Cottage Cheese Nutrition Facts

The term "cottage cheese" is believed to have originated because the simple cheese was usually made in cottages from any milk leftover after making butter. The term was first used in 1848. An older term for cottage cheese is curds and whey.

According to the International Dairy Federation of America, cottage cheese consumption in the United States reached its peak of 1.1 billion pounds in 1972. Sales have been falling ever since, except for those of fat-free cottage cheese, which has seen its sales grow by double digits, increasing 14.6 percent in 1996.

Low-fat cottage cheese is low in cholesterol, a good source of vitamin B2 (riboflavin), vitamin B12, phosphorus and selenium, and a very good source of protein. The downside is that this food is very high in sodium.

Cottage cheese may be eaten straight. It is also eaten with fruit, with fruit puree, on toast, in green salads, or as an ingredient in recipes like jello salad and various desserts. It can be used to replace grated cheese or ricotta cheese in most recipes (such as lasagna).