Feta

Feta is a brined cheese of Greek origin, made from sheep's milk, sometimes blended with a little goat's milk. Its protected designation of origin requires a defined production area in Greece and at least two months of maturing in brine. The result is a white, crumbly cheese that is both creamy and tangy, and that cuts into cubes or crumbles very easily over a hot or cold dish.

What sets it apart from most everyday cheeses is its strong flavour. A small amount is enough to give character to a salad, an omelette or a legume dish. That is a real advantage when you count calories: 30 g of feta already brings a lot of taste for roughly 80 kcal, whereas other cheeses need more to give the same effect in the mouth.

Per 100 g, feta provides about 264 kcal, 14 g of protein, 21 g of fat and only 1.5 g of carbs, with no fibre. It is therefore a fatty, moderately protein-rich food: roughly 21 % of its calories come from protein and more than 70 % from fat. It suits a low-carb diet very well, but it does not replace a proper lean protein source such as chicken breast or fromage blanc.

For micronutrients, feta is a good source of calcium, phosphorus, vitamin B12 and riboflavin, all useful for bones, energy and recovery. A good share of its fat is saturated, which is not a problem within a varied diet as long as you do not stack several fatty cheeses in the same day. Above all, remember the simple rule: feta is measured in tens of grams, not hundreds.

Because it ages in brine, feta is among the saltiest cheeses on the shelf: it is common to find between 2 and 3 g of salt per 100 g. A 40 g portion therefore already carries close to one gram of salt, a noticeable share of the recommended daily limit of 5 g. If you sweat a lot in training this is not dramatic, but it is worth factoring into the rest of your day.

Two simple tricks reduce the load: rinse the cubes quickly under cold water before using them, or soak them for a few minutes in water or milk. Then avoid adding more salt to the dish, since the feta already seasons it generously. If you have high blood pressure or medical advice to limit sodium, choose small portions or a lower-salt version, and compare labels between brands.

In a bulk, feta is a practical way to add calories and taste without much volume. A few cubes in a quinoa or lentil salad, or crumbled over an omelette, raise the energy density of the meal while adding a little protein and calcium. It should not become your main protein source though: pair it with chicken, eggs or legumes to reach your target.

In a cut, it remains perfectly usable if you weigh it. With about 264 kcal per 100 g, 30 g of feta equals 80 kcal, a reasonable budget to lift a large bowl of vegetables. The classic mistake is adding it by eye: a generous handful can exceed 60 g and 160 kcal without you noticing. A kitchen scale and tracking in the app solve the problem in seconds.

Look for the PDO mark on the pack: it guarantees a sheep's milk cheese, possibly with a little goat's milk, made to the Greek specification. Cow's milk fetas, often labelled feta-style cheese, are more neutral and sometimes wetter. A block sold in its brine keeps better and stays softer than a dry vacuum-packed version, which tends to dry out faster once opened.

After opening, keep the cheese in the fridge, submerged in its brine or in a little lightly salted water, and eat it within five to seven days. Pregnant women should pick feta made from pasteurised milk, which is the case for the vast majority of shop-bought products. You can also freeze it in cubes, but the texture becomes more crumbly: keep it for cooked dishes, fillings or gratins.

Feta pairs naturally with fresh vegetables, olive oil, olives and herbs such as oregano or mint. In the app you will find several recipes that use it: the lentil, feta and tomato salad, the quinoa, feta and cucumber salad, the chicken, spinach and feta salad, and the vegetable and feta omelette. Each one shows how a few tens of grams are enough to transform a simple dish.

To balance a meal, think of combining it with a complex carbohydrate and a genuine protein source. A lentil salad with feta covers all three needs: carbs, plant protein and a bit of quality fat. For a savoury breakfast, a few crumbles over scrambled eggs or a slice of whole-wheat bread with tomato can advantageously replace a higher-calorie cheese.

The first mistake is treating it as an unlimited cheese because it is low in carbs. Its calorie density is high and it is easy to swallow 80 or 100 g without thinking, especially when crumbled over a big salad. Weigh it for at least the first few weeks, until your eye is calibrated, then simply check now and then.

The second mistake is forgetting the salt in the other ingredients: olives, capers, sauce or bread that are already salted add to the feta's brine. Finally, do not cook it too long over high heat, since it turns dry and grainy. Add it at the end of cooking or warm it briefly in the oven so it softens without losing its shape.