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Cottage cheese: what is useful and what is harmful, when and what is better to eat with. What and how best to eat cottage cheese with?

Today I want to talk about cottage cheese. I love him very much, I hope, like many who are here. I’ve loved cottage cheese since childhood, as my mother was a great cook for us. homemade cottage cheese from cow's milk. It was an incredibly delicious delicacy with fruits, berries, honey and jam. True, my dad likes cottage cheese with jam, but I prefer it with honey. Plus, you can make a lot from cottage cheese different dishes cook that both children and adults enjoy. Dumplings with cottage cheese and sour cream favorite dish in our family, plus pies, pancakes, pies, casseroles and even cottage cheese with herbs and garlic, an excellent appetizer or snack. Here's how much you can do using cottage cheese.

But how did cottage cheese deserve universal love and such attention? What are the benefits of cottage cheese? Let's figure this out today. I think you will learn a lot of new and interesting things for yourself today.

Cottage cheese is a fermented milk product that is produced by fermenting milk and separating the whey. Moreover, I prefer cottage cheese or homemade cottage cheese. But I buy cottage cheese in the store, except for casseroles, and then very rarely.

The choice of cottage cheese is now quite wide. It is better to buy cottage cheese from people you know or are familiar with. You can always make cottage cheese from village milk at home, of course, if you know the cooking technology.

But in order to save time, I buy a kilogram of cottage cheese every week from a friend. I really like to eat. It's delicious and very healthy.

Moreover, in our market cottage cheese is sold not in bowls, but in the shape of a rectangle and is cut like butter. Usually in markets they sell cottage cheese in bowls, but here it is like this. Moreover, I met Nina, who also makes cottage cheese in a special way. I was not present at the production, but I know from stories.

I usually try cottage cheese before purchasing. But Nina’s cottage cheese is not sour, very tasty and can be stored in the refrigerator for more than a week without becoming sour.

No one else has such cottage cheese on our market. I'm revealing a secret delicious cottage cheese. Moreover, even my mother did not know him. It turns out that the finished cottage cheese needs to be poured with boiled milk. That is, when Nina makes cottage cheese, she also pours boiled milk over it and strains it. Passing through boiled milk.

It’s interesting, but the cottage cheese is very tasty, not sour, and our children like it. I am delighted with this cottage cheese. In the morning for breakfast with tea and honey, just lovely. Moreover, if ordinary cottage cheese becomes very sour after storage after a few days, this one does not.

I’ll say right away that I prefer cottage cheese or homemade cottage cheese. Moreover, it can be fatty if you don’t collect sour cream from it, and not greasy if you collect it, but at the same time quite tasty.

Cooking cottage cheese at home is not so difficult; below I will tell you how my mother prepares cottage cheese.

Calorie content of cottage cheese

I would like to immediately note that the calorie content of cottage cheese depends on the fat content.

So 0% cottage cheese has a calorie content of 70 kcal.

And 9% - 160 kcal.

18% cottage cheese - 230 kcal.

If you buy cottage cheese with raisins or dried apricots, then you are guaranteed 330 kcal per 100.

Homemade cottage cheese also varies in calorie content.

For example, homemade cottage cheese made from 1% milk will have 165 kcal per 100 grams.

If you buy cottage cheese in a store, it is important to know that cottage cheese can be:

  • classic, the fat content of such cottage cheese ranges from 4 to 18%
  • low-fat - 1.8%
  • fatty, its fat content ranges from 19 to 23%
  • low-fat cottage cheese 0% (but I don’t like the taste of it at all)
  • with additives (raisins, candied fruits, nuts, dried apricots...)

Cottage cheese is valuable, first of all, because of its protein content, which is easily absorbed by our body. Moreover, it is equally useful for women, men, pregnant and lactating mothers, children, athletes, and people engaged in active physical labor.

Cottage cheese. Benefits and harms

The benefits and harms of cottage cheese are of concern to many who monitor their diet, weight and health. And I will say that there is more benefit than harm, and this is obvious. Since cottage cheese contains calcium, phosphorus, copper, potassium, magnesium and a list of vitamins, such as: B1, B2, B12, A, E.

Cottage cheese is useful for containing calcium, which we need to strengthen teeth, nails, and bone tissue.

But I would like to note that this is not a fact I invented, but reality. To replenish your daily calcium intake, you need to eat a kilogram of cottage cheese a day. This is the opinion of a gynecologist. Because I communicate a lot with doctors. And I’ve already managed to make friends with some of them, which I’m incredibly happy about.

Cottage cheese is very useful for the body after an illness or with a weakened immune system.

It is useful to include low-fat cottage cheese in the diet for diseases of the liver, heart, obesity, atherosclerosis and other diseases.

Harm from cottage cheese is noted in case of individual intolerance to the product or allergies. Even the Vedas talk about the benefits of milk and fermented milk products. Since the cow is a sacred animal from the “heavenly planets”.

I would like to note that it is important to use fresh cottage cheese. Do not eat spoiled cottage cheese, as this risks poisoning.

If you buy cottage cheese in a store, be sure to pay attention to the expiration date of the product and the date of manufacture. Don't buy cottage cheese from expired suitability.

It is worth noting Golden Rule, which says: consume everything in moderation, do not overindulge. The same applies to cottage cheese.

Store-bought cottage cheese may contain various additives; pay attention to whether you are allergic to them.

It seems to me that the benefits of cottage cheese are obvious and there are not many contraindications for cottage cheese. In my opinion, the pros outweigh all the cons.

How and how much cottage cheese can you eat per day?

Cottage cheese is most beneficial to consume in pure form, maybe with honey. As for dumplings, pancakes with cottage cheese and pies, it only adds calories to the dish.

