VERIFIED CONTENTAuthor: Aleksandra Żyłowska-Mharrab, dietitian, food technologist, educator
Cottage cheese is a type of sweet cottage cheese with cream. From the beginning of its production, it has been very popular in Poland, liked by children and adults, especially by people who are physically active and slimming. It is a relatively new product on the Polish market. It has been produced since 1992. What is cottage cheese made of? How is cottage cheese different from cottage cheese? Is he he althy?
Cottage cheese is a sweet type of cottage cheese with much larger grains than cottage cheese, embedded in cream. More precisely, cottage cheese is a cottage cheese, white, unripened, produced by the acid-rennet coagulation method from cow's milk with a low fat content.
What is cottage cheese?
Cottage cheese has been produced in Poland since 1992. It started with one dairy that imported production machinery and technology from the United States. Cottage cheese was a new product on the Polish market and was a huge success. Currently, cottage cheese can be bought in every store, and it is produced by a dozen different cooperatives and dairy plants.
Natural cottage cheese is available on the market without any additives, cottage cheese with chives, herbs, honey, fruit, lactose-free cottage cheese with reduced fat content (light) and increased protein content (high protein) .
How is cottage cheese different from cottage cheese?
Cottage cheese is the best made of fat milk, and cottage cheese - lean. For the production of cottage cheese, the so-called non-carbonated strains of bacteria, and quark - carbonated.
It is the use of different strains of bacteria that results in the different taste of both curd cheeses.
Cottage cheese is more sour and cottage cheese - sweet. In addition, sweet cream with a fat content of 18% is added to the cottage cheese, which the grains partially absorb.
How is cottage cheese made?
The main raw material for making cottage cheese is milk. The milk is first skimmed and then pasteurized to inhibit the growth of unwanted bacteria. The next step is to add the appropriate strains of bacteria and rennet, which will lead to the formation of a clot. The mixture is allowed to standacidification.
Once a curd is formed, it is cut and then heated under strictly controlled conditions of temperature rise, while gently stirring. This stage produces shiny, non-stick grains of the correct size. In the next stage of the production of cottage cheese, whey is extracted. The beans are rinsed twice or three times with water of lower and lower temperature and drained of the residual water.
S alty cream is then added to them and the grains are left to partially absorb the cream. The last steps in the production of cottage cheese are cooling and packing. The entire technological process, from pouring the milk into the tank to packing the cheese into a cup, takes about 12 hours.
Cottage cheese and cottage cheese
In Poland, cottage cheese is also known as "cottage cheese". Both names are their literal translations. But is American cottage cheese the same as Polish cottage cheese? Not really.
The slogan "cottage cheese" is not the name of only one type of cheese, but the whole group, which includes, among others, sweet cottage cheese, but also Italian ricotta. In the USA, "cottage cheese" is called both white cottage cheese and cottage cheese, but the former is much more common.
Two myths result from the confusion in naming:
- Myth no. 1. Cottage cheese is made easy.
Unfortunately, cottage cheese is not prepared as easily as cottage cheese. Appropriate bacteria are needed for its formation, and obtaining grain of the desired size requires practice. Cottage cheese can be made at home, but it is a much more demanding process than the production of home-made cottage cheese or yogurt.
- Myth2. American housewives in the 1970s commonly made cottage cheese at home.
At home, the housewives made cottage cheese, not what we know in Poland as "cottage cheese".
Is cottage cheese he althy?
Cottage cheese is a very valuable dairy product. It has a short, clean composition, and among dairy products it is distinguished by a high protein content and no added sugar.
The basic version of cottage cheese consists of only cow's milk curd, pasteurized cream and s alt. Cottage cheese is a he althy, low-processed food product. Its main advantage is a large proportion of protein (11 g / 100 g) with low calorific value (85-97 kcal / 100 g), and a very low carbohydrate content (2 g / 100 g).
The only disadvantage of cottage cheese is its high s alt content. One 200 g cup contains up to 1.4 g of s alt, while the recommended amount of s alt should not be exceeded5 g per day.
Who is cottage cheese for?
Cottage cheese is very often chosen by people who are physically active and follow slimming diets. This is due to the high proportion of protein in cottage cheese with low calories and low carbohydrate and fat content.
