Without a doubt, Mozzarella is America’s most popular cheese. And Mozzarella doesn’t get any better than the traditional form made with buffalo milk, Buffalo Mozzarella. Originally from Naples in southern Italy, this pasta filata cheese is referred to locally as Mozzarella di Bufala. Read on to discover the nutrition facts for Buffalo Mozzarella.
SEE ALSO: Nutrition facts for popular world cheeses in The Cheese Scientist’s index →
Nutrition Facts Summary for Buffalo Mozzarella
Most commercial versions of Buffalo Mozzarella are made with pasteurised milk. As such, it is usually deemed safe for consumption during pregnancy. You can either enjoy it fresh or, of course, cook with it. In southern Italy, you will sometimes find raw milk Buffalo Mozzarella. While it shouldn’t be eaten fresh during pregnancy, it can still be used in your cooking.
Because of its relatively low fat content, Buffalo Mozzarella is not a great cheese for people following a ketogenic diet. Having said that, there is a bit more fat in buffalo milk than cow’s milk. Hence, the amount of fat in Buffalo Mozzarella is slightly higher than in Fior di Latte or Bocconcini.
Finally, similar to most pasta filata cheeses, this Mozzarella is relatively low in lactose. As a result, most people with lactose intolerance can easily digest this Italian cheese.
References
Overall nutritional content
The nutritional content of cheese in our table comes from the USDA Food Data Central Repository, the Australian Food Composition Database and cheese manufacturers. We realise that there can be variations between different brands and producers. Hence, the numbers we have used are averages.
Fat content
Our fat RDI data comes from Cleveland Clinic’s Healthy Fat Intake resource.
Type of fat in cheese as per Harvard T.H. Chan’s The Nutrition Source.
Protein content
Our protein RDI data comes from Harvard Medical School’s Harvard Health Publishing.
Cholesterol content
Is There a Correlation between Dietary and Blood Cholesterol? Evidence from Epidemiological Data and Clinical Interventions? – Maria Luz Fernandez and Ana Gabriela Murillo
Saturated fat, carbohydrate, and cardiovascular disease – Patty W Siri-Tarino, Qi Sun, Frank B Hu and Ronald M Krauss
Effect of cheese consumption on blood lipids: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials – Janette de Goede, Johanna M Geleijnse, Eric L Ding, Sabita S Soedamah-Muthu
Safety in pregnancy
All the advice relating to what cheeses you can eat during pregnancy in this article is based on the recommendations by health authorities in Australia, the UK and the USA. If you are unsure about what you can or cannot eat, please consult your doctor.
Australia – FSANZ, United Kingdom – NHS and United Sates of America – FDA
Lactose content
Lactose residual content in PDO cheeses
Detection of lactose in products with low lactose content
The analysis of lactose in milk and cheese products by HPLC
Food Standards ANZ Food Composition Database
Lactose & Galactose content of cheese
Jonah is a a hipster, eco-warrior and slow food afficionado. Coming from a scientific background, Jonah has a particular interest in cheese science. And yes, he loves a good cheese pun!