I am in favor of eating cottage cheese with honey or sugar if you are intolerant to honey. You can eat it with sweet tea, but you don’t have to add sugar to the cottage cheese.

You can eat from 100 to 200 grams of cottage cheese per day. If you can eat 400 grams of cottage cheese for health, but remember that overeating is harmful to health. Well, if you eat cottage cheese three times a day, I think you will get tired of it very soon.

For example, it is useful for women to eat 200 grams of cottage cheese, and for men - 300. Since this amount of cottage cheese contains daily norm protein for men and women.

I buy and eat cottage cheese once a day. Well then at least trying. I took a break this week, sometimes cottage cheese gets boring.

I eat it for breakfast or dinner, sometimes I get bored or just tired of this food and then I take a break. And then I buy cottage cheese again.

What are the benefits of cottage cheese for children?

It's probably separate topic. If a child has an intolerance to dairy products or an allergy, then one might say that they are out of luck. And if everything is in order, then cottage cheese can be included in children’s diet from 6 months. But it is important to discuss all issues related to children’s nutrition with a pediatrician.

As for older children, children, as a rule, eat cottage cheese with pleasure. If it's tasty of course. I judge this from my children. My daughter and son love cottage cheese very much.

To brighten the taste, you can add honey to the cottage cheese (if you are not allergic to honey), jam, sugar, berries, fruits, nuts, dried fruits.

For children under one year of age, cottage cheese is given in the form of a curd mass, that is, it can be crushed using a blender, adding a little milk (or boiled water) to the cottage cheese so that the mass is more liquid and grinds well.

For children, buy not dry cottage cheese, but something more like a curd mass. If you wish, you can prepare cottage cheese for your children yourself.

Cottage cheese has a very important role on the formation of bone tissue, strengthens teeth, nails, hair. Cottage cheese is an essential product in the diet of children and adolescents.

The daily allowance of cottage cheese for children is 50-60 grams, and for children under one year old 30-40 grams. Children should only be given homemade cottage cheese, but store-bought cottage cheese is suitable for making casseroles, dumplings, and other dishes.

Cottage cheese. Beneficial features

It is very important to note that cottage cheese contains a lot of protein and 300 grams contains the daily requirement of protein for our body.

It is clear that 300 grams of cottage cheese cannot always be eaten, but it should be noted that we get protein not only from dairy products.

It is important to note the health benefits of microelements, including calcium, for strengthening bone tissue.

In the diet, cottage cheese is extremely important for people suffering from gout, metabolic disorders, diseases thyroid gland, people prone to osteoporosis, obesity.

The casein protein contained in cottage cheese is very rich in amino acids necessary for humans, helps reduce cholesterol in the blood and normalize fat metabolism.

How to make cottage cheese from milk at home

Of course, now with the advent of the Internet in our lives, many share with us recipes for making cottage cheese at home. Yogurt, sour cream, and calcium lactic acid are added to the milk. They put the milk on the stove, boil it, and then add it to it. dairy products. This way the curds are separated from the whey. And it’s just enough to strain it.

But nothing like this had ever been used before. Mom made cottage cheese from cow's milk. To make it sour faster, you can add a little kefir to it. But mostly the milk soured naturally. Very quickly in the summer, in the heat.

Then the sour milk should be poured into a saucepan with a thick bottom and heated over the fire, but not boiled. You can collect sour cream from milk. Then the cottage cheese will be less fatty.

Cool the heated mass, and then strain the cottage cheese through cheesecloth and hang it to “drain.” Moreover, the longer the curd drains, the drier it becomes.

Cottage cheese is “solid milk”, a traditional fermented milk dish with high value for human health. It is produced by removing the whey from fermented milk. In some countries it is considered to be a type of soft young cheese, and they really have a lot in common. In Russian culture, cottage cheese is a separate product, revered for its healing properties and high nutritional value.

By methods of product production

The product is produced in two main ways: traditional and separate. Traditional production allows you to get two types of cottage cheese:

  1. Acidic, usually prepared from skim milk by introducing starter cultures into it. Formed under the influence of lactic acid.
  2. Acid rennet is obtained by using it for coagulation milk protein rennet or pepsin along with cultures of lactic acid bacteria.

The separate production method means that purified milk is separated into skim milk and cream with a fat content of 50-55%. Using the acid-rennet coagulation process, skim milk is produced from milk, which is then cooled and mixed with cream. Using this method, you can obtain a product with any fat content, for example, soft dietary and peasant cottage cheese.

Types of cottage cheese with different properties

Based on the lipid content of the product, it is divided into four categories:

  • low fat (up to 1.8%);
  • low-fat or semi-bold (2-3.8%);
  • classic (4-18%);
  • fat (19-23%).

Cottage cheese is prepared using cream and table salt. The addition of consistency stabilizers is not allowed; rennet imparts hardness to large grains. It is added to pasteurized milk pre-fermented with lactic acid streptococci along with calcium chloride.

Dietary cottage cheese is obtained by adding a solution to skim milk citric acid, calcium chloride and starter culture. To obtain table cottage cheese, a mixture of buttermilk and skim milk is fermented with a pure culture of lactic acid streptococci. The product may also have additives (raisins, candied fruits, nuts, dried fruits, chocolate) and be produced in the form sweet mass, cheeses, creams and cakes.

The production of calcined cottage cheese involves adding a 10% calcium chloride solution to fermented milk, which makes it possible to artificially increase the proportion of the mineral in the product and, accordingly, the benefits of cottage cheese for the human skeleton. It has a uniform consistency and a relatively bland taste due to low acidity.

Warning: The daily consumption rate of calcined product should not exceed 100 g for an adult, large doses may harm the body. Introduction to children's diet must be agreed with the pediatrician.

