Greek yogurt and cottage cheese are both good snacks that are high in protein. Cottage cheese usually has more protein than Greek yogurt. 1 cup:
- 24 grams (g) of protein in cottage cheese1
- Plain Greek yogurt has 20 grams of protein2.
There may be other things that affect which snack you prefer:
- The texture of Greek yogurt is smoother and creamier.3.
- Cottage cheese has more sodium, which is not good for people who need to watch how much salt they eat.1.
The nutrition in Greek yogurt and cottage cheese
Nonfat, full-fat, or flavored cottage cheese or Greek yogurt will have different nutrition profiles.
Nutrition per 1-cup serving of cottage cheese and Greek yogurt
| Water (%) | 81 | 84 for cottage cheese and Greek yogurt |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 180 | 146 |
| Protein (g) | 24 | 20 |
| Fat (g) | 5 g of fat | 4 g of fat |
| Carbohydrates (g) | 9.5 | 8 |
| Calcium (mg) | 230 (23% DV) | |
| Sodium (mg) | 700 (30% DV) | 68 (3% DV) |
| Zinc (mg) | 1.3 mg of zinc (16% DV) | 1.2 mg of zinc (15% DV) |
| Selenium (mcg) | 32 (58% DV) | 25 (45% DV) |
Salt (sodium) is added to cottage cheese while it is being made, so it is a good source of sodium in the diet. But there are cottage cheeses with less salt.
Adding bacteria to milk to make Greek yogurt gives you probiotics. Probiotics are good microbes that help the gut, the immune system, and overall health and wellness.4
Which One Is Better for Your Health?
Greek yogurt is the healthier choice because it has probiotics and is low in sodium.
Probiotics, like those found in Greek yogurt, may lower the risk of heart disease and protect against type 2 diabetes.5
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The Dietary Guidelines for Americans say that people should only eat 2,300 mg of sodium a day.6 The American Heart Association wants people to cut back on sodium even more, to 1,500 mg per day.7 One cup of cottage cheese gives you 47% of that lower limit.71 Eating too much salt can raise blood pressure and make heart disease more likely.8
How do they make them?
The way cottage cheese and Greek yogurt are made changes their taste and nutritional value.
Cheese for the cottage
To make cottage cheese:
- An acid, like vinegar, is added to milk.
- The acid breaks up the solids (curds) and the liquids (whey).
- Cut the curds into big or small pieces and cook them to get rid of the moisture.
- Rinsing and draining the curds gets rid of more liquid and lowers the acidity of the cottage cheese.
- Large curds have more moisture than small curds, which could change the taste of the cottage cheese.
- To make the curds taste better, salt is added. To make them smooth, cream or thickeners are added.9
Yogurt from Greece
To make yogurt in Greece:
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- First, the milk is heated and then cooled. Then, it is mixed with bacterial cultures and left to sit and ferment.
- The bacteria eat the sugar in the milk, which makes it thicker and turns it into yogurt.
- After fermentation, the yogurt is strained to get rid of the extra liquid (whey) and make Greek yogurt.
- Greek yogurt has more protein, is thicker and creamier, and tastes better than regular yogurt.10 It also has less lactose and fewer carbs than regular yogurt because the extra whey has been taken out.3
What can I do with them?
Cottage cheese and Greek yogurt can be used in many different ways. Add them to your cooking to make it healthier.11
- Mix with herbs and other things to make dressings and sauces.
- Beat cottage cheese until it is smooth, then use it instead of ricotta in lasagna and other pasta dishes.
- For a pudding-like texture, add to overnight oats.
- Mix into smoothies
- In a one-to-one ratio, you can use Greek yogurt or cottage cheese instead of sour cream, ricotta, heavy cream, or mayonnaise.
- Use Greek yogurt or cottage cheese instead of some of the oil in a recipe.
- You can use this instead of cream cheese in cheesecake and other baked goods.
- Mix with fruit and freeze to make ice pops that are cool and full of nutrients.
