Have you ever eaten something and wondered, “Why does this taste so good?” How is it possible that some foods can somehow hit all of your taste buds in all the right ways? Those were the questions I found myself asking after sampling Good Culture cottage cheese.
Previous research that involved sampling several brands of cottage cheese led me to this gem. Just when I was starting to lose hope (after several lackluster spoonfuls of other cottage cheese brands), I tried Good Culture and I was a changed woman. It sparked all the memories of childhood while appealing to my more refined (or at least I’d like to think) adult palette.
To get to the bottom of why this brand, known for adding live and active cultures to their line of products, tastes so good. That meant I had to tap into my chef and dietitian brain, but also reach out to a few experts. Here’s what we had to say.
If you’ve enjoyed yogurt, you’ve likely experienced cultured food. To make yogurt, living organisms, usually bacteria, are added to heated milk. These “live and active cultures” convert some of the milk sugar to lactic acid says Julie Lopez, RD & Chef, giving yogurt its signature tangy taste.
Those cultures are also responsible for helping separate the milk solids (curds) from the liquid (whey) in the case of cottage cheese.
While most yogurts are cultured, the same is not true for cottage cheese. Yes, you can add cultures to make cottage cheese, but enzymes, such as rennet are typically favored. The only way to tell if a particular cottage cheese is cultured is by reading the label. Lopez recommends looking for the words “live and active cultures” on the label or the ingredient list for certain strains of probiotics such as Lactobacillus, L. Casei, and B. bifidum.
We won’t dive deep into the nutrition, but it’s worth noting that the cultures found in fermented foods, such as cultured cottage cheese, are considered probiotics, or good bacteria says Chef Julie Andrews, MS, RDN, FAND. Research points to their potential benefit in keeping our gut microbiome healthy. This is important since disruption to the microbiome can contribute to the development of disease. It’s one of the reasons why Registered Dietitians are big proponents of these types of foods.
It might not be surprising then, that health was one of the motivators behind the brand Good Culture. Co-Founder and CEO Jesse Merrill was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, an autoimmune gut disease caused by chronic inflammation. The idea of managing the disease with prescription medicine for the rest of his life motivated him to explore alternatives. After cleaning up his eating, which included plenty of cultured dairy and fermented foods, he felt better and after three years, was asymptomatic.
What Makes Good Culture Cottage Cheese So Good?
The answer is simple. The taste was important to Merrill too—and it started with the cows. It was essential for the brand to create a regenerative and pasture-raised milk supply. But it didn’t stop there. Bothered by the gums, thickeners, and chemical preservatives used by other companies, Good Culture only uses five simple ingredients: skim milk, whole milk, cream, sea salt, and live and active cultures. In his words, “real food just tastes better!” And those live and active cultures “allow for a clean fermented dairy note to come through, creating a delicious flavor profile.”
My personal experience with cultured cottage cheese was similar to Merrill's. I appreciated how flavorful it was and of course, enjoyed that signature tang. The texture was perfectly creamy and the curds were tender but still distinctive. After trying six other brands of cottage cheese, the cultured was my favorite, by quite a bit. I found those other brands boring and bland. Perhaps they’d be fine buried in a baked pasta dish or used to make cottage cheese ice cream (or these other desserts), but not to eat directly out of the carton.
The Bottom Line
If you want to enjoy really good cottage cheese, go for cultured versions. Remember, not all cottage cheese is cultured, so read labels and ingredient lists to be sure. It’s so good you only need a spoon to enjoy it.
The Friendship brand of cottage cheese is a great bet, according to registered dietitian Lauren Harris-Pincus, specifically the 1%, low-fat whipped version, which contains 110 calories, 1.5 grams of fat and 19 grams of protein per 5-ounce serving.
And while everyone seems to have their own take on the trend (think: everything from avocado cottage cheese toast to a questionable ice cream concoction) there's a common consensus: cottage cheese is just straight up good for you and rocking the web as a result. Here's the TL;DR reason: it's packed full of protein.
He said that while most cheese, including cottage cheese, contains nutrients such as vitamins and calcium, it can also have high levels of sodium and fat, so he recommends eating it in moderation.
