Cottage cheese is packed with nutrition. It is full of protein and has many beneficial vitamins and minerals that may help support healthy weight loss, lean muscle mass growth, bone health, nerve function, thyroid health, digestive system health, and blood sugar management. With all of its potential benefits, cottage cheese makes for a great healthy food choice and can taste amazing in many different recipes. In this post, we will explain how it is made, the nutrition facts, potential benefits, and various recipes.
Table of Contents
Medical Disclaimer: This article is intended for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended as a substitute for medical advice. For medical and health advice, consult with a licensed healthcare professional.
Related: 24 Organic High Protein Foods, Cottage Cheese Pancakes, Cottage Cheese Eggs
How is Cottage Cheese Made?
Cottage cheese is made up of curds and cream. It is the result of an acid added to milk in order to curdle it. Cottage cheese is considered a fresh cheese because it is not aged like many other cheeses are.
To make cottage cheese, it is first fermented. The fermentation process of milk is done by adding either enzymes or live active cultures. The fermentation process converts the lactose (milk sugars) to lactic acid. This lactic acid is what curdles the milk and separates the curds and cream, more familiarly known as the curds and whey. After this is done, the cottage cheese will be one big block. Processors will then cut the block of cottage cheese into small pieces to be packaged and sold. And that’s all there is to it.
Cottage Cheese Nutrition Facts
A 3.5 ounce serving of cottage cheese has:
- 11.6g of protein
- 4.2g of fat
- 4.6g of carbohydrates, by difference
It is also a good source of many minerals such as:
- 88mg of calcium
- 9.2mg of magnesium
- 154mg of phosphorous
- 350mg of sodium
- 0.45mg of zinc
It’s vitamin content includes:
- 0.052mg of vitamin B1 (thiamin)
- 0.138mg of vitamin B3 (niacin)
- 0.047mg of vitamin B6
- 0.66µg of vitamin B12
- 36µg of vitamin A
Other notable components:
- 2.28µg of Biotin
Source: USDA
The 5 Potential Health Benefits
1. High in Protein
Cottage cheese has 11.6g of protein per 3.5 ounces. Protein is the building block for muscles and eating high amounts can potentially support increasing lean muscle mass growth. It also supports healthy weight loss, since protein is very filling it can help reduce appetite and cravings, and can potentially boost your metabolism.
2. May Support Bone Health and Nerve Function
Cottage cheese is rich in calcium. Calcium is a mineral that the body uses to help build bones. Eating calcium-rich foods may potentially strengthen your bones. Calcium also plays a vital role in nerve function. It will trigger the release of neurotransmitters, which are responsible for nerve communication.
Phosphorous is another mineral found in cottage cheese that is used for building bones. Phosphorous is also used to build many other structures such as cell membranes, the sugar-phosphate backbone of nucleic acids, and hydroxyapatite (an important component of teeth and bones).
3. May Support Thyroid Health
Cottage cheese is a great source of the mineral selenium. Selenium is needed for the thyroid to synthesize iodine into the thyroid hormone. Selenium is not made by the body and has to be sourced from our food. Selenium is also a powerful antioxidant and helps reduce oxidative stress in cells.
4. May Support the Digestive System
Cottage cheese is a fermented food, usually fermented by live active cultures, also known as probiotics. Probiotics help support the gut microbiome. They help fight off bacteria and other harmful cultures found in the gut. A healthy gut microbiome will help break down many nutrients and bile, and create many important byproducts needed for the digestive system.
5. May Support Management of Blood Sugar
Cottage cheese has a lower impact on glucose levels in the blood than other dairy products. Some studies (1, 2) have also found that dairy products may help prevent insulin resistance, although the exact cause of this is still unknown. Insulin resistance can potentially lead to type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
Cottage Cheese Recipes
There are so many fun recipes to try:
- Pancakes: Adding it to your pancakes makes for a great healthier pancake option.
- Scrambled Eggs: Using it in your eggs makes them even fluffier and super tasty. You can even do this with other egg recipes such as omelettes or egg bites.
