20 + Ways to Enjoy Cottage Cheese (2024)

FAQs

What pairs with cottage cheese for weight loss? ›

You can cut calories and fat from your diet and promote healthy weight loss by substituting cottage cheese for other foods. Here are some suggestions: Add cottage cheese to your morning smoothie. Top cottage cheese with fresh berries, mango, or pineapple for a healthy snack.

Speaking of texture, the lumpy consistency of cottage cheese is also a common complaint among its haters, but there's an easy way to solve that problem: just put it in the blender.

Cottage cheese is a curd cheese with a mild flavor and smooth texture. It's high in many nutrients, including protein, B vitamins, and minerals like calcium, selenium, and phosphorus.

It turns out consuming 30 grams of protein 30 minutes before bed—the amount in a little more than a cup of cottage cheese—was linked to stronger muscles, a quicker metabolism and better overall health in a study published in the British Journal of Nutrition.

Besides the reasons outlined above, cottage cheese may help with gut health. Since it is often fermented, (a process that helps remove the cheese curds from the liquid) cottage cheese may contain “good” bacteria called probiotics. Snodgrass says probiotics are “crucial” to good digestion.

Savory Cottage Cheese Toppings

Olive oil, salt, and pepper: These classic flavors never disappoint — and you most certainly have them already in your kitchen. Give cottage cheese a drizzle of your best olive oil, flaky sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper.

Is cottage cheese healthy? Cottage cheese is low in calories while providing protein and vital nutrients, Zumpano says, making it one of the healthiest cheeses you can eat. It's made by curdling pasteurized (sterilized) cow's milk — when milk turns acidic, the milk protein separates and forms curds (clumps).

What is in cottage cheese that burns fat? Cottage cheese itself does not burn fat. But it is high in protein, with 25 grams per one cup serving. Fat is burned through exercise and moving your body.

A 2021 study of 35,352 postmenopausal women published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics reported a connection between higher intakes of dairy foods (including cottage cheese) and lower levels of CRP and IL-6. The same study revealed that eating yogurt was linked to a drop in type 2 diabetes risk.

How is cottage cheese traditionally eaten? ›

Cottage cheese can be low in calories compared to other types of cheese — similar to yogurt; this makes it popular among dieters and some health devotees. It can be used with various foods such as yogurt, fruit, toast, and granola, in salads, as a dip, and as a replacement for mayonnaise.

It's the ideal complement to eggs, bacon, sausage, salad, or anything else you might be eating for breakfast in the morning. You can spread 1–2 tablespoons of cottage cheese on toast and then top that creamy mixture with fresh berries and a drizzle of honey or chopped nuts.

The takeaway. Cottage cheese is rich in protein, vitamins, and minerals like calcium, which are important nutrients for continued good health. However, the sodium in cottage cheese might work against the benefits. As with anything, moderation is key.