Cottage Cheese

What do you think about cottage cheese?

I grew up in a household that didn't have any white foods as my mother couldn't stand them. When I started Trim Healthy in 2013, I noticed cottage cheese was used a lot so I started using it and found I LOVED it. I used it often, but through the years, I now reserve it for a treat because I am very dairy light. If dairy products agree with you, lean dairy can be a great fuel pull option or full-fat dairy will give you protein and healthy fats. If you can't have dairy, don't worry, I can help you with other options.

Low-fat cottage cheese is an excellent protein source, and it's a fuel pull. There are so many creations you can make with this dairy protein.

If you don't like the texture of cottage cheese, I suggest blending it. You can blend it with handheld blender right in the container you buy it in and then the options are limitless with what you can do with it.

Cottage Cheese Protein Content:

The protein content can vary depending on the fat percentage.

Low-fat 1-2% is around 28 grams of protein per cup.

Full-fat 4% is slightly less protein at 25 grams per cup.

It is a complete protein source and rich in casein.

You can add a protein powder into your cottage cheese, especially if you only are using a half a cup of protein.

What are the benefits?

It’s low in calories and fat, high in protein, packed with calcium, and full of nutrients. It’s also a solid source of vitamin B12, selenium, riboflavin, phosphorus, and folate. Nearly 70% of the calories in cottage cheese come from the casein protein, which includes all of the essential amino acids the body needs for muscle growth and repair.

Plus, it’s slow to digest, so it can keep you feeling full for hours after you eat.

It’s also versatile – eaten alone, with fruit and nuts as a snack, or in recipes.

Many varieties also contain gut-friendly probiotics.

What should you look for?

I look for organic brands from grass-fed cows with few added ingredients. 1-2% or low-fat cottage cheese can be found without additives in brands like Nancy's, Good Culture and Friendship. If you are in a pause season, I recommend only Nancy's or Good Culture because they have cleaner ingredients and much better and higher counts of healthy microbes. These are more sour which sour means easier on your blood sugar. However, all forms of 1% cottage cheese are on the plan if they do not contain added sugar in the ingredients. The more sour the taste, the more your muscle cells will open to it and the fewer issues you'll have with insulin remaining in your blood stream. If you cannot find a 1% cottage cheese that fits your standards, some 2% cottage cheese are on the plan if they do not contain added sugar in the ingredients. Daisy is a brand that fits this.

Here is my favorite brand:

Good Culture

Nancy's Probiotic Low-Fat Cottage Cheese is another really healthy option.

If you are not using these top two or even if you are, I suggest amping up the sour by adding in lemons. Lemon causes them to act more like kefir and pushes the protein into your muscle cells far more effectively. Lemon with probiotic cottage cheese is a wiser option especially if you're having trouble losing weight.

Daisy is the brand I used when I started my journey.