Cottage Cheese: Nutritional Benefits and Healthy Recipes

Cottage cheese is a dairy treat that seems to charm, everyone, from athletes and nutritionists to the average American. Healthcare specialists recommend cottage cheese during pregnancy while all weight loss diet plans seem to praise and include it. There are some scientific facts behind the promotion of these dairy products. Below you can see everything you need to know about cottage cheese – from nutritional facts and benefits to some healthy recipes you can introduce into your diet.

Nutritional Facts and Breakdown

You can find cottage cheese in small or large curd form. Its content may be average fat (4%), low-fat (1% or 2%) or fat-free. There are organic, non-salt products and variations which include fruit with syrups. The healthiest product of its kind contains 2% fat – not a high-fat content, but enough to help you avoid excessive sodium which usually replaces fat.

Some may consider that homemade cottage cheese is an option. We will refrain from further mentioning it, as DIY cheese requires close monitoring and an exact recipe that can harm your diet and body. However, there are branded products to choose from which hold onto the active ingredients we will below discuss. Specialized website TodayTopReviews places a lactose-free cottage cheese on top of buyers’ preferences as it’s also suitable for those with dairy products allergies and lactose intolerance.

Nutritional Info

The below facts are based on a low-fat 2% cottage cheese and s serving size of 4 oz. (113 g).

• Calories: 98.
• Calories from fat: 25.
• Sodium per 373 mg: 15%.
• Potassium per 95mg: 2%.
• Carbohydrates per 4.1mg: 1%.
• Cholesterol per 11mg: 3%.
• Vitamin A: 1%.
• Calcium: 10%.
• Iron: 1%.
• Carbohydrates: 4 grams.
• Riboflavin, Phosphorus, Selenium.

The calorie difference between products is usually small. While 1% and 2% milk fat products have 90 calories, the skim cottage cheese contains 80 calories per half-cup serving. However, these products have more sodium.

Benefits of Cottage Cheese

• Cottage cheese is an excellent source of nutritional ingredients as it contains casein protein. Casein is a slow-releasing ingredient that keeps the satiety feel for a longer time than other foods. Around 100 grams (approximately 4 oz.) of the regular 2% fat cottage cheese has 12 grams of casein protein.
• The protein from cottage cheese is complete – as animal-produced protein – which also helps your body have the right amino acid profile to build muscle.
• The 10% Calcium content supports your bone structure and allows you to also have big, healthy and sharp teeth. Calcium is also responsible for lowering blood pressure.
• Cheeses which contain 1% or 2% milkfat also have conjugated linoleic acid. According to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, linoleic acid is effective in reducing the fat mass from your body and protects you from cancer, heart disease, and diabetes.
• Cottage cheese contains Leucine, which works as an active weight loss agent.
• Cottage cheese increases your Resting Energy Expenditure (REE). The REE shows the calories you burn while resting. There are two ways to improve your REE – by exercising and consuming cottage cheese before bed.
• Thanks to the Tryptophan amino acid in the cheese, you avoid insomnia and anxiety and fall asleep quicker.
• Riboflavin or vitamin B12 from cottage cheese protects the health of vital body organs and ensures a stable metabolic process of your body. The vitamin also promotes a healthy nervous system function.
• Cottage cheese ensures faster fat burning and body mass increase if you also have a balanced life which includes overall healthy eating, sports, and regular spa baths or other similar treatments.

Healthy and Tempting Recipes with Cottage Cheese

As you will notice below, cottage cheese is super versatile and works well for most menus – breakfast, lunch, dinner and even snacks.

French Toast Breakfast

• Whisk an egg, two tablespoons of vanilla almond milk.
• Separately, whisk together a ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract and one tablespoon of maple syrup.
• Heat a pan until hot and add butter. Mix until it melts.
• Dip two slices of hard whole grain bread in the egg mixture and place it in the pan. Leave it for 3 minutes then turn on the other side.
• Add two tablespoons of cottage cheese on a slice of the toast. Also, add ½ cup of assorted fresh berries on top.
• Place the second slice on top of the first one. Decorate with vanilla paste mixture and add a small layer of 1 pat butter.

Cheesy Guacamole

• Mix 16 oz of cottage cheese, two tablespoons of chopped cilantro, ½ cup of diced red onion, two tablespoons of fresh lime juice, a teaspoon of salt, ½ teaspoons of garlic powder and one teaspoon of ground cumin in a food processor or blender.
• Process/blend until the mixture becomes smooth.
• Add 1 cup of diced avocado and mix 3 – 5 seconds, so that it leaves some chunks.
• Serve with chips.

Banana Split

• Put two banana lengthwise cut halves in a bowl.
• Add scoops of ½ cup of cottage cheese on top.
• Add two tablespoons of mixed berries or other fruit preserves and a teaspoon of hot water.
• Garnish with one tablespoon of flaxseed, one tablespoon of chia seed and 1 ½ chopped peanuts.

Salmon Salad Sandwich

• Chop a ½ head of broccoli, one carrot, one red onion and ½ red pepper.
• Separately, chop 150 grams of smoked salmon.
• Mix the above in a food processor or a blender.
• Stir in 500 grams of pureed cottage cheese. Add two small cans of tuna packed in water.
• Complete with one teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper, lime juice and one tablespoon of canned soy sauce.
• Stir until they combine.

Cheese Scones

• Preheat an oven to 450F and put a baking sheet with parchment paper inside.
• Puree 1 cup (230 g) of cottage cheese with four tablespoons of milk in a blender or food processor.
• Separately, whisk together 2 ½ cups of flour, one tablespoon of baking powder, 1/8 teaspoon of black pepper and ¾ teaspoon of salt in a large bowl.
• Dice 6 tablespoons of unsalted butter and mix with the bowl composition. Add three thinly sliced scallions and mix.
• Stir in the cottage cheese puree mentioned above.
• Shape the dough into a ball and flatten it. Wrap the result in plastic and let it chill in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes.
• Place the ball on a floured bedding and shape into circles of 7 – 8 inches in diameter.
• Transfer the scones to the baking sheet and brush their tops with milk.
• Bake until they become light golden brown and puffy. The process should last for about 15 minutes.
• Serve warm.

Eating Cottage Cheese on a Daily Basis

Cottage cheese is a healthy nutrients source that you can eat even if you don’t want to lose weight. It works as an excellent replacement for most recipes that require yogurt or any type of creamy cheese. You can add it in smoothies, coffee drinks and just about any meal you can think of – including lasagna as a substitute for ricotta cheese.

The only warning you should remember is that associations between cottage cheese and other protein-rich ingredients might turn out to be too much for a single meal. Also, the less fat the cheese contains, the more sodium it comes with. If you’re allergic to sodium, there are high-fat, non-salted products available. In the end, cottage cheese is both healthy and tasty. You only need to discover as much as you can from the options it gives you.