Camembert Nutrition Benefits and Facts

Nutritional summary

Camembert is a fermented soft cheese that provides a dense source of protein and calcium, though it is also high in saturated fat and sodium .
While institutional guidelines often recommend low-fat dairy to manage cardiovascular risk, recent systematic reviews and institutional reports suggest that the saturated fat in the "cheese matrix" (the complex structure of proteins and minerals in cheese) may not affect blood cholesterol or heart health as negatively as the fats found in red meat .
The fermentation process used to create Camembert's characteristic rind involves specific molds like Penicillium camemberti, which may alter how the body processes the cheese's fat and mineral content compared to non-fermented dairy .
Early research suggests that specific compounds produced during the ripening of Camembert, such as oleamide, may have a relationship with cognitive health, though more large-scale human trials are needed to confirm these effects .

Interesting fact

The specific white mold used to create its rind, Penicillium camemberti, was only isolated and standardized in the early 20th century, prior to which Camembert rinds were often blue-grey or green-spotted.

Standout nutrients

EPIC

SOURCE

Calcium

EPIC

SOURCE

Riboflavin (Vitamin B2)

SUPER

SOURCE

Protein from Amino Acids

SUPER

SOURCE

Chloride

235

kcal per 100g

Protein22.7g

Fat17.0g

Sugar0.19g

Fat breakdown

Polyunsat0.55g

Monounsat4.75g

Saturated10.6g

Seasonality

Not available

Diet

VegetarianPescatarianGluten FreeKeto

Sustainability

Moderate

Dairy production has a higher carbon footprint than plant-based foods but lower than red meat.

Confidencemedium

Storage

Refrigerate

1–2 weeks

Keep in original wax paper to allow the cheese to breathe.

Flavour

Data & Sources

Harmonized from 4 validated sources

French Food Database

1 contributing source food

Swiss Food Database

1 contributing source food

McCance & Widdowson

1 contributing source food

USDA

USDA FoodData Central

1 contributing source food

Claim citations

Cheese - The Nutrition Source

[3]nutritionsource.hsph.harvard.edu

Milk-based culture of Penicillium camemberti and its component oleamide affect cognitive function in healthy elderly Japanese individuals: a multi-arm randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study - PMC

[4]pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Cheese: mere indulgence or part of a healthy diet? - PMC

[5]pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Fantastic Foods and Where to Find Them—Advantages and Disadvantages of Nutri-Score in the Search for Healthier Food - PMC

[7]pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Full-fat dairy products and cardiometabolic health outcomes: Does the dairy-fat matrix matter? - PMC

[10]pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

[PDF] Proceedings - AWS

[11]www.fao.orgfao.org

Coverage

Nutrients

FoodCompass

41.5

Version

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