Dairy Is Not One Food
“Dairy is a good source of calcium and protein” hides an enormous range. Per 100g, hard parmesan carries ten times the calcium of whole milk and eleven times the protein. Cottage cheese, despite the name, has less calcium than a glass of milk. The differences come down to two processes: how much water was removed, and what happened to the whey.
The FDA Daily Values used below are 1,300mg for calcium and 50g for protein.
The Full Comparison, per 100g
| Food (FDC ID) | Calories (kcal) | Protein (g) | Fat (g) | Calcium (mg) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cheese, parmesan, hard(170848) | 392 | 35.8 | 25.0 | 1,184 |
| Cheese, mozzarella, nonfat(169051) | 141 | 31.7 | 0.0 | 961 |
| Cheese, mozzarella, part skim(170847) | 254 | 24.3 | 15.9 | 782 |
| Cheese, cheddar(173414) | 403 | 22.9 | 33.3 | 710 |
| Cheese, mozzarella, whole milk(170845) | 299 | 22.2 | 22.1 | 505 |
| Yogurt, plain, skim milk(170887) | 56 | 5.7 | 0.2 | 199 |
| Yogurt, plain, low fat(170886) | 63 | 5.3 | 1.6 | 183 |
| Milk, nonfat, protein fortified(171271) | 41 | 4.0 | 0.3 | 143 |
| Milk, lowfat 1%, vitamin A & D added(170872) | 42 | 3.4 | 1.0 | 125 |
| Milk, nonfat (skim), vitamin A & D added(171269) | 34 | 3.4 | 0.1 | 122 |
| Yogurt, plain, whole milk(171284) | 61 | 3.5 | 3.3 | 121 |
| Yogurt, Greek, plain, lowfat(170903) | 73 | 10.0 | 1.9 | 115 |
| Milk, whole 3.25%, vitamin D added(171265) | 61 | 3.2 | 3.3 | 113 |
| Cheese, cottage, lowfat 2%(172182) | 81 | 10.5 | 2.3 | 111 |
| Yogurt, Greek, plain, nonfat(170894) | 59 | 10.2 | 0.4 | 110 |
| Yogurt, Greek, plain, whole milk(171304) | 97 | 9.0 | 5.0 | 100 |
| Cheese, cottage, creamed(172179) | 98 | 11.1 | 4.3 | 83 |
| Cheese, cottage, lowfat 1%(173417) | 72 | 12.4 | 1.0 | 61 |
Source: USDA FoodData Central. Sorted by calcium content per 100g.
🦴 See the full calcium ranking across all foods →Does Greek Yogurt Have More Calcium?
This is the most common misconception about Greek yogurt, and the USDA data answers it clearly: no. Greek yogurt has roughly twice the protein of regular yogurt but less calcium.
| Food (FDC ID) | Calories (kcal) | Protein (g) | Fat (g) | Calcium (mg) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yogurt, plain, low fat(170886) | 63 | 5.3 | 1.6 | 183 |
| Yogurt, Greek, plain, lowfat(170903) | 73 | 10.0 | 1.9 | 115 |
| Yogurt, plain, skim milk(170887) | 56 | 5.7 | 0.2 | 199 |
| Yogurt, Greek, plain, nonfat(170894) | 59 | 10.2 | 0.4 | 110 |
The reason is straining. Greek yogurt is regular yogurt with the liquid whey drained off. Casein protein stays behind and concentrates — hence 10.0g versus 5.3g. But a large share of yogurt’s calcium is dissolved in that whey, so it leaves with it. Straining also removes most of the lactose, which is why Greek yogurt is often better tolerated by people who are lactose sensitive.
🥛 Choose regular yogurt for
Calcium (183–199mg per 100g), lower calories, and a thinner texture for cooking and dressings.
🥄 Choose Greek yogurt for
Protein (10.0–10.2g per 100g), satiety, less lactose, and a thick texture that holds up as a substitute for sour cream.
Whole, 2%, 1%, Skim: What Actually Changes
Removing fat from milk barely touches the protein or calcium. It mainly removes calories — and, because vitamins A and D are fat-soluble, they are added back by fortification in reduced-fat products.
| Food (FDC ID) | Calories (kcal) | Protein (g) | Fat (g) | Calcium (mg) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milk, whole, 3.25% milkfat(171265) | 61 | 3.2 | 3.3 | 113 |
| Milk, reduced fat 2%, with added solids(170870) | 51 | 3.5 | 1.9 | 128 |
| Milk, lowfat 1%(170872) | 42 | 3.4 | 1.0 | 125 |
| Milk, nonfat (fat free / skim)(171269) | 34 | 3.4 | 0.1 | 122 |
Across the whole range, protein moves between 3.2g and 3.5g and calcium between 113mg and 128mg per 100g. Calories drop from 61 to 34. If you drink milk for its protein or calcium, the fat level is almost irrelevant to that goal — it is a calorie decision, not a nutrient one.
Note: milk is measured by volume in US kitchens. One cup is 244ml, so a cup of whole milk is roughly 8g protein and 276mg calcium — about 21% of the calcium Daily Value.
Why Hard Cheeses Dominate on Calcium
Parmesan at 1,184mg per 100g isn’t magic — it is milk with almost all the water removed. It takes roughly 10 liters of milk to make 1kg of hard cheese, and the calcium comes along with the curd rather than leaving with the whey.
The practical catch is portion size. Nobody eats 100g of parmesan. A 28g (1 oz) serving delivers about 331mg of calcium and 110 calories. A 28g serving of cheddar is about 199mg of calcium and 113 calories. Both are efficient calcium sources per calorie, and both bring significant sodium and saturated fat.
Cottage cheese is the outlier in the other direction. It is made by draining curds after an acid set, and much of the calcium never makes it into the final product — 61mg per 100g for the 1% version, less than half of what plain milk provides, despite 12.4g of protein.
Key Takeaways
- ✓Greek yogurt has about twice the protein of regular yogurt (10.0g vs 5.3g per 100g) but less calcium (115mg vs 183mg) — straining removes whey, and calcium goes with it.
- ✓Whole milk: 61 kcal, 3.2g protein, 113mg calcium per 100g. About 8g protein and 276mg calcium per cup.
- ✓Skimming milk changes calories (61 → 34 kcal) but barely changes protein or calcium.
- ✓Hard cheeses are the densest calcium sources: parmesan 1,184mg and cheddar 710mg per 100g — but a realistic 1 oz serving is 331mg and 199mg respectively.
- ✓Cottage cheese is high in protein (12.4g) and low in calcium (61mg) — the opposite profile to what the name suggests.
- ✓For calcium per calorie, skim milk and plain nonfat yogurt are the most efficient choices in the category.
Related reading: Calcium-Rich Foods, Protein Per 100g Compared, and Vitamin D-Rich Foods — vitamin D is what allows dietary calcium to be absorbed.
Data Source
・USDA FoodData Central — Foundation Foods and SR Legacy
・FDA Daily Values (21 CFR 101.9)
This article is general nutrition information and is not intended to diagnose or treat any condition.