Cottage cheese - does it live up to the hype?
But lately, this humble dairy food is enjoying a resurgence, touted as a high-protein snack and a diet-friendly meal. As a nutritionist specialising in perimenopausal health and preconception care, I find cottage cheese can be both a supportive ally and, occasionally, a sneaky saboteur.
What's good about it?
Cottage cheese packs an impressive protein punch. A half-cup serving contains about 13 grams of protein, which is important for satiety, muscle maintenance, and blood sugar stability.
Cottage cheese provides a good dose of calcium, essential for bone density - especially important as oestrogen levels decline during perimenopause. It's also a source of B12, riboflavin, and folate, vital nutrients for energy production and neural health, particularly critical in preconception nutrition.
The casein in cottage cheese digests slowly, making it ideal for overnight muscle repair or as a bedtime snack to curb midnight cravings. This is why cottage cheese is so popular among bodybuilders. The casein protein can be beneficial for women dealing with sleep disturbances due to hormonal shifts.For those trying to conceive, cottage cheese offers selenium, zinc, and iodine - micronutrients associated with reproductive health. Paired with other wholefoods, it can contribute to a nutrient-rich fertility plan. The not-so-great aspects
Most brands of cottage cheese in New Zealand are high in sodium (salt) - up to 400mg per half-cup. High sodium can contribute to bloating, hypertension, and water retention. Opting for a low-sodium option or rinsing cottage cheese can help to mitigate this. While cottage cheese is lower in lactose than milk, it still contains enough to trigger symptoms in sensitive individuals. For some people, especially those experiencing digestive changes in midlife, dairy may worsen bloating or inflammation. Dairy can also contribute to teen and adult acne so a short elimination diet under the guidance of a nutritionist or dietitian can be helpful to explore the effects of dairy.
Not all cottage cheese is created equal. Some versions contain gums, stabilisers, or added sugars - none of which support hormone balance or gut health so this is where Ricotta or plain Greek yoghurt can be a better alternative. Always check labels for minimal ingredients: milk / cream, and cultures should be the primary components. If you are keen, there are recipes online to make your own using full cream milk and some salt and vinegar to avoid the additional extras.
Cottage cheese can absolutely earn a spot in a balanced diet, especially for growing children, hungry teenagers, bodybuilders and women navigating the unique nutritional needs of perimenopause. Its affordability, versatility, and nutrient density make it an excellent tool in the right context. But like any food, it's best enjoyed mindfully - watching for sodium, additives, and ensuring it's part of a broader, diverse dietary pattern.
Whether blended into smoothies, spread on rice cakes, melted into veggie stir-fry, scooped alongside a salad, made into low-carb flatbreads or carnivore-friendly fluffy cloud bread, cottage cheese deserves more credit - but not a free pass. Savoury power toast with
cottage cheese and avocado
This savoury combo supports blood sugar stability (due to the fibre, lemon juice and healthy fats), oestrogen metabolism (thanks to leafy greens) and provides magnesium, potassium and healthy fats - all essential for hormone regulation in perimenopause. Ingredients
½ cup full-fat cottage cheese
1 thin slice of whole grain or sourdough bread, toasted
½ ripe avocado, sliced or mashed
½ small tomato, thinly sliced
A few rocket leaves or arugula
Squeeze of lemon juice
Pinch of sea salt and cracked black pepper
Optional: 1 to 2 sardines, chilli flakes or hemp seeds for extra flavour and nutrients Method
Toast the bread.
Spread the cottage cheese over the toast as a base layer.
Add the avocado, tomato slices and greens.
Squeeze fresh lemon juice over the top, season with salt, pepper and any optional toppings.
