Health Nutrition & Diet Cottage Cheese Benefits and Nutrition: 8 Reasons to Eat It, According to an Expert Explore all the nutritious reasons that cottage cheese deserves a spot on your grocery list. By Christina Manian, RDN Updated on July 31, 2024 Fact checked by Isaac Winter Fact checked by Isaac Winter Isaac Winter is a fact-checker and writer for Real Simple, ensuring the accuracy of content published by rigorously researching content before publication and periodically when content needs to be updated. Highlights: Helped establish a food pantry in West Garfield Park as an AmeriCorps employee at Above and Beyond Family Recovery Center. Interviewed Heartland Alliance employees for oral history project conducted by the Lake Forest College History Department. Editorial Head of Lake Forest College's literary magazine, Tusitala, for two years. Our Fact-Checking Process Close Photo: Arx0nt/Getty Images Cottage cheese has long been a favorite food choice for athletes and health-conscious individuals. In fact, cottage cheese popularity peaked in the 1970s as a go-to healthy “diet food” (before the yogurt craze took over in the ’80s). But eating cottage cheese isn’t one of those unfounded, old-school weight-loss fads with no place in the 2020s. Its accessibility, combined with its awesome health benefits, creamy texture, and neutral flavor—perfect for both sweet and savory applications—makes cottage cheese a perfect go-to snack, secret ingredient, or part of a larger meal. We asked an expert for nutrition tips and the biggest cottage cheese benefits. Therese Molzahn, M.S., RDN, is a clinical dietitian specializing in women’s care. What Is Cottage Cheese? This soft cheese is actually a type of cheese curd that’s been separated from its dairy counterpart, whey, through an enzymatic reaction. So, nope, it’s not curdled or spoiled cheese! Because cottage cheese doesn’t go through an aging or ripening process like many other cheeses, it maintains the classic, mild flavor (sweet and salty) that it's known for with a similar consistency to Greek yogurt or sour cream—but clumpy. Cottage cheese comes in non-fat, low-fat, and full-fat varieties depending on the type of milk used to make it, and can also come in different curd sizes. Cottage Cheese Nutrition Cottage cheese is full of vitamins and minerals that are healthy for you. Here's a look at what's in one cup of creamed cottage cheese (large curd). Water - 168 gramsEnergy - 206 kcalFat - 9.03 gramsProtein - 23.3 gramsCarbohydrates - 7.1 gramsSugars - 5.61 gramsLactose - 5.61 gramsCalcium - 174 milligramsIron - 0.147 milligramsMagnesium - 16.8 milligramsPhosphorus - 334 milligramsPotassium - 218 milligramsSodium - 662 milligramsZinc - 0.84 milligramsCopper - 0.061 milligramsVitamins A, B, D, E, and K However, if you want to be even healthier, low-fat cottage cheese is mostly better for you (although it lacks in vitamins D and K). Here's a look at what's inside one cup of low-fat cottage cheese (two percent milk fat). Water - 178 gramsEnergy - 189 kcalFat - 5.06 gramsProtein - 24.2 gramsCarbohydrates - 9.48 gramsSugars - 9.02 gramsLactose - 8.76 gramsCalcium - 227 milligramsIron - 0.286 milligramsMagnesium - 19.6 milligramsPhosphorus - 326 milligramsPotassium - 264 milligramsSodium - 706 milligramsZinc - 1.34 milligramsCopper - 0.066 milligramsVitamins A, B, and E Note that both regular and low-fat cottage cheese are full of sodium. While some sodium in the diet is important for healthy functioning, too much over a long period of time can predispose us to high blood pressure or hypertension. Look for cottage cheese brands that specifically offer low-sodium varieties. This TikTok Viral Two-Ingredient Cottage Cheese Flatbread Is So Simple to Make Cottage Cheese Benefits What makes cottage cheese so enticing for anyone looking for nutrient-packed food choices and optimal health? Here’s why cottage cheese is so good for you and worth trying if you've never had the pleasure. 01 of 08 Packs Protein One of the biggest selling points of cottage cheese is that it’s packed with casein protein. One cup of cottage cheese will provide a staggering 28 grams of this important macronutrient. Casein protein provides the body with all of the amino acids that you need to build muscle. Plus, protein helps to build other healthy tissues throughout the body including bones, skin, hair, and nails. The body also digests casein protein slower than other proteins, so it can help you feel fuller. “Protein not only helps with satiety, but also balances blood sugar levels,” adds Therese Molzahn, M.S., RDN, a clinical dietitian specializing in women’s care. These benefits combine to make cottage cheese the perfect choice when you’re looking for a convenient snack that will give you lasting energy. 02 of 08 Boosts Bone Health Cottage cheese is also a great choice for those looking to enrich their diet with more calcium? You may already know that calcium is vital for healthy bone and teeth formation but some lesser known benefits of calcium include its vital role in healthy heart, muscle, and nerve functioning. 03 of 08 Improves Gut Health This fermented cheese can also be rich in probiotics, just check the packaging labels for active or live cultures. Eating probiotic foods is all the rage these days, due in part to the increasing popularity of gut health. Essentially, probiotics are healthy bacteria that can help boost your gut microbiome, the group of trillions of microorganisms living in the large intestine that can positively influence our health in so many ways, from immune health to brain health. While cottage cheese can improve gut health, it's still a dairy product, so it's not always the right option for lactose-intolerant folks. “For those with lactose intolerance, cottage cheese may lead to some gas, bloating, or diarrhea depending on the portion size eaten,” Molzahn adds. The fermentation process involved in creating cottage cheese will help to increase its digestibility, but if dairy doesn’t agree with you for one reason or another, it may be best to steer clear of it. 04 of 08 Enhances Nervous System Cottage cheese is full of B vitamins (of which there are eight), but is especially high in riboflavin and vitamin B12. “Vitamin B12 is essential for the development and function of our nervous system, DNA synthesis, and for red blood cell formation,” Molzahn says. Riboflavin is especially beneficial to our nerve cells, helping to reduce inflammation and oxidative (or tissue-damaging) stress. 