Most people’s dinner tables probably have a bowl or two of cottage cheese on them. Cottage cheese has become very popular as breakfast, dessert, or a snack. This is partly because many people think that cottage cheese is healthy. But is it really? This blog will discuss why cottage cheese is healthy (or not) and what to look out for when choosing between different types of cottage cheese.

What Is Cottage Cheese?

Of course, before discussing whether or not cottage cheese is good for your health, it is interesting to know what cottage cheese actually is.  It should not come as a surprise that cottage cheese is made from milk. Originally it was only milk, but recently milk ingredients have been added.

The milk (with milk ingredients added) is acidified at the plant with lactic acid bacteria. Rennet is then added to thicken the milk. Through this process, the milk becomes a thick mass of liquid, which must be drained. The remaining milk is drained, and the remaining mass becomes cottage cheese.

Cottage Cheese Is Full of Protein

Cottage cheese is essentially just milk with minimal additives. However, most cottage cheeses contain more than twice as much protein as regular milk or buttermilk. This high protein content is one of the reasons why many people are convinced that cottage cheese is good for your health. But why is this content so much higher than that of cow’s milk? Because it is a more concentrated substance, more protein remains per 100 milliliters or 100 grams. This is one of the reasons why cottage cheese is so popular with athletes.

Which Cottage Cheese is Healthier?

Now that you know how cottage cheese is made, let’s take a look at the different types of cottage cheese you can buy.

Low-fat Quark

The most popular type is still low-fat (French) quark. This type of quark contains the most protein of the standard types and is the least expensive. In addition, low-fat cottage cheese contains less fat and therefore fewer calories. Therefore, low-fat cottage cheese can be considered to be the healthiest type of cottage cheese.

Semi-skimmed

Semi-skimmed is low-fat cottage cheese to which a small amount of cream has been added.  The result is reduced protein content and increased fat and calories compared to low-fat cottage cheese. Therefore, semi-skimmed is also healthy, but slightly more fat and less protein per 100 grams than low-fat cottage cheese.

Full-fat Cottage Cheese

Full-fat cottage cheese, like semi-skimmed, is a low-fat version with cream added. To make full-fat cottage cheese, you need a significant amount of cream. This means that 100 grams of high-fat quark contains about 8 to 9 grams more fat than low-fat quark. As a result, the amount of calories is also much higher. So, for example, if you want to lose weight but don’t want to take in too many calories, keep this in mind.

Is Cottage Cheese Gut-Friendly?

Many people can still process dairy products well when they are young, but it becomes harder to process as they get older. For example, the body has a harder time processing lactose, and dairy products can suddenly become a problem. For this reason, for many people, cottage cheese is not healthy for the gut.

If you already have a sensitive gut, it is wise to stop eating regular cottage cheese and opt for lactose-free alternatives. Fortunately, you can find enough lactose-free cottage cheese in supermarkets these days. You can also take a look at milk substitutes. These are often lactose-free.

Is Cottage Cheese Suitable for Breakfast?

Many people eat cottage cheese in the morning with muesli or fruit. This can be said to be a conscious choice for a light and healthy breakfast. Choosing low-fat cottage cheese will limit your calorie intake.

Cottage Cheese and Weight Loss

The last point to take up before deciding whether cottage cheese is healthy or not is the extent to which eating cottage cheese is linked to weight loss. There is still a great deal of uncertainty on this point. Basically, dieting is nothing more or less than reducing the number of calories you consume. If you keep doing this, you will lose weight.

In this case, low-fat cottage cheese is the best choice. It is low in calories and high in protein. Full-fat cottage cheese is high in calories and low in protein. Basically, all types of cottage cheese are safe to consume if you want to lose weight. Just make sure that you eat fewer calories than you burn.

With the information we have now, we can say that cottage cheese is healthy. Of course, it is very difficult to label it as a healthy product, because it is only through a balanced diet that we can be truly healthy. However, cottage cheese contains a lot of protein, little sugar, and few calories, especially the low-fat type. That is why we can conclude that cottage cheese is healthy.