Soft cottage cheese: benefits and harms, cooking recipes
In most cases, each of us strives to eat such foods so that they benefit the body and, of course, are tasty. And conclusions about whether this or that product is necessary for the body are made based on what vitamins and microelements it contains. One of these products is soft cottage cheese. Our article will talk about its benefits and harms, as well as recipes for cooking at home.
What it is?
Soft cottage cheese is made from cow's milk, usually skimmed, and belongs to fermented milk products.
Its difference from ordinary cottage cheese can be found if we consider the properties of both products.
- In the store you can find two types of cottage cheese - hard and soft. In the first form, the protein content is quite high - up to twenty percent. The fact that it is not very convenient to eat due to dryness is compensated by various additives: someone adds sour cream or kefir, someone adds cream or yogurt. But experts in the field of dietary nutrition advise diluting it with water. All additives add calories to cottage cheese.
- The difference between soft cottage cheese and ordinary cottage cheese is that it contains much less protein. At a high moisture content of the product (approximately three parts), only one part is dry matter. It is more pleasant to eat because of its consistency. This product is especially suitable for small children. For the preparation of desserts, it is also an indispensable product.
Composition and calorie content
There is an opinion that cottage cheese helps to retain fluid in the body, so those who are on a diet to lose weight are afraid to eat it, like other products made from milk. In fact, experts in the field of dietary nutrition say that cottage cheese contains the calcium necessary for the body, which is easily absorbed and successfully removes fluid from the body.
Another misconception that lactose is the enemy of the diet, in fact, milk sugar is a dietary component.
Soft cottage cheese, in addition to easily digestible protein, contains phosphorus and calcium, in small doses - milk fat.
When buying soft cottage cheese in stores, you need to pay attention to the information that is contained on the package, it usually fully indicates the composition, number of calories and percentage of fat content.
The latter figure can be 5 percent, or it can be zero, which is especially attractive to those who are on a diet. Fat content can also be 4% and 9%. If there is no need to strictly follow the figure, you can choose cottage cheese and fatter.
One hundred grams of product with a fat content of about five percent usually accounts for about 40 calories. At the same time, proteins make up a larger amount - about 20 g, carbohydrates - a little more than three, and fat accounts for less than one gram.
What is useful?
The benefits of a product for the body determined primarily by the presence of useful substances in it.
- Soft cottage cheese contains vitamins B12, PP, B2, phosphorus, calcium, selenium.
- The benefit of this product is that it strengthens bones and muscles, supplying the body with the calcium it needs.
- Cottage cheese must be included in the diet at least three times a week.In addition to all its beneficial substances, it also has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the stomach and intestines.
- Three hundred grams of such cottage cheese can supply the body with a daily protein intake.
- Regular consumption of cottage cheese helps prevent the appearance of sclerotic plaques and liver diseases.
- Its good effect on the nervous system was also noted.
- Soft cottage cheese is also useful in combination with other products, such as fresh fruit. In addition, this is an excellent tool for preparing cosmetic masks.
Harm
This product may be harmful if you have diseases of the pancreas or gastrointestinal tract. In this case, cottage cheese should not be abused. No more than two hundred grams twice a week is enough.
Cottage cheese is one of the most dangerous products that can provoke poisoning at the end of the expiration date.
Cottage cheese is best eaten fresh, and if it has been in the refrigerator for several days, it needs to be processed, it is better to add it to pastries or simply throw it away. The cottage cheese, in which palm fat is added, will not be useful either. Some unscrupulous manufacturers may add it in order to save money, which reduces the quality of the product and its useful properties are called into question. Therefore, you need to carefully read the information on the package, especially the one that is printed in small print.
People on a strict diet should only consume fat-free cottage cheese. Do not confuse ordinary soft cottage cheese with various desserts that are called "curd product", they usually have more calories, sugar and various additives, which reduces its benefits to the body.
How to cook?
Soft cottage cheese can be made at home. Housewives come up with different recipes.True, the preparation of some options takes a lot of time.
Therefore, to include soft cottage cheese in your menu, you need to take care of this in advance.
- Kefir of zero fat content is placed in the freezer for a day or two, then they are taken out and the frozen briquette is placed in a colander, which is first placed on some kind of container. Serum will flow into it.
- A few hours later, after the kefir has completely melted, whey will remain in the container, and soft diet cottage cheese will remain in the colander, which can be eaten as is or pieces of fresh fruit can be added to it.
- Reviews of those who have tried this cooking option say that this is a great way to get a healthy product at home. What's more, it's pretty easy to do.
But someone thinks that it is better to make such cottage cheese from ordinary milk bought in a store.
True, you need to be sure that this is natural milk, and not some product that replaces it. For this recipe, you will need milk with a fat content of 3.2 percent and citric acid.
- You need to pour the milk into a saucepan and heat it up slightly so that it is slightly warm. Then add a pinch of citric acid.
- Literally immediately begin to form flakes. It is enough to boil the mixture for five minutes.
- Then a sieve is placed on the pan, and gauze is placed in it in several layers. The contents are poured into a sieve.
- Within an hour, all the liquid will gradually drain, and wonderful soft cottage cheese will remain in the gauze.
If you want to get cottage cheese a little denser.
- The resulting soft product must be put in a container, add milk and boil for ten minutes.
- Then put in a sieve with cheesecloth. It will take about three hours for the liquid to drain naturally.
- After that, soft cottage cheese of a thicker consistency is ready.
In the next video - recipes for breakfast with soft cottage cheese.