
Login | Signup
Submit Search
Close Search
  •   Home
  • In To Your Health...
  • Food & Fitness
  • Conditions & Treatment
  • Health Trends
  • Prevention & Wellness
  • Women's Health
  • Men's Health
  • Mental Health
  • Parenting
  • I need to...
  • Find A Doctor
  • Find A Location
  • Find A Specialty
  • Schedule An Appointment
  • Pay A Bill
  • Explore
  • About Ochsner
  • Careers
  • Patients & Visitors
  • "To Your Health" Blog
  • Health Resources
  • Medical Professionals
  • Education
  • Philanthropy
  • Community Outreach
  • Research
  • Ochsner Health Network
  • Schedule an Appointment
  • Call: 1-866-624-7637
  • Online: Login to MyOchsner
  • Personalize your content
  • patient Edit Persona Persona Chooser
To Your Health

View Newsletter Editions
  • Food & Fitness
  • Conditions & Treatment
  • Health Trends
  • Prevention & Wellness
  • Women's Health
  • Men's Health
  • Mental Health
  • Parenting
Thinkstockphotos 470339169 Tiny2

Shredded Cheese Best Picks

Updated: Sep 4, 2020 | Originally Published: Apr 20, 2016 |
By Molly Kimball, RD, CSSD
Share Facebook Logo Twitter Logo Pinterest Logo Email Logo

Did you know there can be more than just cheese in your store bought shredded cheese? Some shredded cheeses contain cellulose from wood pulp and added carbohydrates. Cellulose is a plant fiber that is added to foods to give texture and bulk. It also keeps shredded cheeses from clumping together. 

One of the main sources for cellulose is wood pulp and although it may seem strange, it is not harmful to your body and it passes through your GI tract unabsorbed. Even though these fibers are harmless, they will add carbs to your cheese. However, there are a few cheeses that do not contain any of these added carbs. Here are a few from my Love It, Like It, Hate It segment on WGNO.

Love It!

The best option is to shred your own cheese, and a great cheese to start with is Cabot Sharp Light Cheese. We like Cabot because it is a lower calorie cheese with no added carb fillers. It also has better flavor, texture and melts more easily than most pre-shredded cheeses. 

If you would prefer to buy a pre-shredded cheese, Whole Foods 365 Shredded 3 Cheese Blend has no added carbs or cellulose fiber and is not too pricey.

Like It!

Kraft 2% Shredded Cheese contains corn starch, which isn’t not harmful but does add carbs. It’s a good option if you are not going to go to Whole Foods or cannot shred your own. 

Please note this cheese also contains natamycyin, a mold inhibitor that’s banned by Whole Foods but is regarded as safe by other government and health watchdog groups. Part of the concern around natamycyin is that it can potentially lead to a resistance to topical anti-fungal medications, but there is no evidence to support that normal amounts consumed would lead to resistance.

Hate It!

Borden Shredded Cheese is on this list because it contains starchy add-ins and is high in saturated fat. It also contains cellulose powder, potato starch and natamycyin.

If there was a Hate It! Hate it! category, Velveeta Shreds would make it. Not only does this shredded cheese have starchy add-ins and is higher in carbs, it also contains 3x more sodium than most other brands. Other ingredients include modified food starch, potato starch, cellulose powder, as well as 3 grams of carbs.

So next time your recipe calls for shredded cheese, you should opt for shredding your own or choosing a brand with low cellulose and no added carbs.

For more details, watch the full Love It, Like It, Hate It segment or subscribe to my podcast FUELED | wellness + nutrition for the latest trends and research related to your body and mind.

Ready to change your diet for good? Our registered dietitians can help. Learn more.

Tags
cheese

You may also be interested in:

Getty Images 468526278
Food & Fitness
Jul 5, 2019

Top 6 Costco Food Finds

Here are 6 healthy, budget-friendly food items you can pick up at Costco.
Vegetable Pizza
Food & Fitness
Jul 6, 2016

Frozen Pizza: Best and Worst Brands

Frozen pizza can be tasty AND nutritious! Molly Kimball gives her selections for the best and worst frozen pizzas at the grocery stores.
Thinkstockphotos 176437019
Food & Fitness
Aug 3, 2015

Best and Worst Kid-Friendly Cheese Crackers

Check out which cheese cracker products on the market make the cut and which ones you should avoid.

Comments about the blog? Send us an email!

Ochsner Health Ochsner Health

Schedule An Appointment: 1-866-624-7637

Follow us: Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Instagram YouTube Pinterest

Healthy living tips, delivered weekly to your inbox.

Patients & Visitors

  • Billing & Financial Services
  • Insurance Information
  • International Patients
  • Request Medical Records
  • Share Your Story
  • Read Patient Stories

Medical Professionals

  • Transfer a Patient
  • Refer a Patient

Health Resources

  • To Your Health Blog
  • Golden Opportunity
  • Hello Health Seminars
  • Ochsner Magazine

Job Seekers

  • Career Paths
  • Benefits
  • Open Positions

Employees

  • Webmail
  • OHSLink
  • Workday

Employers

  • Corporate Wellness
  • Medicare Advantage Plans

Community Outreach

  • Classes & Events
  • Programs
  • Community Health Needs Assessment
  • Dr. John Ochsner Discovery Health Sciences Academy

Education

  • Graduate Medical Education
  • Clinical Medical Education
  • Continuing Medical Education
  • Medical Library
  • Publishing Services
  • Medical Illustrations

Research

  • Clinical Trials
  • Applied Health Services Research
  • Clinical Research & Trials
  • Nursing Research
  • Translational Research

Giving

  • Donate
  • Volunteer

About Ochsner

  • Mission & Vision
  • History
  • Annual Report
  • Outcomes & Honors
  • News & Media
  • Alumni
  • Ochsner Health Network
  • Contact Us

Shop

  • O Bar
  • Optical Shop
  • Ochsner Fitness Center
  • Brent House Hotel

© Ochsner Health  | Notice of Privacy Practices | Terms of Use | Vendor Information

Ochsner accepts all major insurances.

Ochsner is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization, founded on providing the best patient care, research, and education.

We are one of the country’s largest non-university based academic medical centers.

Ochsner is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin or ancestry, citizenship, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, disability or any other protected characteristic under applicable law.

Community Needs Health Assessment

EpicMobile Tablet | EpicMobile Phone

Healthy Living Tips, Delivered Right To Your Inbox

* indicates required


Must Reads
Food and Fitness
Men’s Health
Parenting
Women’s Health

Source:
Source Description:
Marketing Goal:


Get Weekly Health Tips

Select the weekly newsletters you'd like to receive.

Please select at least one category to continue.

Curious about our newsletters?

View details for each edition

Let us know where to send your weekly newsletters.

To Your Health- Food and Fitness:
To Your Health- General:
To Your Health- Men’s Health:
To Your Health- Parenting:
To Your Health- Women’s Health:

Source:
Source Description:
Marketing Goal:

You're all set!

We’ll send newsletters full of healthy living tips right to your inbox every week.

Ochsner Health System
ESC to Close

Begin Typing to Search

Select the drop-down to filter Search by Blog Articles or Sitewide