- Breakfast Bowl: Try adding toppings like fruit, granola, honey, or maple syrup to make a delicious breakfast bowl.
- Protein Shakes or Smoothies: Adding it to your protein shakes or smoothies will help give it an extra boost of protein and nutrients.
- Salads: Use it as a topping on your salads, it especially tastes great on greek salads.
- Lasagna: It can be used as a substitute for ricotta in many lasagna recipes.
- Toast or Bagel Topping: Adding it onto your toast or bagel along with other toppings like fruit or honey can make for a great healthy breakfast.
- Ice cream: It can be used to create a healthier ice cream alternative.
- Oatmeal: Adding it into your oatmeal helps make it creamier.
Final Thoughts
Cottage cheese is a fantastic healthy food that comes with many potential health benefits. It is high in protein and can help support healthy weight loss, lean muscle mass growth, and many systems and structures in the body such as bones, the nervous system, the thyroid, the digestive system, and the cardiovascular system.
It is simply made by fermentation and requires very little processing. There are many great brands to choose from such as Good Culture, Nancy’s Organic, Horizon, Green Valley Creamery, and more. It is best to choose one that is simply made, organic, and without any extra additives.
We hope that you found this post to be very informative and helpful. You may also like:
- 24 Organic High Protein Foods
- 6 Best Organic Protein Powders
- Whey vs Plant Protein
- 10 Foods High in Healthy Fats
References
USDA. “Cottage cheese, full fat, large or small curd.” USDA, https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/?query=cottage%20cheese. Accessed 18 April 2024.
Lagroue, Mary Claire. “What Is Cottage Cheese and How Is It Made?” Allrecipes, 17 March 2022, https://www.allrecipes.com/article/what-is-cottage-cheese/. Accessed 18 April 2024.
Nagdeve, Meenakashi. “15 Surprising Benefits Of Cottage Cheese.” Organic Facts, 30 July 2021, https://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/animal-product/health-benefits-of-cottage-cheese.html. Accessed 18 April 2024.
Gunnars, Kris. “10 Science-Backed Reasons to Eat More Protein.” Healthline, 9 Feb. 2023, https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/10-reasons-to-eat-more-protein. Accessed 18 April 2024.
Cleveland Clinic. “Calcium 101: Bone Up on Your Knowledge.” Cleveland Clinic, 12 June 2023, https://health.clevelandclinic.org/calcium. Accessed 18 April 2024.
Shomon, Mary. “What to Know About Selenium and Your Thyroid.” Very Well Health, 23 Dec. 2022, https://www.verywellhealth.com/selenium-and-your-thyroid-4134998. Accessed 18 April 2024.
Cleveland Clinic. “Probiotics.” Cleveland Clinic, 30 Oct. 2023, https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/14598-probiotics. Accessed 18 April 2024.
Vorland, Colby J et al. “Effects of Excessive Dietary Phosphorus Intake on Bone Health.” Current osteoporosis reports vol. 15,5 (2017): 473-482. doi:10.1007/s11914-017-0398-4. Accessed 18 April 2024.
Semeco, Arlene. “Why Cottage Cheese Is Super Healthy and Nutritious.” Healthline, 26 Jan. 2023, https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/cottage-cheese-is-super-healthy. Accessed 18 April 2024.
Das, Sandeep, and Dipayan Choudhuri. “Dietary calcium regulates the insulin sensitivity by altering the adipokine secretion in high fat diet induced obese rats.” Life sciences vol. 250 (2020): 117560. doi:10.1016/j.lfs.2020.117560. Accessed 18 April 2024.
Sochol, Kristen M et al. “The Effects of Dairy Intake on Insulin Resistance: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials.” Nutrients vol. 11,9 2237. 17 Sep. 2019, doi:10.3390/nu11092237. Accessed 18 April 2024.
WebMD Editorial Contributor. “Cottage Cheese: Are There Health Benefits?” WebMD, 13 March 2023, https://www.webmd.com/diet/health-benefits-cottage-cheese. Accessed 18 April 2024.