Types of product by origin

The origin of the product is determined by the type of animal from which the milk for fermentation is obtained. The most popular is curd made from cow's milk, followed by goat's milk, and other varieties are much less common. Cottage cheese made from sheep's milk is tasty, unusual and very healthy.

Albumin curd

A special type of product is albumin curd. It is produced from whey, its main protein is not casein, like any “regular” cottage cheese, but albumin, whey protein. It goes well with fruits and herbs, and is widely used for the production of confectionery products.

Homemade cottage cheese

The benefits of homemade cottage cheese and its taste are difficult to overestimate. It is fresh, natural, and does not contain stabilizers or other foreign substances. It can be purchased from small private farms or prepared independently from raw or pasteurized milk.

Homemade cottage cheese recipe

Pour fresh whole milk into an enamel pan and place in a dark place to sour (the process takes about 24 hours). Heat the curdled milk in a water bath until the whey separates and curd clots appear, let it cool. Place the resulting mixture in a colander or hang it in a gauze bag to drain the liquid.

Video: Homemade cottage cheese recipe

Useful properties and contraindications

Cottage cheese brings great benefit as a source complete protein, which is easily absorbed by the human body. It requires significantly less effort from digestive system than whole milk or curdled milk. The dish is used as part of diets in the treatment of obesity, heart disease, atherosclerosis, hypertension, disorders of the stomach, liver, kidneys, and pulmonary tuberculosis.

Athletes for recruitment muscle mass Cottage cheese diets are indicated, especially during intense training. The product has a beneficial effect on fat metabolism and produces a diuretic effect. Regular consumption of cottage cheese for 6 months helps increase the amount of testosterone in men by 50%.

Cottage cheese calcium is indispensable for children during periods of active growth and formation of teeth and bones, for older people - in order to prevent osteoporosis. It is well processed by the body. The product also promotes hemoglobin synthesis and restoration of the nervous system.

The benefits of albumin cottage cheese for the body include maintaining immunity and stimulating metabolism, cleansing bile ducts and restoration of liver tissue. It improves vision, removes cholesterol, improves the quality of milk of nursing mothers, and is useful for pregnant women and diabetics.

Video: “Living healthy!”: Elena Malysheva’s opinion on the benefits of cottage cheese

Using cottage cheese for weight loss

Cottage cheese, especially albumin cottage cheese, is indispensable for people suffering from excess body weight. It helps remove excess fluid from the body and speed up metabolism. A large amount of protein in the product makes it easy to satisfy hunger, preserve and increase muscle tissue, while getting rid of fat.

Warning: To lose weight, you should use a product with a fat content of no more than 5%, otherwise it will not bring the expected benefits.

Recipe for high-protein dish "Belip" ("without lipids")

Compound:
Cod (fillet without skin)
Low-fat cottage cheese without salt
Bulb onions
Raw egg white

Preparation:
Mix cod, cottage cheese and onion in equal proportions and mince, add protein raw egg, prepare meatballs or casserole from the resulting mixture.

Contraindications to the use of cottage cheese

Cottage cheese is harmful to health in case of an allergy to its components or individual intolerance to the product. You should include it in the menu with caution in case of kidney disease, and avoid excesses. Regular use cottage cheese slightly lowers the level of serotonin in the brain. You can compensate for it with dates, bananas, soybeans and lentils, eggs and tomatoes.

Cottage cheese: rules for selecting and storing the product

Fresh cottage cheese usually has a slightly spreadable, crumbly and soft consistency. In no large quantities Whey may be present, and milk protein particles of different diameters may be present. The taste and smell should be pure, characteristic of fermented milk products, and the color should be uniformly white, with a slight creamy tint.

A slight bitterness of the product, especially in winter, and a woody taste are acceptable. Attention should be drawn to signs that indicate damage to the product or a violation of the technological process of its production and that can cause harm to the human body:

  1. A musty, unclean smell and taste are evidence of the work of putrefactive bacteria that have multiplied as a result of violation of storage rules, production conditions, or the use of inactive starter.
  2. Too sour taste is the result of lactic acid fermentation; its causes may be insufficient and untimely cooling, excessively long pressing, the content of disinfectants or detergents, antibiotics.
  3. The smell and taste of vinegar arises from the activity of acetic acid bacteria and is a consequence of storing the product at elevated temperatures.
  4. A rancid taste means the presence of mold and microorganisms in the food, which can happen with fatty cottage cheese if the milk is not pasteurized at an insufficient temperature.
  5. A bitter tint is a clear sign that the cow ate grass or hay of a peculiar taste (wormwood), it can also indicate the presence of putrefactive bacteria, increased content pepsin.
  6. A yeasty taste, “blowing” of the lid of a container or package are consequences of the action of yeast during long-term storage of an insufficiently cooled product. The cause of swelling can also be E. coli.
  7. The “rubber” consistency of grained cottage cheese suggests the introduction of an excessive dose of rennet during its production or fermentation of milk at elevated temperatures.
  8. A large amount of whey is released from the curd when it is not pressed sufficiently.
  9. Mold and mucus in the product appears as a result of its storage in damp conditions and loose packaging.
  10. The bland taste of cottage cheese is caused by the use of low-active sourdough.

Long-term storage of cottage cheese is impossible even with low temperature 0-2°C. If frozen, it can be stored for 6-7 months at a constant temperature of -18°C.

At a temperature of 2-6°C in the refrigerator, cottage cheese and curd products are stored for 36 hours; for a low-fat product with stabilizers, the shelf life is 7 days, for heat-treated products - 2 weeks. Increasing the shelf life in this case reduces its benefit to the body.

Advice: If the quality of cottage cheese has deteriorated during storage or freezing, it can be improved by mixing it with cream. Soaking it in milk for 2 hours and then squeezing it out also helps to refine the product.

