1. Helps fill your protein quota
There’s a reason cottage cheese is a fitness industry fave. Just 1 cup low fat cottage cheese (1 percent milk fat) packs 28 grams of high quality protein into 163 calories.
And it’s not just any protein: Cottage cheese contains casein protein. A study with animals found that casein protein’s absorbed more slowly than other proteins. This could help prevent muscle breakdown and support a steady, gradual absorption of amino acids.
So, if you’re looking for gym #Gainz, you’ll get a boost from whey and casein — aka, the building blocks of cottage cheese. No wonder bodybuilders love the stuff!
2. Supports your bone health
Oh hello, bone-loving calcium!
If you’re between the ages of 19 and 50, the National Institutes of Health says you should aim for 1,000 mg of calcium per day. Just a cup o’ cottage cheese will get you nearly 14 percent of the way there!
It’s also a stellar source of phosphorus and protein — both important for healthy bones and teeth.
3. Helps keep your thyroid in tip-top shape
In addition to its calcium and protein content, cottage cheese is rich in essential minerals like selenium.
A cup of these curds = 36 percent of your recommended daily intake of selenium. Though you only need a teensy bit each day, this mineral is vital for healthy thyroid function.
A research review suggested that folks with thyroid disease can benefit from selenium supplementation. While that *doesn’t* mean you should go grab a bottle of supplements, it highlights the importance of noshing on selenium-rich foods for the sake of your thyroid.
4. Helps you stick to your weight loss goals
One of the most frequently touted benefits of cottage cheese? It can help you lose weight.
Here’s why: The casein protein in cottage cheese helps you feel full longer, which *might* keep your hands out of the proverbial cookie jar.
In one small 2012 study (“Alexa, play ‘Skyfall’ by Adele!”), women who pulled back on pasta and potatoes while upping their intake of high protein foods like cottage cheese and fatty fish lost an average of 6.2 pounds after a year. Not super impressed? Remember that these participants still steadily lost weight without making major lifestyle changes.
5. Soothes aching muscles
Cramping up after leg day? You curd always turn to cheese.
Cottage cheese curds contain a quartet of cramp-crushing electrolytes: calcium, potassium, magnesium, and sodium.
The fact that they’re all bundled together in one creamy snack is a solid reason to make this cheese part of your post-workout routine.
6. Does your heart a favor
We’ve already praised the selenium in cottage cheese. But we haven’t mentioned this mineral’s other potential benefit: heart health.
A research review linked selenium to a reduced risk of heart disease. To pamper your ticker in the best way possible, opt for low sodium cottage cheese — or just give your curds a quick rinse in a colander to remove excess salt.
7. Turns up your energy
Sure, you could rely on caffeine for your daily wake-up call, but a cup o’ cheese alongside your morning fruit might give you the little extra push you need.
Why? Well, because cottage cheese is swimming with vitamin B12 which, like other B vitamins, might boost your mood and support your body’s natural energy production.
