Aura is a blue cheese from Finland made in the town of Aanekoski from cow’s milk.
The cheese has a color bordering on cream to pale yellow and a sharp, salty, and tangy taste. Aura has a semi-soft, creamy texture, and it is made by the Finnish producer Valio.
It is typically used with bread or rye crackers (4).
Nutritionally, an ounce (28.35g) serving of Aura blue cheese has the following profile:
Calories: 95 kcal
Carbohydrates: 0 g
Fat: 8.22 g
Saturated fat: 54.54 g
Monounsaturated fat: 2.21 g
Polyunsaturated fat: 0.23 g
Omega-3: 0.07 g
Omega-6: 0.04 g
Protein: 5.10 g
Sodium: 351.53 mg
Cholesterol: 21.26 mg
Bleu d’Auvergne
Bleu d’Auvergne is a blue cheese from the Auvergne region of France.
The cheese has a strong, sharp taste and a soft, creamy texture. It was invented in 1845 by a French cheese producer, Antoine Russel (5).
It has a distinct appearance with a creamy yellow color and green-blue mold patterns surrounded by a thin skin (rind) on the outside.
Bleu d’Auvergne is typically used as part of a cheese plate, sometimes with wine and bread. However, it can also be used in various savory and sweet recipes (6).
Per ounce (28.35g) serving, Bleu d’Auvergne has the following nutrition profile:
Calories: 98 kcal
Carbohydrates: 0.28 g
Fat: 8.42 g
Saturated fat: 5.39 g
Monounsaturated fat: –
Polyunsaturated fat: –
Omega-3: –
Omega-6: –
Protein: 5.53 g
Sodium: 322 mg
Cholesterol: –
Cambozola
Cambozola is a blue-veined cheese made with cow’s milk from the region of Allgau in Germany.
The cheese has a soft and creamy texture, and it is sometimes marketed and labeled as ‘Blue Brie’ for its taste and texture similarities to Brie cheese.
Unlike sharper blue cheese varieties, Cambozola has a relatively mild flavor, making it a gentler introduction to blue cheese.
Here are the basic nutrition facts for an ounce (28.35g) of Danish Blue:
Calories: 97 kcal
Carbohydrates: 0.07 g
Fat: 8.22 g
Saturated fat: 5.10 g
Monounsaturated fat: –
Polyunsaturated fat: –
Omega-3: –
Omega-6: –
Protein: 5.67 g
Sodium: 374.21 mg
Cholesterol: –
Fourme d’Ambert
Made from cow’s milk in the region of Auvergne in France, Fourme d’Ambert has a semi-hard texture and a smooth and creamy mouthfeel.
Fourme d’Ambert is thought to have been produced as far back as the Middle Ages, making it one of the world’s oldest blue cheese varieties (8).
This cheese is mild enough to eat on its own and can also be used in various dishes. There are numerous recipe ideas here.
Fourme d’Ambert has the following nutritional profile per ounce (28.35g) serving:
Calories: 97 kcal
Carbohydrates: 0.14 g
Fat: 8.22 g
Saturated fat: 5.67 g
Monounsaturated fat: –
Polyunsaturated fat: –
Omega-3: –
Omega-6: –
Protein: 5.67 g
Sodium: 295 mg
Cholesterol: –
Galbani Dolcelatte
Dolcelatte is a mild and creamy blue-veined cheese that has been made in the region of Lombardy in Italy by Galbani since 1882 (9).
The cheese has a soft and creamy texture suited for spreading or as an ingredient on pizza or cooked dishes.
It is among the mildest of blue cheese and does not have the same sharp and tangy flavors as Gorgonzola or Roquefort.
Per ounce (28.35g) serving, Dolcelatte offers the following nutrition profile:
Calories: 100 kcal
Carbohydrates: 0.51 g
Fat: 8.79 g
Saturated fat: 6.24 g
Monounsaturated fat: –
Polyunsaturated fat: –
Omega-3: –
Omega-6: –
Protein: 4.82 g
Sodium: 226.80 mg
Cholesterol: –
Gorgonzola
Gorgonzola is one of the most famous blue cheese varieties, and it is an Italian cheese from the regions of Piedmont and Lombardy (10).
The cheese is semi-soft with green-blue veins throughout, and it can range in flavor from mild to intense and sharp, depending on the aging time.
Milder Gorgonzola can be eaten alone, but the cheese often features in recipes ranging from pizza and pasta dishes to salads and soups.
Here are the basic nutrition facts for an ounce (28.35g) serving of Gorgonzola:
Calories: 100 kcal
Carbohydrates: 0.66 g
Fat: 8.15 g
Saturated fat: 5.29 g
Monounsaturated fat: 2.21 g
Polyunsaturated fat: 0.23 g
Omega-3: 0.07 g
Omega-6: 0.04 g
Protein: 6.07 g
Sodium: 324.89 mg
Cholesterol: 21.26 mg
Picon Bejes-Tresviso
Picon Bejes-Tresviso is a famous blue cheese originating in the province of Cantabria in Spain.
