5 Cottage Cheese Benefits You Should Know + Tasty Ways To Eat It

Cottage cheese is often associated with its former reputation as an old-school meal replacement thought to help aid in weight loss. For that reason, cottage cheese sort of gets a bad rep.

"It's a vintage diet food, popularized due to its high protein content," says Cara Harbstreet, M.S., R.D., L.D. "Compared to other cheeses, dressings, and condiments, it's relatively low in calories and offers the same nutrition as other dairy products." But don't write it off too fast—cottage cheese is so much more than an antiquated diet staple. The truth is, it's actually a rather healthy food and is a smart addition to any dairy-inclusive diet. 

Cottage cheese is a soft, white cheese with a very mild, slightly salty flavor. "Cottage cheese is a type of cheese curd," says Harbstreet. "The solid curds are separated from the liquid whey by enzymes used in production, creating the cottage cheese you find at the grocery store." 

It's available in nonfat, reduced-fat, or full-fat and comes in a variety of curd sizes. And if you're scanning the dairy aisle, you may even see a selection of cottage cheese flavors. But it's important to know that added flavors often alter the nutrients you'll find in the plain variety (including added sugars).

As for the taste, well, it's slightly sweet and salty, yet sort of bland, which makes it easy to add to dishes without altering the flavor. The real hurdle, if you're not a fan of curdled cheese, is the texture. It's equally lumpy, bumpy, and creamy, making it quite polarizing. But if the texture doesn't weird you out, the taste itself can be rather enjoyable.

Cottage cheese is a legitimately healthy food and comes with a number of potential health benefits that make it worth incorporating into your diet:

Cottage cheese has an impressive nutrient profile to help support your overall health. While the specifics vary from brand to brand, here's an example of the nutrition breakdown in 1 cup of cottage cheese, according to the USDA1:

If you're looking for foods that help support your strength goals, protein-packed cottage cheese may be able to help with that. "Protein helps keep us full, and it's great for muscle recovery," says Shana Spence, M.S., RDN, CDN.  It varies per brand, but on average, you'll find between 15 and 25 grams of protein per cup of cottage cheese2. That's about the same you'd get from eating 3 ounces of chicken breast. 

A type of protein found in cottage cheese, caseinate, or casein, may be especially helpful for muscle growth. One study found it had a superior effect on muscle protein synthesis3 after exercise compared to soy protein.

Cottage cheese is also high in B vitamins. "B vitamins are essential for the body to convert food into energy and help maintain healthy skin and brain cells," says Spence. In fact, one study found that children who consume dairy products4 like cottage cheese have more energy. Meaning the creamy food could be one way to help fight that midafternoon slump.

Although the idea of cottage cheese as a "weight-loss food" may be dated, it may help with healthy weight management5, according to a handful of studies. "Cottage cheese shouldn't be positioned as a tool for weight loss; instead, it should be considered a nourishing and filling option for those who enjoy it," Harbstreet says. And since it is a high-protein, low-calorie food choice, it can help you feel full longer.

A number of cottage cheese brands include live and active cultures, aka probiotics. In addition to overall gut health, probiotics help keep your heart healthy and can even help boost your immune system. 

When comparing cottage cheese and yogurt, "I wouldn't say cottage cheese is necessarily better," says Spence. "It is generally higher in protein than yogurt, but as far as calcium, B vitamins, and other minerals, they are about the same." It really comes down to your taste and texture preference.

Of course, you can eat cottage cheese by the spoonful, if you please. But there are also countless ways to add it to dishes, and even hide the texture, if that's something you can't stomach.

While cottage cheese is often associated with restrictive diets, it's actually a beneficial health food. Adding it to a balanced diet may help improve muscle growth, gut health, energy, and more.