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Meat, fish, and eggs

Queso fresco

Queso fresco provides 18.1 g of protein for 299 kcal per 100 g (3.5 oz), or 6.1 g of protein for every 100 kcal.

USDA description: Queso fresco

  • High in protein
  • Easy to digest
  • Nutritious in small servings

Estimated satietyHow it is calculated

Starting point+1
Moderate energy density0
Moderate protein per calorie+1

Our own estimate from the values per 100 g: useful for comparing foods with each other, not a measurement in people. Holt index (1995): this food was not measured.

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Last updated
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Sources
8 primary
Data
USDA FDC 172223

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Nutrition facts

Calories
179 kcal per serving
299 kcal per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Protein
10.9 g per serving
18.1 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Carbohydrates
1.8 g per serving
3 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
of which sugars
1.4 g per serving
2.3 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Fiber
0 g per serving
0 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Fat
14.3 g per serving
23.8 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
of which saturated
7.7 g per serving
12.9 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Water
30.8 g per serving
51.4 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)

Source: USDA FoodData Central: Cheese, fresh, queso fresco (FDC ID 172223), accessed September 23, 2026.

A typical 60 g (2 oz) serving provides about 179 kcal, 10.9 g of protein, and 0 g of fiber.

The typical serving (60 g (2 oz)) is a common amount used for the math, not a recommendation. Ounces and cups are rounded US equivalents; the values come from the database entry cited in the sources.

What it is and how to eat it

The Codex Alimentarius defines unripened cheeses, including fresh cheeses, as those ready to eat shortly after they are made, and salt (sodium chloride) is among their permitted ingredients. In Mexico and Central America queso fresco is white, moist and crumbles easily; similar fresh cheeses go by other names elsewhere, such as queso campesino in Colombia, and in Spain the best-known one is queso de Burgos. This page uses the Latin American-style queso fresco analyzed by USDA, with 18.1 g of protein and 23.8 g of fat per 100 g; fat varies a lot between brands, so check the label.

A 60 g (2 oz) serving provides 10.9 g of protein and 179 kcal, and it crumbles over dishes that would not provide much protein on their own, such as the nopal and black bean tacos with queso fresco or the Mexican-style egg white omelet with queso fresco. The 2025 nutrition advisory on GLP-1 therapy suggests eating protein-rich foods first, and a soft, cold cheese is easy to eat when appetite is low. This version has 14.3 g of fat per serving, and the same advisory suggests avoiding fatty foods in the first few days of treatment; in those days, and after each dose increase, half a serving or a lower-fat fresh cheese, going by the label, may sit better.

What the evidence says

It stands out for calcium: 566 mg per 100 g according to USDA, so a 60 g serving provides 340 mg, well above the 120 mg per 100 g the EU requires for a "source of calcium" claim (Regulations (EC) No 1924/2006 and (EU) No 1169/2011). It is also fairly salty: 751 mg of sodium per 100 g, about 451 mg per serving, almost a quarter of the 2,000 mg a day that WHO recommends not exceeding. Lactose is low, 1.4 g per serving, far below the 12 g that, according to EFSA, the vast majority of people who digest lactose poorly tolerate at once. The CDC advises pregnant women, adults over 65 and people with weakened immune systems not to eat unheated queso fresco, even when made with pasteurized milk, because of the risk of Listeria; heated until steaming hot (165 °F, 74 °C), it is considered safer.

The sources for this section are listed under "Sources" at the end of the page.

Recipes with this food

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Satiety

The 1 to 5 score is our own estimate: it starts at 1 point, adds points for low energy density, for protein and fiber per 100 kcal, and for the water in solid foods, and subtracts points for drinks with calories. It is useful for comparing foods with each other; it is not a measurement in people.

What to keep in mind on a GLP-1 medication

High in protein
It has at least 10 g of protein per 100 g and 6 g per 100 kcal. Protein is the most filling nutrient per calorie and helps preserve muscle mass during weight loss, which matters especially when a GLP-1 medication reduces your appetite.
Easy to digest
It is a soft or low-fat food that many people tolerate well when they feel nauseous or get full quickly. This is an editorial judgment based on common patient guidance, not a measurement: everyone tolerates foods differently.
Nutritious in small servings
It provides protein, healthy fats, or other nutrients in a small volume. That is practical when you eat little and every bite needs to count.

Frequently asked questions about queso fresco

How much protein is in a 60 g (2 oz) serving of queso fresco?

100 g (3.5 oz) of queso fresco has 18.1 g of protein. A typical 60 g (2 oz) serving has about 10.9 g of protein. That is 6.1 g of protein per 100 kcal, which is why it carries our “High in protein” tag.

How many calories does a 60 g (2 oz) serving of queso fresco have?

100 g (3.5 oz) of queso fresco has 299 kcal. A typical 60 g (2 oz) serving has about 179 kcal. That is a moderate energy density.

Is queso fresco filling?

Not very filling for the calories it provides: our estimated satiety score is 2 out of 5. It is based on: moderate energy density; moderate protein per calorie. It is an estimate based on its composition, not a measurement in people.

How does queso fresco sit with nausea from a GLP-1 medication?

Based on our tags, this is what matters about queso fresco on a GLP-1 medication. “High in protein”: plenty of protein per calorie; protein helps preserve muscle mass when you eat less. “Easy to digest”: a soft or low-fat food that many people tolerate well when they feel nauseous or get full quickly. “Nutritious in small servings”: a lot of nutrition in a small volume, which is practical when you eat little. These are general guidelines, not medical advice: everyone tolerates foods differently.

What counts as a normal serving of queso fresco?

We use 60 g (2 oz) as a typical serving. That amount provides about 179 kcal, 10.9 g of protein, and 0 g of fiber. It is a reference for calculations, not a recommendation of how much to eat.

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Sources

Sources for the data on this page, with the access date.

  1. Official databaseU.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service.USDA FoodData Central: Cheese, fresh, queso fresco (FDC ID 172223).accessed .
  2. InstitutionCodex Alimentarius (FAO/WHO).Group Standard for Unripened Cheese including Fresh Cheese (CXS 221-2001).accessed .
  3. Clinical guidelineObesity (Wiley).Mozaffarian D, et al. Nutritional priorities to support GLP-1 therapy for obesity: A joint Advisory from the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, the American Society for Nutrition, the Obesity Medicine Association, and The Obesity Society. Obesity. 2025;33(8):1475-1503. doi:10.1002/oby.24336.accessed .
  4. RegulatorOfficial Journal of the European Union (EUR-Lex).Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 on nutrition and health claims made on foods (Annex).accessed .
  5. RegulatorOfficial Journal of the European Union (EUR-Lex).Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 on the provision of food information to consumers (Annex XIII, nutrient reference values).accessed .
  6. InstitutionWorld Health Organization.Sodium reduction.accessed .
  7. RegulatorEFSA Journal.EFSA NDA Panel. Scientific Opinion on lactose thresholds in lactose intolerance and galactosaemia. EFSA Journal. 2010;8(9):1777. doi:10.2903/j.efsa.2010.1777.accessed .
  8. InstitutionU.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Preventing Listeria Infection.accessed .