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NZ Herald
6 days ago
- NZ Herald
Protein: How much you really need in a day and how to get it, according to an NZ nutritionist
'If we look at diet history and trends, there's often been a focus on omitting things - like low sugar, low fat,' Wylie tells the Herald. 'One thing I love about this focus on protein is, it's a really additive focus in terms of nutrients and nutrition. Rather than thinking about what we're not eating or what we have to take out of our diet, it's what can we add into our diet. 'But with any trend, there's definitely an area where you can slip into overdrive or over-focus.' In 2025, more women seem to be prioritising protein, which Wylie says is a positive step. 'I think a lot of women back in the day used to shy away from protein. There was this thought that if we were to eat too much protein and work out, we would get bulky. We know that's not the case.' Registered nutritionist and founder of Elo Wellbeing Emma Wylie. Photo / Supplied How much protein you need and where to get it When it comes to getting the right amount of protein, there's a bit of maths involved. 'The equation is anywhere from 0.8g all the way up to 2.2g per kg of body weight,' Wylie explains. 'If we were to look at someone who's 70kg, they could fall anywhere in that space - 0.8g would be for when you're in a more sedentary lifestyle, 2.2g [is] probably the amount that a quite high-intensity athlete needs to fall into. 'Essentially, a 70kg woman would want to be having somewhere between 100 to 130g of protein a day.' If you're pregnant or breastfeeding, or an older adult, you'd want to be getting more than the minimum 0.8g. 'We need enough protein to maintain muscle mass, which is so important for our metabolism... as we age, we will start to lose muscle mass very quickly.' Animal products are the best source of protein, Wylie says. 'There are 20 different amino acids that build protein. We can create 11 of them and 9 of them we have to get from our diet. Animal protein sources have all of these essential amino acids.' Meat, chicken, eggs, fish and other seafood are all protein-rich, as are plant-based foods like tofu and tempeh, which she notes are good vegan sources of protein as they're minimally processed. Animal and dairy products, tofu and tempeh are all good sources of protein. Photo / 123RF Dairy products including soft cheeses, Greek yoghurt and cottage cheese - which is cool again in 2025, thanks to social media - are all good protein sources too. Wylie suggests aiming for at least 30g of protein in our first meal of the day. 'Does your breakfast have at least one source of protein? Two to three eggs would be a good serve, 80g of meat protein, a cup of Greek yoghurt.' 'Breakfast is typically the one we have to focus on getting the protein in, because a lot of the time, breakfast foods have traditionally always been cereal, grain-based, not so protein-focused. So that's probably the biggest change in diet needing to happen. 'And then at lunch and dinner, somewhere between 30 to 45g of protein.' Adding a can of tuna or pre-poached and shredded chicken into a sandwich or salad for lunch can provide an added boost of protein, Wylie says. If you're not eating meat for dinner, she suggests swapping out regular pasta for pulse pasta, made with legumes, or adding chickpeas to roast vegetables for a protein boost. 'And then maybe one or two snacks that have a little bit of added protein... depending on your activity levels or needs.' Protein-rich snacks can include hardboiled eggs, yoghurt, cheese and crackers. What you might not know is that nuts, which we often reach for as a healthier snack choice, aren't that high in protein. 'Nuts are predominantly fats. While they work like protein to keep us feeling full... in the scheme of things, they deliver a couple of grams versus a cup of yoghurt delivering you a good 10-15[grams],' Wylie says. What about trending protein snacks? Many more options than protein bars are on the market - these days you'll find added protein in anything and everything from yoghurt to chips, ice cream and pasta. Khloe Kardashian made headlines when she launched Khloud, her brand of popcorn boasting 7g of protein per serve. 'It's marketing and it's jumping on a trend - but it also has some benefit in some cases,' Wylie says. 'In something like a pancake, if that was breakfast every morning, it typically doesn't have a huge amount of protein. So then adding protein to that is going to help give you that bit of extra protein in the morning. 'I think it always comes back to, how can we do this more whole food-based? Added protein doesn't necessarily make it a health food if it's quite a processed food item,' she notes. 'Snack foods have typically been predominantly carbohydrate-based and they do give you fast-delivering fuels, but that fuel often isn't long-lasting - whereas adding that element of protein is going to give you that longer-lasting option.' Signs you're not getting enough protein How do you know if you're lacking protein? Wylie says it can be 'tricky to tell'. 'Symptoms that I tend to see in clinic if people aren't eating enough protein is that their meals aren't keeping them feeling full for 3 to 4 hours. 'So they're getting energy crashes, intense onset hunger or sugar cravings. They can be signs that maybe the meal that you ate prior didn't have enough protein, because it wasn't giving you long enough lasting energy or helping keep your blood sugar stable for long enough.' A long-term effect of not getting enough protein could be that you struggle to maintain muscle mass. Getting enough protein will help maintain muscle mass and mobility as we age. Photo / 123RF Can you have too much protein? While you'd have to eat quite a lot of protein to overdo it, there are 'definitely' risks that come with having too much, Wylie says. 'While we can excrete or get rid of the excess protein that we eat in our urine - we pee out protein, essentially, if we've got too much of it - over time, that actually can cause real damage to our kidneys. 'But we would have to be eating quite high levels for that to be the case, and not rebuilding muscle tissue in the same sort of way as well.' The other danger with prioritising protein is that we can miss out on other nutrients like fat, carbs and fibre. 'It comes back to focusing on ticking every nutrient box.'
