Protein is very vital for keeping cravings away. It also helps to build lean muscle, as well as dropping some excess pounds of fat. But experts tell us that protein consumption is not as easy as just eating proteins from food. The most important factor is where you are getting the proteins. There are three reasons for this. To start with, all sources of protein have different sets of aminos in them. These aminos are the components that build proteins. Secondly, there are 20 main amino acids, but only 9 of them are essential. These are the only aminos that you must obtain in your diet. And thirdly, all protein-rich foods, including meat, dairy, and eggs contain these essential aminos in varying amounts. So let’s take a look at cottage cheese amino acids.
Most plant-based protein sources contain only some essential aminos and lack the others. That’s why many vegans and vegetarians have to combine plants to get protein. However, animal-sources usually contain more amino acids compared to plant-based foods. One such source is cottage cheese. Cottage cheese seems to be underrated a lot among all amino acid sources. It contains 25g protein and all 9 essential aminos. But aside from the essential aminos, cottage cheese also contains lots of calcium, phosphorus, and B-12 vitamins. It also contains casein, a protein that digests very slowly and keeps you full for long. This, in turn, reduces craving and helps weight-loss.
A Brief Overview of Cottage Cheese
Cottage cheese can be described as the fresh cheese that comes from acidifying milk. The process of acidification causes the separation of the milk curds from its whey. When the curds form, cottage cheese producers cut them into small-sized pieces. After that, they rinse and often salt them.
You can find cottage cheese in varying sizes. There is a small variety, as well as medium and large curd varieties. The fat levels may also vary from one product to the other. A 4-ounce cup of creamed cottage cheese will give you 5g fat and 110 calories.
However, remember that fat content may vary in different brands. You can even get a product made with skim milk or only 1 percent fat. Such products have lower calories and fat.
As we said before, you can get lots of protein from cottage cheese. It has all 9 essential aminos. As such, it is a complete protein. One 4-ounce cup serving of whole-milk cottage cheese contains 13g protein. It also contains the protein, casein. This protein takes time to digest and as such increases satiety and curbs hunger.
Cottage cheese also contains calcium. Although milk contains lots of calcium, much of this is lost while producing cottage cheese. This occurs as they separate the curds of the milk from whey.
While cottage cheese may not have as much calcium as milk, it still contains lots of it. You will get 94mg of calcium in a 4-ounce cup serving. However, some producers fortify their cottage cheese with more calcium.
Cottage cheese is a very versatile food. It can be savory or sweet. As such, you should pair it with a good accompaniment. Foods that may make a great pair include avocados, sliced scallions, tomatoes, raisins, or apples.
You can even make your home-made pasta sauce with a blend of cottage cheese and low-fat milk or Parmesan cheese and yogurt. You can even try to add in cheesy guacamole to lactose-free, low-fat cottage cheese.
If you like rice casserole, you can make it with varieties of veggies and cottage cheese. These include peas, carrots, beans, or onions. You can also stir-in a mix of cottage cheese, cheddar cheese (grated), and yogurt. Other options you can try include fruit, such as pineapple slices or peaches.
Cottage Cheese Amino Acids
Cottage cheese contains an abundance of amino acids. It contains a total of 11 aminos, including all 9 essential aminos. You can get more than 100% RDI of all these aminos from one 4-ounce cup serving of cottage cheese, aside from cysteine, which is a non-essential amino.
The amino acid profile of cottage cheese per serving is as follows:
- 178% RDI Tryptophan
- 143% RDI Isoleucine
- 161% RDI Threonine
- 139% RDI Leucine
- 151% RDI Lysine
- 78% RDI Cystine
- 125% RDI Methionine
- 224% RDI Phenylalanine
- 334% RDI Tyrosine
- 158% RDI Histidine
- 139% RDI Valine
All these aminos have very peculiar functions. They are very vital for building top-quality proteins. It contains all 9 essential aminos. Remember that you must get these 9 aminos from your diet. Your body cannot synthesize them.
When you consume high-quality protein foods in your daily diet, your body would have an optimal ability to synthesize and maintain lean muscle. It becomes even more important as your body ages. In old age, your muscle mass tends to decline.
Dieticians tell us that your muscle mass can decline by about 0.5% to 1% each year starting from about age 40. So you would need aminos from sources like cottage cheese to boost your lean muscle synthesis.
Certain essential aminos are the igniters that spark muscle mass synthesis in your body. One cup of cottage cheese would provide 100% RDI of all these essential aminos.
Other Nutrients in Cottage Cheese
Aside from amino acids and calcium, cottage cheese contains some other essential nutrients. Some of them are as follows:
1. Vitamin B-12
You can only get natural B-12 sources from animal-based foods. Although milk has lower vitamin B-12 content than poultry, meat, and fish, you can still get lots of it from cottage cheese. One cup serving will deliver 38% RDI.
Vitamin B-12 is essential for many reasons in your body. One of those reasons is that B-12 removes homocysteine from your bloodstream. Your body produces homocysteine naturally as a byproduct of certain biochemical processes. However, it can only be beneficial in your body when it is converted by B-12 into healthy compounds.
Phosphorus and calcium combine as the primary minerals for the building of bones. But aside from building bones, it also fills some other functions. A lot of chemical processes in your body depend on phosphate.
Cottage cheese amino acids are abundant. It also contains other vital nutrients. You can count on it as a viable ad rich amino acid source.