How Many Calories Are in a Cup of Cottage Cheese?

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Cottage cheese is beneficial for weight loss & even to build muscles. (Image via Pexels / Karolina Grabowska)
Cottage cheese is beneficial for weight loss & even to build muscles. (Image via Pexels / Karolina Grabowska)

Cottage cheese is a milk product that’s manufactured and shaped in many different ways. Be sure to find an excellent cottage cheese brand that you like and adopt it as part of your eating habits, whether it be for snacks, breakfast, or any other part of your diet.

While you may have a few quick recipes in mind to up your consumption of this cheese, have you ever wondered how many calories are present in a cup of cottage cheese? With so many brands on the market, it can be challenging to figure out which one is the healthiest.

Opinions about cottage cheese and its place in your diet may differ, but it’s not only for dieting anymore. Cottage cheese offers a combination of protein, calcium, vitamins, and minerals that make it beneficial even to healthy people who are trying to get their daily amount of these important nutrients or athletes and bodybuilders who are looking to enhance their performance.


What is Cottage Cheese and How Many Calories Does it Have?

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Cottage cheese is soft and creamy and has a mild flavor. It’s made from curds of various levels of pasteurized cow’s milk, including non-fat, reduced fat, or regular milk. Cottage cheese is available in different curd sizes—small, medium, or large—and also comes in whipped, creamed, lactose-free, and reduced sodium varieties.

This type of cheese is an excellent source of protein and calcium. A one-cup serving of cottage cheese contains 180 calories, 24 grams of protein, 5 grams of fat, and 3 grams of saturated fat.

It also contains 9.5 grams of carbohydrates, with no dietary fiber or added sugar. One serving contains 676 milligrams of sodium and 227 milligrams of calcium.


Health Benefits of Cottage Cheese

1) Can Help You Lose Weight

Cottage cheese is a popular weight loss aid. For one thing, it is high in protein and low in calories. In one study, it was revealed that people who followed a diet that included high protein foods like cottage cheese lost an average of 6.2 pounds (2.8 kg) in women and 3.1 pounds (1.4 kg) in men over the course of a year.

In addition to helping them lose weight, diets high in protein such as casein in cottage cheese have been shown to increase feelings of fullness. This also means that this cheese can stimulate feelings of fullness to a similar extent as eggs.


2) Helps With Muscle Gain

Cottage cheese is a great food to eat before or after a workout. It’s packed with protein and contains casein, a slow-digesting protein that can help you build muscle mass. Combining cottage cheese with resistance training will help you build muscle faster.

Casein is also known for increasing the absorption of amino acids, which may lead to greater muscle-building capacity. Many bodybuilders eat cottage cheese before bed because it provides a sustained release of amino acids into the blood and muscles, which may reduce muscle breakdown.


3) Promotes Bone Health & Pevents Insulin Resistance

Cottage cheese has consistently been linked to improved bone health. Not only does it contain calcium, but it also contains good amounts of phosphorus and protein.

Insulin resistance can lead to the development of type 2 diabetes and heart disease. However, some studies suggest that dairy products may reduce insulin resistance, which can help reduce the risk of developing such conditions.


What Are Some Ways You Can Include Cottage Cheese in Your Diet?

Cottage cheese can be used in many ways. You can put it in smoothies, dips or pancake batter, stir it into oatmeal for a shot of creamy protein, make it the base of a savory bowl of roasted veggies, spread on rye crackers and top with sliced avocado or sprinkle paprika and chives.

It is a versatile food that can replace ricotta, sour cream, and even mayonnaise in recipes. For example, you can blend the cheese with bananas and maple syrup for a quick pudding.


Wrapping Up

Cottage cheese is a simple addition to your diet, but it offers a host of benefits. When you're dieting, it offers high-quality protein without many calories and also tastes great. If you're not dieting, it can be an excellent addition to your overall diet. Just remember to eat it sparingly if your goal is weight loss.

In the end, cottage cheese is one of the best foods for weight loss and muscle building. Whether you’re heading to the gym or looking for a delicious, high-protein meal, cottage cheese can help keep your goals on track. There are plenty of ways to enjoy this versatile food, and it works well in a variety of dishes.

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