NZ Herald
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- NZ Herald
High-protein trend grows: From bagels to ice cream in NZ supermarkets
So what's driving this surge? According to New Zealand registered nutritionist Nikki Hart, it's partly a matter of shifting demographics. 'As we are an ageing population,' she says, 'and protein is known to help build and repair muscles, support the immune system and play a role in hormones and enzyme production, I believe the buzz fits not only for traditional athletes but also for peri-menopausal women, the elderly, children and adolescents.' It also helps that other macronutrients – particularly sugar and gluten – have been subject to backlash, leaving protein as a sort of nutritional safe haven. In a food culture that often reduces health to buzzwords, protein carries the allure of both functionality and virtue: good for satiety, good for muscle tone, and (in theory) good for weight management. Hart notes that while an average adult only requires around 0.8g of protein per kilogram of body weight per day to meet basic requirements, higher intakes – up to 2.4g/kg – may be useful for protecting muscle mass and managing fat levels. 'As our population has high levels of obesity,' she says, 'it makes more sense to focus on eating higher levels of lean, natural sources of protein to assist with better weight management.' Still, she's wary of how that message is being packaged. 'We eat food, not nutrients,' she cautions. 'What the general public doesn't realise is that common foods – like bread – can contain meaningful amounts of protein. Two slices of bread can give you 10 grams.' The push to turn every snack into a protein delivery system, she suggests, may be missing the point. Indeed, not all protein is created equal. Hart explains that while plant-based protein powders are popular – and more sustainable – they tend to lack the naturally occurring leucine and other amino acids that make animal proteins, such as whey or casein, more biologically available. 'Although some products add back the missing leucine, it's not part of the original 'milk matrix',' she says, 'so the amino acid isn't as well absorbed.' Lorna Jane Clarkson's Omelette Three Ways from her recipe book 'Nourish: The Fit Woman's Cook Book'. Photo / Supplied. Try: Omelette Three Ways recipe That doesn't mean people need to eat steak at every meal. Hart's preference is for minimally processed sources: Greek yoghurt, milk, eggs, legumes, fish, nuts, lean meats, even cottage cheese – which she notes is seeing a resurgence due to its affordability and nutritional profile. 'Protein foods can be expensive,' she says. 'And they don't always fit sustainability models. That's why choosing a variety of sources is important.' So how do high-protein processed foods like cereals or ice creams stack up? Hart offers a gentle caution. 'Boosted foods may come with additional kilojoules compared to the original product,' she says. 'Just because ice cream is boosted with protein doesn't all of a sudden make it healthy.' That's unlikely to stop consumers seeking them out, especially when convenience and functionality are driving the trend. Abe's Protein Bagel's 12g of pea protein per serve – 'the equivalent of two eggs or a full cup of cottage cheese,' according to the brand – has 30% fewer carbs and 17.6g of fibre. It's pitched not just at athletes but at time-poor eaters who want to stay full longer. 'The demand for protein-packed foods is soaring, especially among gym goers and women,' says Catherine Parlane, head of marketing at Abe's Bagels. 'Studies show that starting the day with protein helps regulate appetite, support muscle health and even improve energy levels.' That wide-reaching appeal may be why supermarkets are no longer treating protein as a niche fitness category. From protein popcorn (Khloé Kardashian just launched her own) to snackable balls and high-protein drinks, the macro is being woven into everything from wellness to weight loss, skin health to satiety. But Hart's parting advice is simple: focus on variety, not just volume. 'Older adults need more protein in smaller portions due to reduced appetite. Vegetarians need to combine sources to get all essential amino acids. And for everyone, it's important to look past the front-of-pack marketing and check the rest of the label – especially for added salt, sugar and fat.' In short? Protein matters. But context matters more. Herald contributor Nikki Birrell has worked in food and travel publishing for nearly 20 years. From managing your kitchen to cutting costs, she's shared some helpful advice recently, including how to prep your barbecue for summer grilling, gourmet hacks for elevating budget ingredients and what toppings to choose for different crackers.