Cottage cheese is high in protein and is an excellent source of calcium. Choosing a low-fat cottage cheese can reduce saturated fat intake when substituting it for other higher fat foods, such as cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise or ricotta cheese. It's also full of vitamins and minerals that support a healthy diet.
Daisy takes great lengths through an incredibly delicate and sensitive process to make sure that from the time the curds are cut, to the time the curds are coated in cultured dressing (the rich, creamy portion of our Cottage Cheese that envelopes the curds), we retain the original cube-like shape, the way curds are ...
The Bottom Line. And the winner is... plain Greek yogurt by a very thin margin. Greek yogurt's advantage is very slight due to a little more calcium, lower sodium and a higher chance of containing probiotics.
Besides the reasons outlined above, cottage cheese may help with gut health. Since it is often fermented, (a process that helps remove the cheese curds from the liquid) cottage cheese may contain “good” bacteria called probiotics. Snodgrass says probiotics are “crucial” to good digestion.
Here's where metabolic magic happens: The amount of muscle our body has is one of the primary drivers in determining how many calories we burn each day. "Other research supports that cottage cheese before bed actually does increase metabolism the next morning," Reaver says.
Cottage Cheese Is a Versatile Processed Food. Many people are rightfully confused as to what makes a food product or beverage processed. Processes such as pasteurizing milk, canning fruits and vegetables, and vacuum packing meats help prevent spoilage and increase overall food safety.
Is cottage cheese healthy? Cottage cheese is low in calories while providing protein and vital nutrients, Zumpano says, making it one of the healthiest cheeses you can eat. It's made by curdling pasteurized (sterilized) cow's milk — when milk turns acidic, the milk protein separates and forms curds (clumps).
When past its prime, cottage cheese can develop a grainy texture and may even begin to look watery. Mold spots that look like grayish-green or even black fuzz can also begin to form on the surface of the cottage cheese or on the inner lid and sides of the container.
The side effects may be temporary, but if you frequently go on the cottage cheese diet and consistently consume too much sodium, serious problems may occur, such as: high blood pressure. increased risk of heart attack and stroke. heart failure.
Cottage cheese contains more protein than two eggs.
And that's just the protein in a personal-size cup of the stuff (5.3 oz)—in that size, those wannabe trendy cottage cheeses are weighing in at 16 to 19 grams of protein; eggs have about 6 g each.
Best cheeses to include in a healthy diet are low-fat or fat-free cottage cheese or mozzarella cheese made with skim milk. There are also other varieties of cheese that are available as low fat and fat-free.
This fad diet provides quick weight loss by using cottage cheese as the basis for your meals. While it is safe for most people to eat cottage cheese every day, it should not be consumed to the extent that you exclude other food groups. Also, some types of cottage cheese contain high amounts of sodium and/or sugar.
Is Cottage Cheese Safe for Dogs? Cottage cheese is safe to feed to your dog as an occasional treat. It's also a good option for feeding your dog when they have an upset stomach. A couple of spoonfuls of cottage cheese and white rice can help provide a protein-filled meal that's easy for your dog to digest.
The French classify cottage cheese under the heading of "Fromage Frais" and across the Channel, the idea of adding sugar, honey, jam or fruit is an age-old tradition. Moving the flavour profile of cottage cheese from sour in the direction of sweet by adding pineapple works in just the same way.
Cottage cheese is low in calories while providing protein and vital nutrients, Zumpano says, making it one of the healthiest cheeses you can eat. It's made by curdling pasteurized (sterilized) cow's milk — when milk turns acidic, the milk protein separates and forms curds (clumps).
Percentage of fat. Fat-free, 1% and 2% fat cottage cheese have less saturated fat and fewer calories than the 4% fat variety, which includes cream. Lower fat varieties also generally have slightly more protein.
Low or no added sugars: "Just as with picking Greek yogurt, I look for cottage cheeses that have no added sugar, which is usually in the flavored varieties," says Martin.
Nutrition-wise, there generally isn't a difference, so choose the one you like best. If the texture of cottage cheese is what stops you from eating it, you can get rid of the lumps by blending cottage cheese in a blender or food processor.
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