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Dairy

Queso panela

Queso panela provides 17.9 g of protein for 286 kcal per 100 g (3.5 oz), or 6.3 g of protein for every 100 kcal.

USDA description: Queso panela

  • High in protein
  • Nutritious in small servings

Estimated satietyHow it is calculated

Starting point+1
Moderate energy density: 286 kcal/100 g0
Protein: 6.3 g/100 kcal+1
Fiber: 0.0 g/100 kcal0
Water: not declared on the source label0

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.

Prepared by
Last updated
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Sources
8 primary
Data
USDA FDC 2421279

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Nutrition facts

Calories
80 kcal per serving
286 kcal per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Protein
5 g per serving
17.9 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Carbohydrates
2 g per serving
7.1 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
of which sugars
1 g per serving
3.6 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Fiber
0 g per serving
0 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Fat
6 g per serving
21.4 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
of which saturated
4 g per serving
14.3 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Water
no data per serving
no data per 100 g (3.5 oz)

Source: USDA FoodData Central (Branded Foods): Queso panela basket cheese, Lala U.S. (FDC ID 2421279), accessed October 5, 2026.

A typical 28 g (1 oz) serving provides about 80 kcal, 5 g of protein, and 0 g of fiber.

The typical serving (28 g (1 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

Mexico's Federal Consumer Protection Agency (Profeco) describes queso panela as a fresh cheese, made by artisans or industrially, with a mild flavor, a spongy texture and a lot of moisture, eaten grilled, in salads or in stews. In Mexico, much of Central America, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador and Peru, "panela" also means unrefined cane sugar, according to the Dictionary of Americanisms, so look for "queso panela" at the store. USDA has no generic entry for this cheese, and this page uses the label of a queso panela listed in FoodData Central, with 286 kcal, 17.9 g of protein and 21.4 g of fat per 100 g.

A 28 g (1 oz) serving, the label serving, provides 5.0 g of protein and 80 kcal with 6.0 g of fat, so two servings, grilled in a dry pan or cubed over a salad, add up to 10 g of protein. The 2025 nutrition advisory on GLP-1 therapy suggests starting meals with protein and avoiding fatty foods in the first few days of treatment, and in Profeco's 2021 study seven of the eight reduced-fat versions had 12.7 to 15.2 g of fat per 100 g, versus 17.2 to 25.2 g in the seventeen regular panela cheeses. Once the package is open, Profeco advises draining the whey and always keeping the cheese refrigerated.

What the evidence says

According to the label it has 696 mg of calcium per 100 g, above the 240 mg the EU requires for a "high in calcium" claim, and a 28 g serving provides 195 mg, almost a quarter of the 800 mg reference value (Regulations (EC) No 1924/2006 and (EU) No 1169/2011). In 2021 Profeco analyzed seventeen panela cheeses sold in Mexico and found 14.6 to 21.2 g of protein per 100 g; two brands had less protein than their labels declared, and imitations, made with reconstituted skim milk and vegetable fats, must say "IMITACIÓN" (imitation) on the label. Spain's Ministry of Social Rights, Consumer Affairs and 2030 Agenda advises pregnant women to avoid fresh or soft cheeses, including Latin American cheeses, unless the label says they are made with pasteurized milk. The U.S. CDC advises pregnant women, people 65 or older and people with weakened immune systems to avoid unheated queso fresco and similar fresh, soft cheeses, even when made with pasteurized milk, and considers them safer heated to 165 °F (74 °C) or until steaming hot; panela is that kind of cheese.

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

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.
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 panela

How many grams of protein are in a 28 g (1 oz) serving of queso panela?

100 g (3.5 oz) of queso panela has 17.9 g of protein. A typical 28 g (1 oz) serving has about 5 g of protein. That is 6.3 g of protein per 100 kcal, which is why it carries our “High in protein” tag.

How many kcal are in a 28 g (1 oz) serving of queso panela?

100 g (3.5 oz) of queso panela has 286 kcal. A typical 28 g (1 oz) serving has about 80 kcal. That is a moderate energy density.

Does queso panela keep you full?

Not very filling for the calories it provides: our estimated satiety score is 2 out of 5. It is based on: our rule adds points for low energy density, for protein and fiber per 100 kcal, and for water in solid foods, and subtracts points for drinks with calories. It is an estimate based on its composition, not a measurement in people.

How does queso panela fit into eating on Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, or Zepbound?

Based on our tags, this is what matters about queso panela on a GLP-1 medication. “High in protein”: plenty of protein per calorie; protein helps preserve muscle mass when you eat less. “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 is a typical serving of queso panela?

We use 28 g (1 oz) as a typical serving. That amount provides about 80 kcal, 5 g of protein, and 0 g of fiber. It is a reference for calculations, not a recommendation of how much to eat.

See all foods

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 (Branded Foods): Queso panela basket cheese, Lala U.S. (FDC ID 2421279).accessed .
  2. RegulatorFederal Consumer Protection Agency (Profeco), Mexico.Estudio de calidad: Queso panela e imitaciones (Quality study: queso panela and imitations), Revista del Consumidor, December 2021 (in Spanish).accessed .
  3. InstitutionAssociation of Academies of the Spanish Language (ASALE).Diccionario de americanismos (Dictionary of Americanisms): "panela" (in Spanish).accessed .
  4. 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 .
  5. RegulatorOfficial Journal of the European Union (EUR-Lex).Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 on nutrition and health claims made on foods (Annex).accessed .
  6. 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; Annex XIV, conversion factors).accessed .
  7. RegulatorMinistry of Social Rights, Consumer Affairs and 2030 Agenda (Spain).Alimentación segura durante el embarazo (Safe eating during pregnancy).accessed .
  8. InstitutionU.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Preventing Listeria Infection.accessed .