SEE ALSO: Nutrition facts for popular world cheeses in The Cheese Scientist’s index → 

What is Cheez Whiz? 

Cheez Whiz is a processed cheese spread known for its smooth, creamy texture and distinctive flavour. It is typically made from a blend of cheese, milk solids, emulsifiers, stabilizers, and other additives.  

As a matter of fact, this gooey orangish-yellow spread dates back to the early 1950’s when it was first developed by a team of scientists led by Edwin Traisman. At the time, Kraft wanted to develop a mild cheese spread that would replicate some of the qualities of the spread used in Welsh rarebit. 

Presently, you can buy Cheez Whiz in the USA, Canada, Mexico, the Philippines and Venezuela. And it is most often sold in a glass jar. 

You can learn more about this popular American spread in our Cheez Whiz Cheese Definition Test here. 

Nutrition fact sheet for Cheez Whiz

Nutrition review for Cheez Whiz 

Eating healthy plays a pivotal role in maintaining overall well-being and preventing chronic diseases. A balanced and nutritious diet provides our bodies with essential vitamins, minerals, and macronutrients, fuelling optimal physical and cognitive function. 

With this in mind, let’s have a look at some of the key nutrition facts for Cheez Whiz. 

1. High calcium content

Calcium is essential for maintaining healthy bones and teeth, and Cheez Whiz delivers 359 mg per 100 g, covering 28% of the recommended daily value. For people who struggle to meet their calcium requirements through natural dairy products or leafy greens, Cheez Whiz offers a convenient alternative.

This benefit is especially important for growing children, teenagers and older adults who are more susceptible to osteoporosis.

2. Moderate protein content

Protein is crucial for muscle repair, enzyme production and overall body function. Cheez Whiz provides 12 g of protein per 100 g, which is moderate compared to traditional cheeses like Cheddar (25 g per 100 g). While not a high-protein option, it still contributes to daily protein needs, particularly when paired with other protein sources in a meal.

3. Excessive sodium

With 1638 mg of sodium per 100 g, Cheez Whiz contains 71% of the daily value for sodium. High sodium intake is a leading cause of hypertension, which can lead to heart disease, kidney damage and stroke. People consuming Cheez Whiz alongside other high-sodium foods, such as crackers or chips, may easily exceed their daily sodium limits.

4. High saturated fat

Saturated fats, which make up 13 g of the 21 g total fat in Cheez Whiz, are associated with increased LDL cholesterol (the “bad” cholesterol) levels in the blood. This raises the risk of heart disease and other cardiovascular problems. For those following a heart-healthy diet, the saturated fat content in Cheez Whiz makes it a poor choice.

5. Added sugars

Containing 6.7 g of sugar per 100 g, Cheez Whiz is higher in sugar than many natural cheeses, which typically have negligible sugar content. Excessive sugar intake can contribute to weight gain, dental problems and metabolic diseases such as Type 2 diabetes.

While the sugar content is not alarmingly high, it is unusual for a cheese product and adds unnecessary calories.

6. Low micronutrient density

Although it provides calcium, Cheez Whiz lacks other essential vitamins like vitamin D, which aids calcium absorption. The potassium content is also low, providing only 5% of the daily value. These gaps make it a less nutritionally rounded choice compared to more natural cheese varieties or fortified dairy products.

7. Highly processed nature

Cheez Whiz is a processed cheese product made with stabilisers, emulsifiers and preservatives. While these ingredients give it a smooth texture and long shelf life, they also strip it of the natural nutrients found in traditional cheeses. This makes it less ideal for those prioritising whole, minimally processed foods in their diets.

8. Not suitable for specific dietary needs

• Pregnancy and breastfeeding: The high sodium and saturated fat content make it unsuitable for those needing balanced, nutrient-dense foods during these stages.
• Lactose intolerance: With 2.2 g of lactose per 100 g, it is not safe for people with moderate to severe lactose intolerance.
• Low-fat or low-sodium diets: Cheez Whiz fails to meet the criteria for these diets, making it a poor choice for people with conditions like hypertension or hyperlipidaemia.

What is the CHSR of Cheez Whiz?

Let’s calculate the Health Star Rating (HSR) for Cheez Whiz based on its nutritional data.

Step 1: Baseline points (per 100 g)

These points are based on the energy, saturated fat, sodium, and total sugar content:

Baseline points = 3 + 5 + 14 + 5 = 27

Step 2: Modifying points

These points reward beneficial components like protein, fibre, and calcium:

Modifying points = -3 + 0 – 1 = -4

Step 3: Net score

Net score = Baseline points – Modifying points = 27 – 4 = 23

Using the HSR scoring table:

• A net score of 23 corresponds to 1 star.

Step 4: Adjustment for processed cheese product

For processed cheese products, we apply an adjustment of -0.5 stars to account for the inclusion of additives and the highly processed nature of the product. This adjustment reflects that processed cheese products are generally less healthy compared to natural cheese.

