What is the Nutritional Value of Cottage Cheese?

The nutritional value of cottage cheese is actually quite high. One serving (1 cup) of cottage cheese has only 163 total calories, no trans fat, and only one gram of saturated fat. As for cholesterol, there's only 9mgs per serving. Cottage cheese is an excellent source of protein and B12. One serving is packed with 28grams of protein which is 56% of the recommended daily allowance.

You'll get a good percent of the daily recommended omega 3 and 6 fatty acids with cottage cheese too, along with a host of vitamins such as;

- Lycopene
- Vitamin A, C, D, E and K
- B6 and B12
- Thiamin
- Riboflavin
- Folic acid
- Niacin
- Beta Carotene

Cottage cheese is also high in rich minerals including;

- Potassium
- Calcium
- Copper
- Zinc
- Magnesium
- Manganese
- Phosphorus
- Fluoride
- Selenium

One of the down sides to cottage cheese is that it is high in sodium (918mg) and considered a mild inflammatory. Nevertheless, unless otherwise directed by a physician, cottage cheese is a healthy choice as it is packed with nutrition and contains no caffeine.

There are a number of ways to incorporate cottage cheese into your diet. It's creamy texture and cheesy taste goes well with just about any kind of fruit and makes an excellent substitute for processed cheese slices on sandwiches. It can also be used in meat dishes to substitute for cheeses that are less healthy.

Being a very rich source of calcium and protein makes cottage cheese a popular choice for dieters and body builders. It's especially beneficial to women and the elderly who need extra calcium to help strengthen bones. Many of the elderly also have issues with cholesterol so considering the high nutrition and low cholesterol content, cottage cheese is a good choice.

Kids could certainly benefit from cottage cheese with its high nutrition, but unfortunately, most young people simply don't like it, unless it's disguised in a greasy meat sauce or something similar. Most of the young people who like cottage cheese were introduced to it as a toddler and developed a taste for it.

Therefore, considering the high nutrition and low cholesterol content, cottage cheese should be incorporated into a child's diet early on. It goes well with applesauce, peaches, bananas and most any kind of fruit. Training a child to acquire a taste for any kind of healthy food is a wise thing to do.

In summary, cottage cheese is healthy for young and old. It's rich in calcium and a good source of protein with very little cholesterol. However, it is high in sodium and a mild inflammatory. If you have any medical conditions that could be affected by the extra sodium, consult your physician before adding cottage cheese to your diet.