Cottage cheese is filling, slows gastric emptying, increases postprandial thermogenesis, and easily helps to increase the protein content in the diet. The high proportion of protein in meals facilitates weight loss and allows the body to regenerate after training.
Cottage cheese is a very good proposition for the elderly, who often struggle with a weakened appetite and eat little protein. The taste of the cheese is mild and its texture is attractive, which encourages you to eat it even in the absence of appetite.
Cottage cheese is a product for everyone. Only in the case of young children, be careful with the amount due to the high s alt content. When giving cottage cheese to children, look for producers who add less s alt to the cheese or make cottage cheese without s alt at all.
Nutritional values of cottage cheese
Cottage cheese is low in calories, 100 g of natural cheese provides slightly less than 100 kcal, and light with a reduced fat content - 70-80 kcal. The cottage cheese contains a lot of protein (11 g / 100 g) and little fat (5 g / 100 g) and carbohydrates (2 g / 100 g). Cottage cheese is he althy, but it is not a vitamin bomb. There is no point in looking for a concentrated source of vitamins and minerals.
Cottage cheese can be regarded as a good source of vitamin B2. 100 g of cheese provides 0.25 mg of vitamin B2, while the daily requirement for riboflavin among women is 1.6-2.2 mg, and among men - 2.4-2.8 mg. Thus, one cup of cottage cheese covers the daily requirement of vitamin B2 in about 20-25%.
The same is with vitamin B12. 100 g of cheese contains 0.42 μg of vitamin B12, and the daily requirement of an adult is 4 μg. In addition, cottage cheese contains small amounts of vitamins B1, B3, B6, A and E. Cottage cheese, unlike many dairy products, does not provide a significant portion of calcium. Most of this ingredient is washed out in the manufacturing process.
Composition and nutritional value of cottage cheese [in 100 g]
| Energy | 97 kcal |
| Protein | 11 g |
| Fat | 5 g |
| Carbohydrates | 2 g |
| S alt | 0.3-0.7 g |
| Calcium | 103 mg |
| Iron | 0.13 mg |
| Magnesium | 8.9 mg |
| Phosphorus | 148 mg |
| Potassium | 120 mg |
| Zinc | 0.61 mg |
| Copper | 0.03 mg |
| Manganese | 0.015 mg |
| Selen | 14.6 μg |
| Vitamin B1 | 0.02 mg |
| Vitamin B2 | 0.234 mg |
| Vitamin B3 | 0.09 mg |
| Vitamin B5 | 0.508 mg |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.057 mg |
| Vitamin B9 | 10 μg |
| Vitamin B12 | 0.42 μg |
| Vitamin A | 69 μg |
| Vitamin E | 0.08 mg |
How to eat cottage cheese?
Cottage cheese with the addition of vegetables, such as tomato or radish, is an independent, filling and nutritious meal. This is how Poles eat cottage cheese most often - straight from the cup, as a snack or part of a meal. But the potential of country cheese does not end there. It can be used in recipes for pastes, dips and numerous dishes. How to use cottage cheese in the kitchen?
- Mix with diced tomatoes or radish and chives and eat for breakfast or dinner.
- Add to salad to increase protein content.
- Mix with fruit, e.g. banana, blueberries, mandarins. A he althy and delicious dessert is ready.
- Put granola on top and add some honey.
- Add to milk and fruit smoothie. You will increase the density and protein content.
- When blended, it is perfect for spreading on bread. It differs from spreadable cheeses in a better, shorter composition.
- Cottage cheese can be used in cakes, muffins, bread and rolls.
- The cottage cheese added to the scrambled eggs gives it a creamy, light texture.
How to make mayonnaise from cottage cheese?
Cottage cheese mayonnaise is probably the most famous recipe using cottage cheese. Country cheese mayonnaise is often used in high-protein and slimming diets because it is a low-calorie replacement for everyone's favorite fatty product. The taste is difficult to distinguish and the caloric content is much lower.
Preparation method
Take 250 g of light cottage cheese, 1 semi-boiled egg (the yolk must not be pourable, but also not dry), 1 teaspoon of lemon juice, 1 teaspoon of mustard, s alt and pepper to taste.
It is important that the egg is still warm. Put all ingredients into a dish and blend until smooth.