Composition of the product

Cottage cheese is rich in micro- and macroelements, contains some vitamins and a lot of protein. Depending on the fat content, the composition of the product varies, as does its calorie content. Energy value cottage cheese 0.6% is 88 kcal, soft dietary 4% - 136 kcal, 9% - 169 kcal, 18% - 232 kcal.

Fatty types of cottage cheese are rich in vitamins A, E, but contain less vitamins group B than varieties with reduced fat content. There is slightly less calcium and phosphorus in the low-fat product, and the amount of other mineral salts also varies slightly.

The nutritional value low-fat cottage cheese 0.6% (per 100 g of product)

The first indirect documentary mentions of cottage cheese can be found in the Mesopotamian civilization. This product was actively used in Ancient Rome. In the territory Ancient Rus' Cottage cheese was called cheese, and accordingly, any dishes based on it received a similar-sounding root.

The name of the product, revered by the Slavs, took root so strongly that it was used for a long period of time even after the appearance of hard cheeses in everyday life. Modern ways preservation was not yet known at that time, so cottage cheese was practically not stored unchanged - it was pressed, placed in an oven, and after the moisture was released, it was put into pots and filled with melted butter. In this form, the funeral product could be stored for months.

Compound

Cottage cheese consists of a large number of different components, the concentration of which greatly depends on the type of cottage cheese and its fat content.

Percentage and component composition:

  1. Water - from 64 to 70 percent;
  2. Proteins - from 14 to 18 percent;
  3. Fats (including saturated and monounsaturated) - from 0.1 to 18 percent;
  4. Carbohydrates (lactose and galactose) - from 1 to 1.5 percent;
  5. Ash - from 1 to 1.2 percent.

Cottage cheese also contains a number of minerals and vitamins:

  1. Vitamins: A, B1, B2, B4, B5, B6, B9, PP, C, E, B12, H beta-carotene;
  2. Minerals - sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, copper, zinc, selenium, manganese, molybdenum and fluorine;
  3. Replaceable and essential amino acids - arginine, valine, histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methiodine, cysteine, threonine, tryptophan, phenylalanine, tyrosine, alanine, glycine, proline, serine, aspartic and glutamic acids.

Types of cottage cheese

First of all, cottage cheese is divided according to its consumer properties:

  1. Classical. Has a fat content from 4 to 18 percent;
  2. Low-fat. Bold version of cottage cheese 1.8 percent;
  3. Fatty. Most often, a homemade unwinnowed product has a fat content of 19 to 23 percent;
  4. Low fat. Fat is present only in trace amounts, less than 0.1 percent;
  5. Calcined. Cottage cheese, additionally saturated with calcium;
  6. Cottage cheese with additives. They are usually nuts, raisins, candied fruits, dried fruits, various jams and preserves.

In addition, the product is also divided according to the production method:

  1. Classic-traditional. It has two variations - acid and acid-rennet. In the first case, it is prepared from skim milk; the coagulation process occurs due to lactic acid and fermentation under the influence of starter cultures. The second option is the use of lactic acid bacteria and rennet;
  2. Separated. The base product (pre-cleaned milk) can be separated to produce skim milk and 50–55 percent cream. Next, cottage cheese is produced from the defatted substrate using acid-rennet coagulation, and after cooling in finished product not added a large number of previously received cream.

Cottage cheese is also divided according to consistency:

  1. Grain. A classic “homemade” product;
  2. Pasty. It has an oily structure in the form of a homogeneous mixture.

Calorie content and nutritional value of cottage cheese

The total calorie content of cottage cheese depends very much on its fat content. So, energy value dietary product only 700 kcal per kilogram. Low-fat and semi-fat varieties have a caloric content of 860 and 1560 kcal/kg, respectively. The energy value of fatty cottage cheese can reach 2260–2500 kcal per kilogram of product.

The mass composition also partly depends on the type of cottage cheese. The typical nutritional value of the most popular and widespread product per 100 grams of weight, corresponding to modern GOST standards (bold cottage cheese, 9 percent) is as follows:

  1. Proteins - 18 grams;
  2. Fats - 9 grams;
  3. Carbohydrates - 3 grams;
  4. Water - 67.8 grams;
  5. Ash components - 1 gram;
  6. Dietary fiber - absent.

As mentioned above, depending on the fat content of the cottage cheese and the method of its preparation, the nutritional value can vary between 5–15 percent.

Cottage cheese is recommended for consumption for a reason, regardless of age and gender, as it is extremely useful product in all aspects. Its unique natural composition, as well as many types of products, makes it possible to introduce fermented milk products into a number of general and specific diets.

First of all, low-fat cottage cheese is recommended for children over 5 years old, pregnant women and nursing mothers as a product rich in calcium and phosphorus salts, essential amino acids - these elements have a beneficial effect on bone growth, as well as the activity of the entire of cardio-vascular system. In addition, multi-component mineral composition It will be useful for patients with tuberculosis and anemia, patients with kidney and liver problems, since it perfectly normalizes metabolic processes and removes excess fluid from the body.

Low-fat types of cottage cheese are often prescribed for gout and obesity, as an alternative product to meat and fish, containing proteins in a fairly high concentration. The yeast and acidophilic bacterial colonies contained in cottage cheese have a positive effect on the restoration of intestinal microflora and are therefore suitable for a wide variety of diseases gastrointestinal tract(except for dystrophic-systemic ones). Do not forget about the product and those who have problems with bad hair, nails, teeth - the mandatory consumption of the above-described food in its pure form three times a day will significantly improve the condition of these body components.

Fatty varieties of cottage cheese are an excellent healthy and high-calorie source of restoration of the body after major operations- it is often recommended by nutritionists to everyone who needs complete and enhanced nutrition.