This blue cheese has a semi-hard, crumbly texture and a strong, sharp flavor. It is made from cow, goat, and sheep milk.
Visually, Picon Bejes-Tresviso has a yellowish color covered in thick green-blue veins, with a thin rind surrounding it.
Based on data from Nutritionix, here is what an ounce (28.35g) of Picon Bejes-Tresviso offers nutritionally (11):
Calories: 100 kcal
Carbohydrates: 0.7 g
Fat: 8.2 g
Saturated fat: 5.3 g
Monounsaturated fat: 2.2 g
Polyunsaturated fat: 0.2 g
Omega-3: –
Omega-6: –
Protein: 6.1 g
Sodium: 320 mg
Cholesterol: 21 mg
Roquefort
Roquefort is one of the most iconic blue cheese varieties, and it comes from the town of Roquefort in Aveyron, France.
The cheese has a Designation of Origin dating back to 1925, and the first recorded mention of Roquefort in literature came in 1070 (12).
Roquefort has a strong, pungent flavor with sharp and tangy notes. It is traditionally made from unpasteurized sheep’s milk.
Roquefort is often an ingredient in dips, dressings, sauces, and salads.
Here are the basic nutrition facts for Roquefort per ounce (28.35g) serving:
Calories: 105 kcal
Carbohydrates: 0.57 g
Fat: 8.69 g
Saturated fat: 5.46 g
Monounsaturated fat: 2.40 g
Polyunsaturated fat: 0.37 g
Omega-3: 0.18 g
Omega-6: 0.11 g
Protein: 6.11 g
Sodium: 513 mg
Cholesterol: 25.51 mg
Saint Agur Blue
Saint Agur Blue is another soft French blue-veined cheese.
The cheese is made by Savencia Fromage & Dairy with cow’s milk but enriched with cream for a softer, creamier taste and texture.
Producing Saint Agur Blue typically takes three months, and it has a unique octagonal shape and a sharp, fruity flavor (13).
Here are the basic nutritional values per ounce (28.35g) serving of Saint Agur Blue:
Calories: 101 kcal
Carbohydrates: 0 g
Fat: 9.11 g
Saturated fat: 6.07 g
Monounsaturated fat: 2.44 g
Polyunsaturated fat: 0.34 g
Omega-3: –
Omega-6: –
Protein: 4.05 g
Sodium: 243 mg
Cholesterol: 30.37 mg
Shropshire Blue
Shropshire Blue is a British blue cheese made from cow’s milk. It has a unique orange color with blue-green mold veins throughout the cheese.
Shropshire Blue has a maturation time of only 6-8 weeks, making it slightly milder than most blue cheese varieties (14). The cheese has a creamy, smooth texture with slight tangy notes.
Nutritionally, Shropshire Blue has the following nutritional values per ounce (28.35g) serving:
Calories: 111 kcal
Carbohydrates: 1.01 g
Fat: 10.12 g
Saturated fat: 6.08 g
Monounsaturated fat: –
Polyunsaturated fat: –
Omega-3: –
Omega-6: –
Protein: 7.09 g
Sodium: 223 mg
Cholesterol: 30.33 mg
Stilton (Blue)
Stilton is a famous English blue-veined cheese that likely originated in the town of Stilton, after which the cheese is named.
The earliest mentions of Stilton come as far back as the early 18th century, with a published recipe for Stilton cheese appearing in 1723 (15).
Stilton has a relatively mild flavor compared to some of the more potent blue cheese varieties like Roquefort.
It has a creamy and crumbly texture and is often a flavorful ingredient added to cooked dishes.
Here are the basic nutrition facts for an ounce (28.35g) serving of Blue Stilton:
Calories: 115 kcal
Carbohydrates: 0.03 g
Fat: 9.92 g
Saturated fat: 6.53 g
Monounsaturated fat: 2.60 g
Polyunsaturated fat: 0.35 g
Omega-3: –
Omega-6: –
Protein: 6.72 g
Sodium: 223 mg
Cholesterol: 26.93 mg
For more information on Blue Stilton, see this guide:
Yorkshire Blue is another popular blue-veined English cheese from the county of Yorkshire.
It is a mildly sweet and creamy blue cheese without the bitterness and sharpness of some of the stronger varieties (16).
Yorkshire Blue has a soft and creamy texture and is spreadable, making it a common pairing with bread and crackers. It can also be melted into sauces as a flavor-enhancing addition.
Based on data from My Fitness Pal, the nutrition profile for an ounce (28.35g) of Yorkshire Blue cheese is as follows (17):
Calories: 94 kcal
Carbohydrates: 0 g
Fat: 7.6 g
Protein: 5.8 g
Final Thoughts
As this article shows, there is a wide range of blue cheese varieties that each offer their distinct characteristics and nutritional profiles.
However, the nutritional differences between different blue cheese products tend to be small.
In this context, the best blue cheese option is the one that you enjoy the most.
Michael works as a nutritionist in a community setting and holds a Master's Degree in Clinical Nutrition. He is a Registered Associate Nutritionist with the Association for Nutrition.
