Is Cottage Cheese Good For You? Nutrition Facts and a Dietitian's Top Picks

Social feeds are still obsessed with cottage cheese. Cottage cheese ice cream, protein dips – even cottage-cheese "chips."

We are here for it. This old-school dairy is truly a nutrition powerhouse and it deserves the buzz. The options for using cottage cheese are are limitless. You can add it to smoothies, use it as a substitute for sour cream or mayo, or whip into high-protein dips, ice cream, low-carb eggplant lasagna — even popsicles.

How much protein is in cottage cheese?

Cottage cheese has 13 to 14 grams of protein per half-cup. One cup of cottage cheese is equivalent to about four ounces of lean meat.

Does cottage cheese have lactose?

Yes, but it is low in lactose, with only about three grams per half cup. Many people with lactose-intolerance tolerate it just fine. 

Does cottage cheese have casein?

Yes, cottage cheese contains slow-release casein, a type of protein that digests slowly which helps fuel muscles and curb hunger.

Does cottage cheese have potassium?

Yes, cottage cheese contains the electrolytes potassium and sodium. It has three times the amount of electrolytes as many sports drinks.  

Cottage cheese also is high in calcium, with more than 300 milligrams in a half-cup serving.

Which brands have the cleanest ingredients and best taste? Our recommendations have a short, streamlined ingredient list and contain only the essentials (milk, cream, salt, cultures). They also don't include starches, gums, thickeners or stabilizers. These ingredients are not necessary and also impact flavor and texture.

Daisy 4% Cottage Cheese

• Ingredients: cultured skim milk, cream, salt
• Per half-cup serving: 110 calories, 5 grams carbs, 4 grams sugar, 13 grams protein
• Electrolytes: 370 mg sodium, 100 mg calcium, 130 mg potassium
• Why we like it: creamy taste, just three ingredients

Good Culture Organic Whole-Milk Cottage Cheese

• Ingredients: organic skim milk, organic whole milk, organic cream, sea salt, live cultures
• Per half-cup serving: 110 calories, 3 grams carbs, 3 grams sugar, 14 grams protein
• Electrolytes: 340 mg sodium, 80 mg calcium, 90 mg potassium
• Why we like it: contains pasture-raised milk and probiotic cultures for gut support, plus zero additives

Nancy’s Organic Cultured Cottage Cheese

• Ingredients: organic milk, organic cream, salt, live probiotic cultures (L. acidophilus, B. lactis)
• Per half-cup serving: 80 calories, 4 grams carbs, 4 grams sugar, 14 grams protein
• Electrolytes: 300 mg sodium, 160 mg calcium, 189 mg potassium
• Why we like it: contains billions of live probiotics with one of the simplest labels in the case

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