Otago Daily Times
27-05-2025
- Otago Daily Times
Cottage cheese - does it live up to the hype?
For years, cottage cheese has had a quiet presence in our fridges - often overshadowed by trendier options like Greek yoghurt or plant-based alternatives. But lately, this humble dairy food is enjoying a resurgence, touted as a high-protein snack and a diet-friendly meal. As a nutritionist specialising in perimenopausal health and preconception care, I find cottage cheese can be both a supportive ally and, occasionally, a sneaky saboteur. What's good about it? Cottage cheese packs an impressive protein punch. A half-cup serving contains about 13 grams of protein, which is important for satiety, muscle maintenance, and blood sugar stability. Cottage cheese provides a good dose of calcium, essential for bone density - especially important as oestrogen levels decline during perimenopause. It's also a source of B12, riboflavin, and folate, vital nutrients for energy production and neural health, particularly critical in preconception nutrition. The casein in cottage cheese digests slowly, making it ideal for overnight muscle repair or as a bedtime snack to curb midnight cravings. This is why cottage cheese is so popular among bodybuilders. The casein protein can be beneficial for women dealing with sleep disturbances due to hormonal those trying to conceive, cottage cheese offers selenium, zinc, and iodine - micronutrients associated with reproductive health. Paired with other wholefoods, it can contribute to a nutrient-rich fertility plan. The not-so-great aspects Most brands of cottage cheese in New Zealand are high in sodium (salt) - up to 400mg per half-cup. High sodium can contribute to bloating, hypertension, and water retention. Opting for a low-sodium option or rinsing cottage cheese can help to mitigate this. While cottage cheese is lower in lactose than milk, it still contains enough to trigger symptoms in sensitive individuals. For some people, especially those experiencing digestive changes in midlife, dairy may worsen bloating or inflammation. Dairy can also contribute to teen and adult acne so a short elimination diet under the guidance of a nutritionist or dietitian can be helpful to explore the effects of dairy. Not all cottage cheese is created equal. Some versions contain gums, stabilisers, or added sugars - none of which support hormone balance or gut health so this is where Ricotta or plain Greek yoghurt can be a better alternative. Always check labels for minimal ingredients: milk / cream, and cultures should be the primary components. If you are keen, there are recipes online to make your own using full cream milk and some salt and vinegar to avoid the additional extras. Cottage cheese can absolutely earn a spot in a balanced diet, especially for growing children, hungry teenagers, bodybuilders and women navigating the unique nutritional needs of perimenopause. Its affordability, versatility, and nutrient density make it an excellent tool in the right context. But like any food, it's best enjoyed mindfully - watching for sodium, additives, and ensuring it's part of a broader, diverse dietary pattern. Whether blended into smoothies, spread on rice cakes, melted into veggie stir-fry, scooped alongside a salad, made into low-carb flatbreads or carnivore-friendly fluffy cloud bread, cottage cheese deserves more credit - but not a free pass. Savoury power toast with cottage cheese and avocado This savoury combo supports blood sugar stability (due to the fibre, lemon juice and healthy fats), oestrogen metabolism (thanks to leafy greens) and provides magnesium, potassium and healthy fats - all essential for hormone regulation in perimenopause. Ingredients ½ cup full-fat cottage cheese 1 thin slice of whole grain or sourdough bread, toasted ½ ripe avocado, sliced or mashed ½ small tomato, thinly sliced A few rocket leaves or arugula Squeeze of lemon juice Pinch of sea salt and cracked black pepper Optional: 1 to 2 sardines, chilli flakes or hemp seeds for extra flavour and nutrients Method Toast the bread. Spread the cottage cheese over the toast as a base layer. Add the avocado, tomato slices and greens. Squeeze fresh lemon juice over the top, season with salt, pepper and any optional toppings.