The vitamin composition of cottage cheese is not as impressive as the mineral composition, however high concentration elements of groups B, D allows the use of product as an element of a therapeutic diet in cases of atherosclerosis, as well as as a prophylactic against night blindness, problems with the musculoskeletal system, premature aging, a number of other diseases.

Cottage cheese can be used not only for food - creams, ointments, masks for the face and body are made from it at home, and even burns are treated.

Dangerous properties of cottage cheese

In some cases, cottage cheese can be dangerous to human health. Let's describe the most typical cases:

  1. Uncontrolled use of the product. Cottage cheese (especially fatty types) is a fairly high-calorie product. The recommended dosage for use is 100 grams 3-4 times a week. If you significantly exceed this dosage on an ongoing basis, the risks of obesity increase, and atherosclerosis may also develop due to an increase in cholesterol levels. Also, excess calcium can affect the deterioration of the cardiovascular system.
  2. Absolute intolerance to protein or oversaturation of the body with it. A number of people may have an absolute intolerance to any white food - cottage cheese is strictly contraindicated for them. Also, the absence of restrictions on the consumption of products against the backdrop of a monotonous menu can provoke a change in the balance of protein in the body, which, first of all, will greatly affect the kidneys with negative side.
  3. Prohibition of use in case of serious health problems. Doctors recommend significantly limiting intake or completely abstaining from eating cottage cheese in case of destructive systemic pathologies of the kidneys, liver and gastrointestinal tract in the stage of decompensation. Such patients are prescribed a super-strict diet, and nutrients are introduced mainly by drip.
  4. Best before date. A very banal, but common reason for the harm of cottage cheese is the end of its shelf life. Being natural product animal origin, cottage cheese spoils quite quickly and can be stored for no more than 4–5 days even at low temperatures in the refrigerator. Upon expiration of this period in homemade product may begin to reproduce pathogenic microflora leading to poisoning and even bacterial infection wide range. Industrial versions in aseptic vacuum packaging with preservatives have longer shelf life, but in any case, pay attention to them when purchasing the product. Are the expiration dates appropriate? It is better to refuse such food or, as a last resort, subject it to thorough heat treatment by making cheesecakes, casserole or any other dish, but not eating it raw.

How to make homemade cottage cheese?

Most often, cottage cheese is made from milk at home. Below is a classic cooking recipe - relatively simple and effective.

  1. Take a sufficient amount of milk (2-3 liters), pour it into a saucepan, cover with a lid and place in a warm place for a day so that the primary product turns sour. If desired, add a few tablespoons of low-fat sour cream to the liquid - this will give the future product a slight sourness;
  2. After 24 hours, make sure that the milk has really turned sour, then place the pan with the liquid in a large container (if your milk is in a 3-liter container, then you need to place the pan in a 5 or 7-liter container), coinciding with original height. Fill the gap between the dishes described above plain water;
  3. Place the “double pan” on low heat, then temporarily do not leave the stove and watch the milk. As it slowly boils, a yellowish liquid will begin to appear and separation will occur. Immediately turn off the oven and remove our containers from it. After heat treatment, the vessel with sour milk must be cooled to room temperature;
  4. Take a large sieve and place gauze in 2 layers on its inner bottom. Using a large spoon, scoop the substrate from the pan and place it on cheesecloth. Having partially filled the sieve, lift the edges of the gauze from the sides and tie them into a kind of bag - it can be hung by a knot to drain the whey;
  5. After 15–20 minutes, open the “bags” - the product remaining inside is homemade cottage cheese.
  1. Large clots placed on a sieve from a pan are better to be cut into a small size while still in the container, and then placed on cheesecloth;
  2. Carefully monitor the boiling process of sour milk and be sure to wait for the moment of coagulation and formation of a yellowish liquid, then immediately remove from the stove. If the substrate is overheated, the curd will be small and crumbly, but if it is underheated, it will become sour;
  3. To obtain the most dense cottage cheese, after laying it on cheesecloth and tying a knot, place a clean kitchen board on the “bag” and create additional weight (by placing, for example, a jar of jam);
  4. The whey remaining after the cottage cheese preparation procedure can be used to create delicious kvass, jelly or jelly.

Kefir cottage cheese

Cottage cheese can be made not only from milk - kefir is often used for this. There are quite a few similar recipes for preparing the above-mentioned product, such as classical method, and forced, using heating on a stove or in microwave oven. However, here we will present an alternative option for creating cottage cheese from kefir - the freezing method. Suddenly? But it is very simple and effective, and virtually without any effort.

  1. Place a tetra-pack with the base product in the freezer, preferably in the evening. By morning the kefir will be completely frozen;
  2. In the morning, carefully open the package and place the resulting rectangular block to thaw on a sieve, which must first be lined with 2 layers of gauze. After 8–10 hours at room temperature, the whey will completely drain, leaving a tasty tender cottage cheese, pasty consistency, tastes very similar to ricotta.

Cottage cheese recipes step by step

Over the past millennia, hundreds of different recipes for cottage cheese dishes have been created in the world - they differ in local characteristics, flavor, and method of preparation. Below are options for classic Eastern European cuisine, the most adapted and in demand in the post-Soviet space.

Syrniki is a classic Slavic dish that could be found on the table of any family that regularly uses dairy and fermented milk products for food. They are healthy, nutritious, easy to prepare, and suitable for your everyday diet.

Ingredients:

  1. Half a kilo of medium fat cottage cheese;
  2. Three tablespoons of flour;
  3. 2–3 tablespoons sugar;
  4. Some fresh eggs;
  5. Sunflower oil, 50 grams of raisins, flour.

