Healthy Food Guide by KarbCoach

Trader Joe's Shredded Mild Cheddar Cheese: Longevity analysis

Updated 2026-10-18 · Trader Joe's

Quick answer

Limit Frequency

Trader Joe's shredded mild cheddar cheese received a Longevity Score of 62 out of 100 (limit frequency). Simple dairy base with protein, but saturated fat, anti-caking agents, and a color additive keep it a moderate Longevity-aligned choice. Strengths include real cheese with protein per serving, short, recognizable core ingredient list, and no added sugar, while main considerations include saturated fat is a notable share of the serving, cellulose, potato starch, and natamycin additives, and annatto color and anti-caking agents add processing.

Longevity Score 62/100

What helped the score?

  • Real cheese with protein per serving
  • Short, recognizable core ingredient list
  • No added sugar

What held the score back?

  • Saturated fat is a notable share of the serving
  • Contains cellulose, potato starch, and natamycin additives
  • Annatto color and anti-caking agents add processing

You are viewing the nutrition and longevity perspective. Switch to Food Integrity for ingredients and processing.

Source data, GTIN, and Healthy Food Guide analysis details

Product facts

Product
Trader Joe's Shredded Mild Cheddar Cheese
Category
Dairy (source: Dairies)
GTIN / UPC
00000000986076
Serving size
28 g (0.25 cup (28 g))
Source data — ingredients
Ingredient list from product label data (see Sources)
Healthy Food Guide analysis
Independent Longevity and Food Integrity scorecards. See methodology under Sources.
Data last verified

Trader Joe's

Shredded Mild Cheddar Cheese

Limit Frequency

KarbCoach Recommendation

Limit Frequency

Simple dairy base with protein, but saturated fat, anti-caking agents, and a color additive keep it a moderate Longevity-aligned choice.

What Stands Out

Low Fiber

0g fiber

0% DV

High Sat. Fat

5g saturated fat

25% DV

Artificial Colors

annatto (color)

Good Protein

6g protein

12% DV

Whole Foods

pasteurized milk, cheese cultur…

DV = Percent of Daily Value based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Key Positives

  • Real cheese with protein per serving
  • Short, recognizable core ingredient list
  • No added sugar

Key Concerns

  • Saturated fat is a notable share of the serving
  • Contains cellulose, potato starch, and natamycin additives
  • Annatto color and anti-caking agents add processing

Ingredient Signals

Primary protein

milk (cheddar cheese)

Whole-food ingredients

pasteurized milkcheese cultures

Processing signals

shredded and anti-caking treatedmicrobial enzyme use

Additives

cellulosepotato starchnatamycinsalt

Artificial colors

annatto (color)

Ingredients

Ingredient list

mild cheddar cheese acts (pasteurized milk, cheese cultures, salt, microbial enzyme, annatto [color]), potato starch and /¼ cup) cellulose (to prevent caking), natamycin (mold inhibitor). dnp contains milk.

Formulations can vary — check the package label for the final word.

Macronutrients

Calories

110

6% DV

Total Carbs

2g

1% DV

Protein

6g

12% DV

Saturated Fat

5g

25% DV

Fiber

0g

0% DV

Net Carbs

2g

1% DV

Sugar

0g

Added Sugar

0g

0% DV

Total Fat

8g

10% DV

Sodium

150mg

7% DV

Unsaturated Fat

3g

DV = Percent of Daily Value based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Nutrition at a Glance

Nutrition at a Glance
NutrientAmount% Daily Value
Calories1106% DV
Total Carbs2g1% DV
Protein6g12% DV
Saturated Fat5g25% DV
Fiber0g0% DV
Net Carbs2g1% DV
Sugar0g—
Added Sugar0g0% DV
Total Fat8g10% DV
Sodium150mg7% DV
Unsaturated Fat3g—

DV = Percent of Daily Value based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Amounts are per labeled serving from source data. Check the package for the final values.

Longevity scores estimate how this product’s nutrition and ingredient profile fit longer-term eating patterns. Formulations can vary — check the package label. Not medical advice. Some nutrient values may be estimated when the label is incomplete.

How this product may fit different goals

The same food can look different depending on what matters most to you. Here is a general preview of how this product may align with several common goals.

  • Low-Spike Stability

    Supportive

    Metabolic Health

    For someone prioritizing Low-Spike Stability, the available data suggest this product may align in helpful ways.

    A supportive signal: Lower net carbs (2g)

    This product has 1 additional signal for this goal.

    See more for this goal

  • Heart-Healthy Eating

    Watch-outs

    Metabolic Health

    For someone prioritizing Heart-Healthy Eating, the analysis identifies considerations that may matter more than the general product score alone.

    A consideration: Higher saturated fat (5g)

    See more for this goal

  • GLP-1 Eating Support

    Supportive

    Metabolic Health

    For someone prioritizing GLP-1 Eating Support, the available data suggest this product may align in helpful ways.

    A supportive signal: Moderate calories (110 kcal)

    See more for this goal

  • Low Sugar Lifestyle

    Supportive

    Metabolic Health

    For someone prioritizing Low Sugar Lifestyle, the available data suggest this product may align in helpful ways.