05 of 08 Boosts Metabolism Dairy products tend to be great sources of phosphorus, and cottage cheese is no exception. Phosphorus is a mineral that plays so many important roles in the body. It aids in the growth, overall health, and repair of tissues while also assisting in the healthy metabolism of carbohydrates and fats. This means that it can potentially facilitate weight loss or aid weight management. Plus, if you can remember back to high school biology: The P in the molecule ATP (adenosine triphosphate), that stores energy in our cells, is phosphorus. So it’s vital that we’re including phosphorus-rich foods in our daily routine. 06 of 08 Protects Cells While you may not be as familiar with selenium, this mineral has super-important health benefits and can be found in cottage cheese. An essential element of many enzymes and proteins in the body, selenium helps to create DNA while also protecting our cells from damage. 07 of 08 Controls Blood Sugar Levels The protein that packs into cottage cheese can help control blood sugar levels. Cottage cheese, for example, has been shown to reduce postprandial blood glucose levels in healthy and type II diabetes subjects. 08 of 08 Reduces Risk of Cancer Cottage cheese has been shown to help lower the risk of developing some types of cancer. For example, some studies have shown that women who consume higher amounts of cottage cheese (as well as ricotta cheese and yogurt) have a slightly reduced risk of developing breast cancer. The Budwig Diet, which consists of flaxseed oil and cottage cheese (as well as vegetables, fruits, and juices) was developed back in the 1950s by the German biochemist Dr. Johanna Budwig. While the diet is an unproven anticancer treatment, many believe that it also helps to fend off cancers, such as prostate cancer in men. That's because Budwig believed that cancer is a result of a lack of polyunsaturated fatty acids, so the flax-oil-and-cottage-cheese combo could help to improve cell function and keep cancer away. This Viral TikTok Edible Cookie Dough Recipe Has an Unexpected Ingredient—Cottage Cheese Cottage Cheese Considerations The delicious ways to include cottage cheese into your daily routine are truly endless. But before stepping into the kitchen, it's important to be aware that full-fat cottage cheese contains saturated fat and tends to be quite caloric. For decades, it was generally accepted by the scientific community that saturated fat negatively impacted cholesterol levels, increasing risk for heart disease. However, research is emerging to show that this correlation is not so black and white. For example, one review published in The BMJ in 2015 looked at evidence from studies of over 90,000 participants and did not find a direct correlation between saturated fat intake and cardiovascular disease risk. These findings are even more pronounced with fermented dairy products. This may be due to the chemical processes that dairy fat undergoes with fermentation. For example, when fermenting milk into kefir, researchers found the fat composition to change: Some of the saturated fat actually converted into unsaturated fat, which is beneficial to our heart and overall health. These findings can be extrapolated to all dairy fermentation. However, if you are watching your fat or calorie intake, low-fat versions of cottage cheese are available. Ideas for Eating More Cottage Cheese When enjoyed in moderation, cottage cheese can be an incredible, nutrient-dense addition to your healthy lifestyle, packing a punch with calcium, probiotics, and super-satiating protein. And there are tons of ways to eat more cottage cheese to reap those benefits. “It can be eaten in its plain form as a snack, used for dips and sauces, as a condiment, used as a substitute for milk, topping foods, and more," Molzahn says, offering a few ideas. Sub it for yogurt in a parfait with fruit and granola. Top it with everything bagel seasoning as a dip for your favorite cut veggies, or mix it into another type of dip. Swap it in instead of the unfermented cheese in your go-to mac and cheese or lasagna recipe, Use it as a no-fuss salad dressing in a pinch. Use it as on a bagel or sandwich as a cream cheese substitute. Try a viral cottage cheese TikTok recipe like cottage cheese ice cream or cottage cheese cheesecake. 8 TikTok Viral Cottage Cheese Recipes That Make It Easy To Get More Protein Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit Sources Real Simple is committed to using high-quality, reputable sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts in our articles. Read our editorial guidelines to learn more about how we fact check our content for accuracy. "Cheese, cottage, creamed, large or small curd." U.S. Department of Agriculture. "Cheese, cottage, lowfat, 2% milkfat." U.S. Department of Agriculture. USDA FoodData Central. Cheese, cottage, lowfat, 1% milkfat. Accessed May 3, 2023. Shreiner AB, Kao JY, Young VB. The gut microbiome in health and in disease. Curr Opin Gastroenterol. 2015;31(1):69-75. doi:10.1097/MOG.0000000000000139 Pozzobon, C. et al. "Cottage cheese in a diet – a review." Nutrition & Food Science. June 2019. "Yogurt & Cheese May Lower Risk of ER- Breast Cancer." American Cancer Society. "Budwig Diet." Memorial Sloan Kettering. March 2022. de Souza RJ, Mente A, Maroleanu A, et al. 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