Preparation:

  1. Wash and steam the raisins in warm water;
  2. Mix cottage cheese with sugar and strain thoroughly through a medium-mesh sieve;
  3. Add cooked eggs and 1 cup flour to the mixture. Knead the resulting consistency thoroughly, then add the raisins and mix thoroughly again;
  4. Prepare a work surface with breading (a thin layer of flour on the board). Lightly wet your hands and form the prepared dough into small cakes, rolling them in flour;
  5. Leave the prepared cakes for 10 minutes, then roll them in breading again;
  6. Pour a sufficient amount of oil into the frying pan, heat the pan over low heat and fry the tortillas for 1.5–2 minutes on each side until fully cooked;
  7. Ready cheesecakes are served hot; if necessary, sour cream is added to them in a separate bowl.
  1. Fry the flatbreads until golden brown, preferably covering the pan with a lid - this way the cheesecakes will turn out juicy and soft;
  2. Do not use too much breading - it will spoil the taste. final product;
  3. The dough should be thick, not stick to your hands and look like a classic curd mass;
  4. Fresh dry cottage cheese is suitable for cheesecakes - this way their taste will be perfect.

Cottage cheese casserole is an ancient Slavic version of British pudding and Italian lasagna, a tasty, healthy and relatively easy-to-prepare dish that is loved by young and old alike.

Ingredients:

  1. 300 grams of cottage cheese;
  2. 4 tablespoons of semolina;
  3. ½ cup sour cream 15 percent fat;
  4. 2 eggs;
  5. 4 tablespoons sugar;
  6. 100 grams of raisins;
  7. 1 packet of baking powder;
  8. A pinch of vanillin;
  9. ¼ teaspoon salt, vegetable oil.

Preparation:

  1. Wash and steam the raisins in warm water;
  2. Mix semolina with sour cream and set aside for 15 minutes;
  3. Place cottage cheese, a mixture of semolina and sour cream, vanillin, the contents of 1 sachet of baking powder and salt in a container, then mix thoroughly, using a blender. The output should be a paste-like mixture without lumps;
  4. Pour pre-beaten eggs with sugar into the mixture (they should have a thick, stable foam) and mix gently;
  5. Add prepared raisins and stir again;
  6. Grease a baking dish with oil, sprinkle it with semolina;
  7. Pour the mixture into the mold, then place the workpiece in the oven at 180 degrees and bake for ¾ hour;
  8. Remove the casserole and let it cool slightly until warm state, then cut the dish and place it on plates;
  9. Cottage cheese casserole served warm with sour cream.
  1. Choose only homemade cottage cheese for the dish;
  2. Don't use flour - there are alternatives semolina. With it, the casserole will retain its magnificent shape and be as tasty as possible;
  3. Observe temperature regime. If your oven cannot support constant temperature mode is 180 degrees, then you will have to stay at the oven and vary the temperature so that the bottom layer of the dish does not burn and the top layer is baked enough.

Cheesecake is a relatively new name for Russia, borrowed from American cuisine. This term usually means a cheese-containing dessert; in our case, instead of the classic hard Philadelphia cheese, homemade cottage cheese is used.

It is noteworthy that this dish is not originally American, but came to the country from old Europe - cheesecakes first began to be prepared back in Ancient Greece (delicious desserts fed the athletes of those times at the Olympics).

Ingredients:

  1. For the cream - ½ kilogram of homemade full-fat cottage cheese, 100 grams of 35 percent cream, 150 grams of sugar, 5 yolks and 4 whites, a tablespoon of flour and jam with powdered sugar for serving;
  2. For the dough - 170 grams of flour, 1 egg, 100 grams of chilled butter margarine, 50 grams of powdered sugar and a little salt.

Preparation:

  1. Three margarines fine grater, adding salt and flour to it;
  2. Add powdered sugar and the contents of the egg to the mixture, then gently knead the dough;
  3. Wrap the resulting dough in film and place it in the refrigerator for ½ hour;
  4. Rub the cottage cheese through a fine sieve;
  5. Separate the yolks and whites;
  6. Add the yolks, 1 piece at a time, to the curd mass, beating slowly with a mixer, then add flour and sugar, also mixing thoroughly and slowly. Final stage working with a mixer - adding cream to the consistency;
  7. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites and mix the finished mixture with our curd mass;
  8. Roll out the chilled dough into a thin layer (no more than 4 millimeters), then place it in the mold;
  9. Carefully spread the cream onto the dough;
  10. Turn on the oven at 170 degrees and bake for 40 minutes;
  11. Reduce to 150 degrees and bake for another 20 minutes;
  12. The last stage is 150 degrees and 12 minutes;
  13. Leave the cheesecake in the oven with the door open for 1 hour;
  14. Cut, serve with powdered sugar/jam, and serve at room temperature.
  1. Follow the instructions strictly, especially regarding volumes and weights of ingredients;
  2. Bake carefully, gradually lowering the temperature, as stated in the instructions - this way the cheesecake will become golden brown and will not burn or crack;
  3. Decorate ready dish You can use not only jam or powdered sugar - liquid chocolate, syrup and even marmalade are also suitable.

Sometimes you want to brighten up the gray days of everyday life and pamper your family with something tasty, but you don’t have the strength or desire for a multi-hour gastronomic masterpiece. The solution could be cottage cheese cookies - very tender, nutritious and also easy to prepare.

Ingredients:

  1. 200 grams of semi-fat cottage cheese;
  2. 100 grams of butter (not spread!);
  3. 1 full glass of flour;
  4. 4 tablespoons sugar;
  5. ¼ teaspoon of soda;
  6. Vegetable oil.

