Cottage cheese gets a bad rep, but it’s a healthy superfood you’re missing out on. If you want to lose weight or build muscle, I’d highly consider adding it to your grocery list. Besides losing weight and building muscle, it’s packed with various nutrients and incredibly high in protein while low in calories. What are the rich benefits of cottage cheese you should know?
I’ll show you the benefits!
What’s Cottage Cheese?
It’s a type of cheese curd with a mild and slightly salty flavor. The cheese curds are separated from the liquid whey during production. An enzyme or probiotics converts the skim milk sugars into lactic acid, separating the curds from the whey (the liquid in cottage cheese). Some of the whey is drained out, so it’s not too soupy.
It comes in fat-free, reduced-fat, or full-fat. There is usually a large selection of cottage cheese products at the grocery store varying in fat content and flavors (savory and sweet).
Unlike solid blocks of cheese, you might not be a fan of the texture. If you can get over the texture, it’s quite delicious!
What are the Benefits?
The potential benefits are worth giving it a try if you haven’t already. Cottage cheese is rich in many nutrients, high in protein, low in calories, convenient, and versatile in that it can be used in all sorts of dishes and snacks.
High in Protein
One cup of low-fat cottage cheese contains almost 24 grams of protein. Ideal food for pre or post-workout to build and repair muscle tissue. It contains casein and whey protein, which your body processes differently.
Although containing whey, cottage cheese is primarily heavy in casein, a slowly absorbed protein. Its slow digestion releases amino acids into your bloodstream for up to several hours compared to whey (quickly digested). Casein can improve energy levels, with a nice bonus of increasing your metabolism while sleeping.
Either way, amino acids are the building blocks of protein, right? You’re looking at an easy food to get all the essential amino acids (qualifying it as a complete protein source).
Rich in Nutrients
Besides being high in protein, cottage cheese is rich in numerous nutrients and antioxidants. Helping to strengthen your immune system, putting you at a lower risk of illness and disease, and prolonging a healthy life.
Cottage cheese is loaded with nutrients such as:
Calcium
Vitamin D
B-complex vitamins (B12, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, niacin, thiamin, and folate)
Magnesium
Potassium
Phosphorus
Zinc
Selenium (antioxidant protecting cells and DNA from free-radical damage)
How does it improve energy levels? The B-complex vitamins, such as riboflavin, help to convert carbs into energy, and niacin improves digestion while aiding in energy production.
Convenient
As you engage in regular exercise, your metabolism will increase. You will burn calories faster, making you more frequently hungry throughout the day.
What’s nice about cottage cheese is it’s convenient to eat. I do not mind eating it with a spoon out of the container, but you could add fruit or spread it on crackers. It’s a perfect protein-packed grab-and-go food.
Cottage Cheese Snack Idea
Nonfat cottage cheese spread on toast with a slice of tomato – Check it out on my Instagram
Specific ingredients I use:
Two slices of good seed bread (Dave’s Killer Bread). Toasted, of course.
Two spoonful’s of nonfat cottage cheese on each piece of toast (Hood).
A slice of fresh tomato to top it off.
Yup, that’s it. It doesn’t seem like much, but it’s tasty and fills you up. Enjoy!