Adjusted CHSR for Cheez Whiz

• Base score: 1 star
• Processed cheese adjustment: -0.5 stars

Final Health Star Rating: 0.5 star

Why Cheez Whiz has a CHSR of 0.5

While Cheez Whiz does have some nutritional positives, the overwhelming negatives significantly outweigh these benefits. The CHSR is designed to prioritise healthfulness and penalise products that may contribute to health issues like high blood pressure, obesity and cardiovascular diseases.

Here’s a breakdown of why the positives couldn’t compensate for the negatives:

• Sodium: The sodium content alone is enough to place Cheez Whiz in the lowest category, as it far exceeds recommended levels for a single food product.
• Saturated fat: Combined with sodium, the high saturated fat content pushed the score even lower.
• Lack of diversity: The absence of fibre, vitamins and other essential nutrients left the product with little to redeem itself.

You can read more about how the CHSR is calculated by clicking here.

Conclusion

Cheez Whiz’s CHSR of 0.5 star reflects its status as an indulgent, highly processed food with minimal nutritional value and significant health risks. While it can be enjoyed in moderation as part of a balanced diet, it is far from a healthy choice.

For those looking to include cheese in their diet, traditional varieties such as Gouda, Cheddar or Mozzarella provide much better nutritional value with fewer negative factors.

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 

USDA Food Data Central 

Lactose & Galactose content of cheese 

Jonah Kincaid

Cheese lover. Scientist. Created a website and a Youtube channel about cheese science because he could not find answers to his questions online. 

cheesescientist.com

The post Cheez Whiz Nutrition Facts (Is Cheez Whiz Bad For You?) appeared first on Cheese Scientist.

SEE ALSO: How some of your favourite foods score on our Cheese Definition Test →

Official Cheese Definition Test

Now this is a hotly debated topic even amongst cheese professionals. And you will be hard-pressed to find an accurate definition of what makes a product cheese. The main reason for this is how complex and varied cheeses can be. 

However, we wanted to give this a go. After prolonged deliberations, we’ve come up with these essential characteristics:

• Criterion 1: Milk or milk-derived ingredient
• Criterion 2: Allowed (but optional) ingredients
• Criterion 3: Coagulation of milk (or milk-derived product)
• Criterion 4: Separation of curds and whey

You can read more about our Official Cheese Definition test by clicking here.

What is Cheez Whiz?

Cheez Whiz is a brand of processed cheese sauce made by Kraft Foods in the United States. Yes, this gooey orangish-yellow spread dates back to the early 1950’s when it was first developed by a team of scientists led by Edwin Traisman. At the time, Kraft wanted to develop a mild cheese spread that would replicate some of the qualities of the spread used in Welsh rarebit.

Presently, you can buy Cheez Whiz in the USA, Canada, Mexico, the Philippines and Venezuela. And it is most often sold in a glass jar. 

Is Cheez Whiz real cheese?

The short answer to this is NO. As a matter of fact, the FDA recognises Cheez Whiz as a processed cheese product. The reason for this is because of the large number of non-dairy ingredients that are present in this commercial product.

But it wasn’t always so. According to Dean Southworth, one of the scientists at Kraft, their original recipe included a significant amount of real cheese. However, the recipe evolved over time for commercial reasons.

What can you use Cheez Whiz in?

In the US, Cheez Whiz is very commonly used as the cheese in a Philadelphia-style Cheesesteak. In addition to this, you can often find this American cheese product as a topping on a number of other foods such as corn chips and hot dogs. 

What are the different varieties of Cheez Whiz?

Wanting to cash in on the popularity of their product, Kraft Foods started marketing a range of varieties of Cheez Whiz. Presently, some of the varieties include the following: 

• Cheez Whiz Tex Mex 
• Cheez Whiz Italia 
• Cheez Whiz Bacon 
• Cheez Whiz Pimiento 

Is Cheez Whiz healthy?

Due to its high saturated fats and sodium content, this product is definitely not a healthy choice. Indeed, anyone with high cholesterol and high blood pressure should avoid Cheez Whiz. 

You can find our complete assessment of the nutrition facts of Cheez Whiz here.

Conclusion: Cheez Whiz is NOT real cheese. But it is an American classic!

So, is Cheez Whiz real cheese or not? The short answer is NO. Actually, the FDA classifies this popular food as a “Processed Cheese Product”. While Cheez Whiz contains some of the same ingredients as traditional cheese, it also includes a variety of other additives that are not allowed.  

However, that doesn’t mean that Cheez Whiz isn’t a tasty and accessible ingredient that can be used in a wide variety of dishes. Could you even image a Philly Cheesesteak without the goopy melted Cheez Whiz on top?

Are you a Cheez Whiz fan? I’d love to hear your thoughts on this popular food product. Please leave a comment below. 

Jonah Kincaid

Cheese lover. Scientist. Created a website and a Youtube channel about cheese science because he could not find answers to his questions online. 

cheesescientist.com

The post Is Cheez Whiz Real Cheese or Not? appeared first on Cheese Scientist.