Preparation:

  1. Mash the cottage cheese thoroughly using a fine-mesh sieve;
  2. Melt butter, cool it and add to the curd mass, adding flour and soda and kneading the dough;
  3. Wrap the dough in film and place in the refrigerator for two hours;
  4. Roll the dough into small balls no larger than medium sized. walnut, form them into flat cakes and bread them in sugar, folding the products into a “bud” - the output should be “triangles”;
  5. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper, grease with oil, place the liver on it and bake at 200 degrees for about 20 minutes;
  6. Cool the cookies until warm and serve.
  1. After cooking, cookies can be decorated with powdered sugar;
  2. The products are suitable for both simple tea drinking at home and for treating guests;
  3. Despite the abundance of tasty ingredients, the calorie content of such liver is relatively small, so you can safely consume 5-6 pieces for your pleasure without harming your figure.

Useful video

Live healthy - Cottage cheese: beneficial properties

Cottage cheese is a very valuable product that has been enjoyed by humanity for many centuries. It contains much more nutrients than milk. Let's learn about the composition and benefits for the body, how best to use it and what contraindications there are.

What is the richness of the popular fermented milk product?

Cottage cheese is a source of healthy dairy products, and. First of all, it contains a lot of , and . Vitamins valuable for the whole body are also included in its composition.
This fermented milk product is very tasty and nutritious, contains many calories (in 100 g fat cottage cheese 230 kcal), but is easily digestible and is included in the diet that people prefer healthy eating. Nutritionists recommend including it in various diets.

Benefits for the body

Eating cottage cheese has a beneficial effect on the formation and condition of teeth and strengthens teeth. Doctors recommend it for diseases of the heart, kidneys, lungs, and gastrointestinal tract.

Valuable and essential amino acids for the body, which are part of milk protein, can replace animal protein. These amino acids have a beneficial effect on the condition of the liver and prevent its obesity.
And, included in the product, contribute to the prevention of diseases of the nervous system. It is recommended for use for chronic gastritis, gallbladder diseases and other problems of the gastrointestinal tract, as well as for hypertensive patients and heart patients.

Important! You can't use cottage cheese in large quantities: It contains a lot of protein, which puts additional strain on the kidneys.

Men

The main benefit for male body benefits from consuming milk proteins, which cottage cheese is rich in. Proteins contribute. All athletes include this useful and nutritious product into your diet. Men who engage in physical labor should consume dairy products.

Women

For women, cottage cheese is useful as a source of calcium and nutrients. Calcium makes hair, teeth, and nails strong and healthy. Low-fat product reduces levels and strengthens bones.
It improves the condition of the reproductive system and helps cure menstrual irregularities.

A large amount of vitamins has a beneficial effect on nervous system .

Pregnant women It is especially recommended to include cottage cheese in your diet. It will bring great benefits to the body of a woman and child, replenishing supplies of vitamins, calcium and protein. The developing fetus will receive all the necessary nutrients, bones and other organ systems will form.

After the birth of the child during lactation It is very beneficial for women to consume it daily.

Did you know? Milk protein in its own way nutritional properties not inferior to an animal. The daily protein requirement for a person is contained in 300 g of cottage cheese.

Children

For children, cottage cheese is one of the healthiest foods. Scientists have proven that it increases the production of growth hormone. For child's body You need to get enough protein, calcium and vitamins. A growing body requires healthy food for the formation of all systems, and the fermented milk product is perfect in all respects.

It is easily absorbed and digested, quite nutritious.

Children can be given it from six months, it helps to form healthy teeth and prevents the development of rickets.

Low fat or fat

Cottage cheese can be fatty - with percentage more than 5% fat, low fat - less than 2% fat, and low fat - 0% fat.

Let's find out which product brings more benefits to you human body. Many people, especially dieters and those who want to lose weight, believe that a low-fat product is more beneficial.

But this is not so - the low-fat type loses some of the nutrients and vitamins during the defatting process. In such a product, vitamins A, E, D are poorly absorbed and lose their useful qualities because they are fat soluble. In this chain, in turn, Without vitamin D, calcium is poorly absorbed.

Very bold look It can also cause harm to the body if consumed frequently and in large quantities. A large amount of fat increases the level and puts additional stress on the digestive organs and liver.

Nutritionists believe that low-fat cottage cheese is the healthiest.

What time of day is best to use?

Cottage cheese can be consumed at any time of the day, but since it is quite nutritious and rich in protein, it is perfect for a complete meal. This useful product relieves hunger for a long time and will give you a boost of energy. Milk protein takes a long time to be processed by the body.

Many nutritionists and doctors advise eating not very fatty cottage cheese for dinner; it contains an amino acid that calms the nervous system, helps faster, and. A fatty product in the evening puts stress on the pancreas.

Important! Athletes and bodybuilders consume nutritious cottage cheese one and a half hours before the start of training and half an hour after it.

For young children, they are the main thing in the diet; the growing body needs large amounts of calcium, protein and vitamins. Cottage cheese can be given to children several times a day, including in the evening, because it stimulates the production of growth hormone. There is an opinion that calcium is better absorbed in the afternoon.

What to eat with

The benefits of fermented milk product increase significantly in combination with

Contraindications and harm

You should not overuse cottage cheese. If you are a fan of this fermented milk product, and it is included in your daily diet, then the servings should be small - about 100 g. It is advisable to use it three times a week.

A fatty product in large quantities can cause obesity, increased cholesterol and atherosclerosis. Too much protein can cause kidney problems.

Cottage cheese spoils quickly, it must be consumed in fresh and store correctly. Otherwise, dangerous microorganisms develop in it and coli which may cause serious disorders and diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.
When purchasing, you need to carefully look at the expiration date and store it in compressed form without access to air in enamel or glass containers.

Did you know? In ancient times, when there were no refrigerators, cottage cheese was stored in clay pots after a special heat treatment in the oven.

Cottage cheese, without a doubt, is very valuable and healthy, in addition to its taste. Useful material and vitamins enable many systems and organs of a person of any age to develop and function normally. The main thing is not to overuse, because even the most useful product in large quantities can cause harm.

