TikTok is seeing the renaissance of cottage cheese – but what are its benefits?

The renaissance of cottage cheese has arrived. The humble dairy product, which was a mainstay in the 80s and 90s, is now being embraced by Gen Z.

Just one look at TikTok and videos with the term “cottage cheese” have over 213.7 million views, with people making whipped cottage cheese, adding the cheese to their pasta sauces, and simply enjoying it as a snack on toast.

“Cottage cheese is my new obsession,” one user by the name of Abby commented under a video. Other videos show users blending cottage cheese with peanut butter and banana to make a faux peanut butter “cheesecake”.

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“I’ve been adding cottage cheese to scrambled eggs,” one user wrote. “It stretches expensive eggs and adds bonus protein!”

“Cottage cheese adds nutritional value by providing extra protein to any high carb meal,” Nutritionist Resource member Sonal Shah explains. “It also works as a topping like on jacket potatoes, salads and an accompaniment on the side – and it provides minerals such as B vitamins and calcium.”

Shah says that cottage cheese is made by adding an acid to milk, which causes the milk to curdle and is then drained to create the cheese.

“It is highly nutritious as it contains a whooping 25g of protein per cup,” Shah explains. “The bulk of it is casein protein which is a slow digesting protein providing the body with a steady stream of amino acids throughout the day. Supporting muscle growth and repair while avoiding peaks and crashes in blood sugar levels.

“Being naturally low in sugar and fat, but high in protein, it is a satiating food to eat on its own as a snack or as part of a meal.”

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Shah recommends consuming just one cup of cottage cheese per day maximum. “The nutrition composition varies depending on how it's made,” she add. “The cottage cheese and pineapple for example will contain sugar compared to the plain full fat version. So always check the nutrition labels and full ingredients.”

While cottage cheese has one of the highest protein amounts out of dairy products, one cup of diced cheddar contains 30g of protein, and one cup of Greek yoghurt has 20g of protein.

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According to the British Nutrition Foundation, protein is needed for growth and repair of body tissues and is important for healthy muscles and bones. Meat, fish, dairy products, eggs, soya, nuts, beans and lentils are all good sources of protein.

Adults should aim to eat 0.75g of protein per kg body weight per day, which equates to 56g per day for a man who weighs 75kg (165lbs), and 45g per day for a woman who weighs 60kg (132lbs).

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