Of all the foods that many baby boomers grew up detesting, which one do you think is making a comeback? Brussels sprouts? Nope. Cabbage? Nope. Liver? OMG, no.
It’s cottage cheese. Believe it or not, “cottage cheese” is currently being searched for on Google at an all-time high.
Google searches for cottage cheese desserts are spiking at close to 300% these days, but the top “why” question over the past week asked about cottage cheese is “why is cottage cheese good for you?”.
Being the “why” detectives that we are at ConsumerAffairs, we decided to investigate the situation and what we found may send you off to the grocery to buy something from the world of the curdled.
The doctor says…
Who better to ask than a doctor – especially one who deals with nutrition questions – so we contacted Tori Hartline D.C., M.S., pediatric and prenatal chiropractor and owner of Sunlife Chiropractic.
Hartline said that cottage cheese has been gaining popularity due to its impressive protein content, particularly its high levels of naturally occurring casein protein.
Casein protein is also found in all types of milk, including cow's milk, goat's milk, and sheep's milk; all types of cheese, including hard cheeses, soft cheeses, and processed cheeses; yogurt; sour cream; butter; and lots of protein powders.
“This type of protein offers numerous health benefits, including aiding in muscle repair and strengthening, regulating blood sugar levels, controlling hunger, supporting weight loss, boosting metabolism, lowering blood pressure, and reducing age-related bone and muscle mass loss,” Hartline said.
“Notably, maintaining stable blood sugar levels is essential for overall health and well-being. Diets high in carbohydrates can cause sharp spikes and crashes in blood sugar levels, leading to inflammation, insulin resistance, and a cascade of negative health impacts, such as hormone dysregulation in women.”
But cottage cheese should really get a confetti parade from people who have gut health and digestion issues, Hartline suggests. That’s because foods like cottage cheese that contain the amount of protein and healthy fats that it does, slows down digestion, helping to maintain stable blood sugar levels.
“Cottage cheese, being predominantly composed of casein, is digested approximately 300% slower than whey protein. This slower digestion rate helps keep you fuller for longer, preventing the energy, mood, and physical slumps associated with blood sugar crashes,” she said.
Plus, cottage cheese is versatile – even in brownies!
Those who grew up in the fifties and sixties probably remember cottage cheese being served straight up. But, in its new life, people have found how to make it more palatable and integratable into our meals by using it in both sweet and savory dishes. It can be blended into smoothies, used as a base for dips, incorporated into baked goods, or simply enjoyed with fruits and toppings.
Don’t believe it? Ask Google. It reported to ConsumerAffairs that “cottage cheese wrap” and “cottage cheese flatbread” are being searched more than ever this month with searches for “cottage cheese dessert” increased by 130% over the past week and “cottage cheese brownies” is up over 250% in the past month.
Hartline added that cottage cheese makes for a good baking alternative for fat (butter or oil), too.
"Fat is the most calorically dense macronutrient so using cottage cheese would decrease the number of calories in the baked goods while also increasing the protein content. Using cottage cheese also decreases inflammation because many oils used in cooking are highly inflammatory seed oils that lead to numerous inflammation based health conditions," she told ConsumerAffairs.
"Additionally, the high protein content in the baked goods with cottage cheese offsets the blood sugar spike from the sugar."
The FDA gives cottage cheese a big thumbs-up, too
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has also started showing some new found respect for cottage cheese. On Friday, the agency proposed to change a rule about keeping track of cottage cheese.
Currently, there's a rule that mandates detailed records of certain foods like cottage cheese in case there's a foodborne illness outbreak. This is so they can quickly figure out the source and remove it from stores to keep people safe. The FDA now believe that cottage cheese is less likely to cause widespread outbreaks compared to other foods on the list.