Cottage cheese is one of the healthiest fermented milk products, which also has excellent taste and weight. healing properties for the body. Is cottage cheese healthy? About this and we'll talk In this article.

Cottage cheese

Useful properties of cottage cheese

Cottage cheese contains a whole range of amino acids, macro and microelements, vitamins, lipotropic substances, as well as milk sugar and folic acid.

Useful substances of cottage cheese:

  • Beta-carotene
  • Choline;
  • Vitamin C;
  • Vitamin E (TE);
  • Vitamin A;
  • Vitamin H (biotin);
  • B vitamins (thiamine, riboflavin, pantothenic, pyridoxine, folic, cobalamins);
  • Vitamin D;
  • Vitamin PP;

Macronutrients:

  • Calcium;
  • Phosphorus;
  • Magnesium;
  • Sodium;
  • Sulfur;
  • Potassium;
  • Chlorine;

Microelements:

  • Manganese;
  • Zinc;
  • Copper;
  • Fluorine;
  • Iron;
  • Selenium;
  • Molybdenum;
  • Cobalt.

Milk proteins are characterized by high nutritional value; calcium and phosphorus form bone tissue, because cottage cheese is especially useful for children, minerals produce hemoglobin, which helps prevent anemia, vitamin B2 is involved in the regulation of metabolism, in the absorption of proteins in the body, improves vision, the process of hematopoiesis, normalizes body weight, choline and methionine affect the reduction of the percentage of accumulated fats in the liver, which prevents atherosclerosis.

Is low-fat cottage cheese healthy?

Low-fat varieties of cottage cheese are obtained from skim milk. This product is easily absorbed by the body and contains a lot of useful substances.

On the one hand, than fattier product, the worse the body absorbs its components, for example, calcium that enters our body with cottage cheese is absorbed more slowly when the fat content of cottage cheese is above 15%. However, many scientists are of the opinion that the benefits of low-fat cottage cheese not big. And the complete exclusion of vegetable and animal fats from the diet will lead over time to metabolic disorders, which is why problems with hair, nails, and skin appear.

There is no clear answer to the question about the benefits of low-fat cottage cheese. When including such a product in the menu, it is better to add fruit, banana, for example, or honey. This will help saturate the body with many nutrients.

Is grain curd healthy?

Among other fermented milk products, granular cottage cheese is the most easily digestible, which is why it is recommended for young and mature people, as well as children. For older people, it is useful due to the absence of purines, and the proteins that make up the grain cottage cheese do not have a destructive effect on the joints, which becomes a preventive measure for some age-related diseases. Casein protein makes granular cottage cheese an indispensable product dietary ration. Athletes also need this valuable product, especially bodybuilders.

Is cottage cheese good for pregnant women?

Any dairy products should have an important place in the diet expectant mother. You should choose low-fat or calcined cottage cheese. These types contain 17% protein, which is even more than meat products.

Cottage cheese contains a lot of methionine, which is important for fetal development. The proportion of nitrogenous substances that are harmful to the liver and kidneys is less in cottage cheese than in meat.

Phosphorus, which cottage cheese is rich in, is important for the formation skeletal system baby.

Is cottage cheese good for the liver?

Any dairy and fermented milk products are good for the liver, including low-fat cottage cheese, which is a storehouse of phospholipids and lysine.

Cottage cheese is also useful for fatty liver, because it contains essential amino acid– methionine. It has a good effect on fat metabolism in the liver and throughout the body as a whole. But fat is primarily deposited in the liver, so cottage cheese with its lipotropic properties, regulating fat metabolism and reducing the proportion bad cholesterol in the blood and is required in the human diet.

Is cottage cheese good for muscles?

Cottage cheese is one of the leaders in protein content. It contains casein protein, which is digestible long time. Therefore, it is recommended to eat it at night, especially after training, since muscles grow during sleep, so it will be useful for them to be reinforced with protein during the night.

Cottage cheese is contraindicated:

  • People suffering from intestinal diseases;
  • In case of individual intolerance.

How much cottage cheese can you eat per day?

The daily dose for an adult is no more than 200-250 grams, for children – 100-150 grams.

How to choose and store cottage cheese

Is stale or unnatural cottage cheese healthy? Of course not. Good cottage cheese should be crumbly, soft, spreadable. It should not contain particles of milk protein. Low-fat cottage cheese may contain some whey that is released.

The mass should be uniform in color, white or slightly creamy.

A stale product will develop dried yellowish crusts around the edges.

The smell of cottage cheese should be only fermented milk and no “aroma” of mold.

Try cottage cheese if possible. It should not be bitter or taste like dry milk. The sour taste will intensify even more.

If the product contains palm or Coconut oil, then this is a curd product.

Store cottage cheese in the refrigerator for no more than three days. If you need to keep it longer, put the cottage cheese in the freezer, so it will last for about six months.

Cottage cheese that has somewhat lost its freshness can be subjected to heat treatment, for example, to make a casserole or cheesecakes out of it. Cottage cheese that has not yet spoiled, but is not the freshest, prepared in this way will not harm your health.

Recipes for healthy dishes with cottage cheese

Banana cheesecake

Mix half a kilogram of low-fat cottage cheese with two eggs, two medium bananas, 200 grams of low-fat sour cream, three tablespoons of honey. Place the resulting mass in a mold and bake in the oven for half an hour at 170°.

Curd cheesecakes

  1. Thoroughly grind half a kilo of cottage cheese in a bowl, add half a glass of flour, one egg, 2 tbsp. spoons of sugar, a pinch of salt.
  2. From the mixed mass, form a sausage with a diameter of 5 cm. Cut crosswise into equal pieces 1.5 cm thick.
  3. Roll each piece in flour or semolina and fry in a frying pan until golden brown.
  4. The cheesecakes are ready. They are served with sour cream or jam.

Bon appetit!