Cottage Cheese Nutrition Benefits and Facts

Nutritional summary

Cottage cheese is a concentrated source of essential nutrients, particularly protein, calcium, and phosphorus, which makes it a practical food for meeting daily nutrient recommendations .
Because it is a fresh cheese, it typically contains significantly more protein per serving than liquid milk or yogurt, though it generally has lower calcium levels than hard cheeses like cheddar .
Practical health considerations for cottage cheese include its often high sodium and fat content, leading experts to recommend moderation or choosing low-fat and low-salt versions to manage cardiovascular risk .
Early research suggests that specific components in fermented dairy, such as certain saturated fatty acids or bacteria added during processing, may have different effects on heart health and cholesterol than the fats found in red meat .

Interesting fact

The name 'cottage cheese' originated in the mid-19th century because the simple cheese was typically made in rural cottages using the milk left over after making butter.

Standout nutrients

ACE

SOURCE

Iodine

GREAT

SOURCE

Calcium

GREAT

SOURCE

Riboflavin (Vitamin B2)

MID

SOURCE

Molybdenum

109

kcal per 100g

Protein11.4g

Fat6.14g

Sugar2.58g

Fat breakdown

Polyunsat0.21g

Monounsat1.51g

Saturated3.47g

Trans0.24g

Seasonality

Not available

Diet

VegetarianPescatarianGluten FreeKeto

Sustainability

Moderate

As a dairy product, it has a lower carbon footprint than beef but higher than plant-based proteins.

Confidencemedium

Storage

Refrigerate

5–7 days

Keep tightly sealed; consume within a few days of opening.

Flavour

Data & Sources

Harmonized from 4 validated sources

French Food Database

1 contributing source food

Swiss Food Database

1 contributing source food

McCance & Widdowson

1 contributing source food

USDA

USDA FoodData Central

1 contributing source food

Claim citations

Is cottage cheese healthy? | Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

[1]hsph.harvard.edu

Global Review of Dairy Recommendations in Food-Based Dietary Guidelines - PMC

[2]pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

How sound is the science behind the dietary recommendations for ...

[4]pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Cheese - The Nutrition Source

[5]nutritionsource.hsph.harvard.edu

Effects of Dairy Products Consumption on Health - PMC

[10]pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Coverage

Nutrients

FoodCompass

40.6

Version

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