    A supportive signal: Low sugar (0g)

    See more for this goal

  • Appetite & Portion Awareness

    Supportive

    Metabolic Health

    For someone prioritizing Appetite & Portion Awareness, the available data suggest this product may align in helpful ways.

    A supportive signal: Modest calories per serving (110 kcal)

    See more for this goal

  • Athletic Fueling

    Watch-outs

    Athletic Performance

    For someone prioritizing Athletic Fueling, the analysis identifies considerations that may matter more than the general product score alone.

    A consideration: Lower carbs for fueling (2g)

    See more for this goal

See how this product fits your goals

Choose what matters most to you and explore a more detailed interpretation of this product's nutrition, ingredients, and tradeoffs.

Personalize this analysis

Understanding the Longevity analysis

What the Longevity analysis evaluates

The Longevity analysis looks at how a food fits broader dietary patterns over time. It combines nutritional composition with processing and ingredient-quality considerations, including ideas that originated in Meal Power Points and Food Integrity. The Longevity Score summarizes that wider picture on a 0–100 scale. It is educational context for packaged foods, not medical advice and not a guarantee of health outcomes.

Nutrients, balance, processing, and ingredients

Nutritional composition matters: protein, fiber, carbohydrates, glucose-related characteristics, fats, sodium, and micronutrients all influence how a food may support or challenge different dietary goals. Processing level and ingredient quality still count, because formulation can change the practical meaning of an otherwise tidy nutrient panel. Longevity treats those dimensions together rather than as a single nutrient number.

Who may prioritize Longevity

People following low-carbohydrate, keto-style, high-protein, glucose-conscious, or longevity-focused eating patterns often start with the Longevity analysis. It is also useful when you want one place that connects macros and micros with how processed the food is and how the ingredient list reads. The Longevity Score is designed for that broader comparison across products.

How Longevity differs from Food Integrity

Food Integrity is the focused analysis of processing, ingredients, additives, purity, and transparency. Longevity is the broader analysis of nutritional composition, metabolic and dietary characteristics, processing, and ingredient quality. A strong nutritional profile may still deserve closer Food Integrity review when additives, oils, sweeteners, or processing level raise questions the nutrient panel does not answer on its own.

Why the analyses overlap—and why to review both

The overlap is intentional. Food Integrity–related characteristics contribute to Longevity, while Food Integrity remains separately useful for deeper formulation detail. The two views are meant to complement each other, not cancel each other out. Some people reasonably prioritize one analysis based on their goals; reviewing both can reveal tradeoffs that one score alone may not show.

Common questions about this product

Is Trader Joe's Shredded Mild Cheddar Cheese highly processed?

Food Integrity lists processing level as Lightly processed. That reflects formulation and processing signals from the ingredient analysis — not a medical or regulatory classification.

Why are the Longevity and Food Integrity scores different?

Longevity emphasizes nutrition per serving and longer-term dietary alignment. Food Integrity emphasizes ingredients, additives, processing, and label transparency. The same product can score differently on those lenses.

How much fiber is in one serving?

Trader Joe's Shredded Mild Cheddar Cheese shows about 0g of fiber per labeled serving in the Longevity nutrition facts.

Does it contain added sugar?

Trader Joe's Shredded Mild Cheddar Cheese: 0g added sugar per serving. Confirm the current package Nutrition Facts and ingredient list.

What helped the Longevity Score?

Key positives called out in the analysis include: Real cheese with protein per serving; Short, recognizable core ingredient list; No added sugar.

What prevented a perfect Longevity Score?

Key concerns noted include: Saturated fat is a notable share of the serving; Contains cellulose, potato starch, and natamycin additives; Annatto color and anti-caking agents add processing.

Who might evaluate this product differently?

People prioritizing different goals (for example lower carbs, higher protein, or minimally processed eating) may weigh the same dairy differently. Use the goal preview on this page, then personalize in KarbCoach for your priorities.

Source data and Healthy Food Guide analysis

  1. Public label databases (including USDA FoodData Central and Open Food Facts) — Possible sources for package ingredients and nutrition.
  2. Healthy Food Guide analysis (Longevity and Food Integrity) — Independent Longevity and Food Integrity scorecards.
  3. How the Longevity Score is calculated
  4. How the Food Integrity Score is calculated
  5. Scoring models: KarbCoach Longevity and Food Integrity.
  6. Independent analysis. No manufacturer affiliation.
  7. Formulations can vary by region, size, and packaging. Check the package label for ingredients, allergens, and nutrition. Not medical advice — do not use this site or the KarbCoach mobile app for allergy or health decisions. Full sources and safety details.
Label accuracy and safety information

Formulations can vary by region, size, and packaging. Check the package label for ingredients, allergens, and nutrition. Not medical advice — do not use this site or the KarbCoach mobile app for allergy or health decisions.

Sources, citations & safety

See how this item lines up with your goals

Healthy Food Guide covers this product in detail. In KarbCoach, your goals shape what matters most for your meals.