We Graded 13 Popular Cheeses A–F. Not One Earned a B.

Cheese gets a health halo from the keto and high-protein crowd — it is protein and calcium, after all. So we ran 13 of the most popular grocery cheeses through the exact same 6-dimension Labelgrade we use for everything else. The result surprised us: not a single one earned a B, let alone an A. The same things that make cheese delicious — concentrated saturated fat and a lot of sodium — are what cap the grade on an absolute packaged-food scale. This isn't 'cheese is bad'; it's a like-for-like ranking of which cheeses are the least compromised, with the receipts.

The verdict

13 cheeses graded, top score a B-: lower-fat string cheeses and a humble Kraft Single came out least-bad, while Boursin landed at the bottom — dragged down by saturated fat and sodium every time.

Top of the class B- Frigo Frigo, Cheese Heads, Light String Mozzarella Cheese 70/100

Bottom of the class C- Boursin Garlic & Herb Cheese 59/100

The full report card — all 13 cheeses, ranked

#	Cheese	Grade	Score	Weakest link
1	Frigo — Frigo, Cheese Heads, Light String Mozzarella Cheese	B-	70	sodium (23/100)
2	Kraft — Singles American Cheese Slices (Twin Pack)	B-	70	fiber (30/100)
3	Kraft — Mozzarella String Cheese Snacks	C+	68	sodium (27/100)
4	Galbani — Galbani, Mozzarella Cheese	C+	67	fiber (30/100)
5	Sargento — String Cheese Snacks (Mozzarella)	C+	66	sodium (30/100)
6	Cabot — Pepper Jack Cheese	C	63	saturated fat (19/100)
7	Tillamook — Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese	C	63	saturated fat (19/100)
8	Tillamook — Sharp Cheddar Cheese	C	63	saturated fat (19/100)
9	Babybel — Original Semisoft Cheese (Mini)	C	62	saturated fat (22/100)
10	Cabot — Sharp Cheddar Cheese	C	62	saturated fat (19/100)
11	Kraft — Natural Pepper Jack Cheese	C	61	saturated fat (25/100)
12	Philadelphia — Original Cream Cheese	C	61	saturated fat (19/100)
13	Boursin — Garlic & Herb Cheese	C-	59	saturated fat (21/100)

Worth a closer look

The two ends of the list tell the story. Frigo Frigo, Cheese Heads, Light String Mozzarella Cheese tops the class at 70/100 (B-); Boursin Garlic & Herb Cheese anchors the bottom at 59/100 (C-). Click any product for its full fact sheet — the six dimension sub-scores, the per-serving label, and what would move its grade. Prefer to slice it yourself? Filter every graded product by the dimension you care about.

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How we graded these

Each product is scored on six dimensions — protein density, ingredient quality, added sugar, sodium, fiber, and saturated fat — combined into a 0–100 score and a letter grade. Every number comes from the product’s own label, verified against USDA FoodData Central. The grade is absolute (relative to all packaged foods), which is why a whole category can land in the same band. See the full methodology. Last graded 2026-06-04.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did no cheese score an A or B?

On our 0–100 scale, saturated-fat load and sodium load are two of the six dimensions. Most cheeses are concentrated in both, which pulls the composite into the C–B- range no matter how much protein or calcium they bring. The grade is relative to all packaged foods, not just to other cheeses.

Which cheese scored best?

Lower-fat, lower-sodium formats win — part-skim string cheese and a light single edged out the full-fat blocks and spreads. See the ranked list above for the exact order and each one’s weakest dimension.

Is cheese unhealthy, then?

No. Cheese is a real source of protein and calcium and fits plenty of eating patterns. A C or B- here means "fine in moderation, watch the sodium and saturated fat" — not "avoid." The grade just keeps the comparison honest against everything else on the shelf.

How is the grade calculated?

Six dimensions — protein density, ingredient quality, added sugar, sodium, fiber, and saturated fat — combine into a 0–100 score and a letter grade. Every number is from the product’s own label, verified against USDA data. Full method on our methodology page.