Yellow American Cheese

Common questions

Is Yellow American Cheese healthy?

Yellow American Cheese scores 75/100 on Scout's independent analysis of ingredients, additives, and lab results — a fair-to-good score — solid, with tradeoffs. Yellow American Cheese is a processed cheese product with a moderate level of processing.

How processed is Yellow American Cheese?

Yellow American Cheese is NOVA Group 3: Processed Foods.

Which ingredients drive Yellow American Cheese's score?

In Scout's ingredient-by-ingredient analysis, Cultured Pasteurized Milk, Buttermilk, Milkfat count in its favor. The full breakdown, with why each one matters, is in the Key ingredients section on this page.

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Yellow American Cheese

Land O Lakes
75 Good

Analysis updated July 2026 · How Scout scores

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At a glance

Beneficial ingredients 3
Harmful ingredients 0
Owned by Land O'Lakes, Inc.
Category Cheese
Summary

Yellow American Cheese is a processed cheese product with a moderate level of processing. It contains beneficial ingredients like cultured pasteurized milk and skim milk, which provide essential nutrients. However, the presence of sodium and potassium phosphates as emulsifiers and stabilizers raises concerns about potential impacts on kidney function and bone health, which affects its overall health rating.

Key ingredients 7

Cultured Pasteurized Milk
Good

This ingredient provides essential nutrients and is a natural base for cheese, contributing to its flavor and texture.

See more about Cultured Pasteurized Milk →
Buttermilk
Good

Buttermilk enhances flavor and provides beneficial probiotics, supporting digestion and gut health.

See more about Buttermilk →
Milkfat
Good

Milkfat contributes to the creamy texture and rich flavor of the cheese, making it more palatable.

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Skim Milk
Neutral

Standard formulation ingredient — neither beneficial nor harmful at typical use.

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Salt
Neutral

Standard formulation ingredient — neither beneficial nor harmful at typical use.

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Contains Less Than 2% of Sodium and Potassium Phosphates
Neutral

These additives are used to improve texture and stability but are present in small amounts, posing minimal concern.

Tricalcium Phosphate
Neutral

This mineral additive helps prevent caking and improves texture, with no significant health impact in small quantities.

See more about Tricalcium Phosphate →

Processing

Group 3 · Processed

Processed Foods

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