Cottage cheese is one of the cheese types that people use in dishes, whether in a casual meal and a diet meal. It is a fresh curd with a mild flavor and it is believed that it is made from leftover milk, following butter making. While various forms of cottage cheese are prepare from milks with varying fat content, the following are its health benefits.
General Nutrition
Cottage cheese is rich in vitamins and minerals. According to Organic Facts, it contains vitamin B, which promotes brain functions; these are thinking, learning, memory, and sensation. Cottage cheese also contains minerals like calcium, potassium, zinc, selenium, phosphorus, and magnesium. Calcium and phosphorus work together to strengthen the bones and the teeth. Then, magnesium plays a role in neuromuscular coordination. Zinc promotes wound healing and digestion while potassium regulates body fluids and it also relaxes the muscles of the blood vessels. This way, potassium also prevents increase in the blood pressure or hypertension. Then, selenium is a mineral that prevents cell damage by releasing antioxidant enzymes.
Cottage Cheese as Protein Source
According to Live Strong, cottage cheese contains high amounts of protein; in fact, a cup of it contains 28 grams of protein, which is around 47 percent of the daily-recommended protein intake for a 150-pound person. Since it contains all the amino acids a person needs, it is also viewed as a source of complete protein.
As per Nola, cottage cheese also contains casein, which is a slow-digesting milk protein that comprises about 80 percent of the protein found in milk. Hence, eating cottage cheese during dinner helps promote the release of amino acids even during sleep. Overall, the cheese as a protein helps repair muscle fibers and then prevent muscle breakdown. Casein is usually taken by athletes prior to going to bed to prevent muscle loss during sleep.
Cottage Cheese and Cardiovascular Health
Aside from the action of potassium in promoting the health of the heart and the blood vessels, vitamin B12 or cobalamine also plays a role in the promotion of cardiovascular health. According to Healthy Eating, cobalamine removes the amino acid homocysteine from the blood. In anatomy and physiology, homocysteine is a natural byproduct of other body processes, but it is converted by the vitamin into healthy substances. In this regard, it is safe to say that reduction of homocysteine in the blood is equivalent to the decrease of the risk of cardiovascular disease development..
Sample Recipe
Cottage cheese can be added to various meal recipes like Passover Matzo Lasagna. According to All Recipes, the ingredients include one package of shredded mozzarella cheese (divided), six matzo sheets, four eggs (mildly beaten), one carton cottage cheese, and one jar of marinara sauce.
To prepare, as per the publication, the oven is preheat to 175 degrees Celsius. Then, the matzo sheets are soaked in a large bowl of hot water for 30 seconds, until they become tender. Next, they are drained. After that, the cottage cheese, half of the mozzarella cheese, and the eggs are combined in a bowl. Once done, half of the cup of marinara sauce is poured on the bottom of the baking pan. Then, two matzo sheets are placed over the sauce and the remaining sauce is poured over the other sheets. Half of the cheese mixture is spread on top, before another layer of sauce. Layering Is continued, until all the matzo sheets are utilized. Finally, the remaining mozzarella cheese is sprinkled over the top.
Cottage cheese is considered healthy due to its nutritional content. Thus, its addition to various meal recipes will promote a person’s total health and wellness.
