Currently, diet programs, as well as low-calorie and low-fat food products are very popular among the female half of the population, since ladies, passionate about fashion trends in the field of beauty and sports, try to maintain their health and figure, take care of their appearance. One of the most useful and delicious food products is cottage cheese.
From ancient times, it was a favorite product of many European peoples. Cottage cheese has not only excellent taste, but also useful properties because it contains all the vitamins and minerals necessary for the human body. There are many recipes for dishes with the addition of this product, as well as cottage cheese diets, because many people know that for those people who are struggling with excess weight, cottage cheese is an ideal component.
Cottage cheese refers to fermented milk products, has a low calorie content and is obtained by oxidizing milk with subsequent decantation of whey. According to the calorie content, cottage cheese is divided into the following positions:
- fat-free cottage cheese (calorie content per 100 grams - 70 Kcal, fat content up to 1.8%);
- fat cottage cheese (232 Kcal, 19 - 23% fat);
- bold (159 kcal and 4 - 18% fat).
Curd composition
Fat-free cottage cheese contains many vitamins important for the human body (PP, H, D, C and B vitamins) and trace elements - fluorine, selenium, phosphorus, potassium, copper, zinc, magnesium, iron and calcium. A balanced content of nutrients contributes to their excellent absorption in the body.
The chemical composition of cottage cheese in numbers:
- Phosphorus 27.5%;
- PP - 16.0%;
- B1 - 2.7%;
- B2 - 16.7%;
- Magnesium - 6%;
- Potassium - 4.5%;
- Iron - 2.5%;
- Sodium - 3.2%.
Despite the fact that the composition of this product is saturated with useful substances, it is generally accepted that completely fat-free cottage cheese is not as useful as its more fat and high-calorie companions. Various additives affect the usefulness and calorie content of this food. Many manufacturers like to sweeten and season the curd product, so for a healthy diet it is undesirable to buy curds with fillers, preservatives, dyes, fruits, berries, chocolate, which can harm the body more than low fat cottage cheese and lack of vitamins.
Useful properties of cottage cheese
Fat-free cottage cheese, the calorie content per 100 grams of which is 70 Kcal, and the protein content is 18-25 g, is an excellent tool in the fight against overweight and a suitable lunch for those who are fond of fitness.
Cottage cheese contains potassium and calcium, which strengthen blood vessels, have beneficial effects on cartilage and bone tissue, help prevent atherosclerosis, arthritis and osteoporosis, prevent dental caries, brittle hair and nails, and improve the appearance of the skin.
Protein contained in cottage cheese supports muscle mass.
Cottage cheese must be included in the diet, because it contains substances - the amino acids methionine and tryptophan - that can stabilize the nervous system and participate in hematopoiesis.
Fat-free cottage cheese is suitable for patients with gastritis and an ulcer, it tastes neutral and sour, so it does not irritate the mucous membrane.
Cottage cheese can be combined with any other products.
Harmful properties and contraindications
Despite its usefulness, it must be borne in mind that the daily intake of cottage cheese is 400 g per day, the weekly intake is not more than 4 times a week, especially since fat cottage cheese, with a calorific value of 100 grams of 230 Kcal, increases cholesterol, and this threatens obesity and atherosclerosis.
Excess of this product in the body of the protein adversely affects the kidneys.
Particular attention should be paid to the expiration date of cottage cheese, since harmful bacteria and E. coli quickly accumulate in it.
It is best to learn how to cook homemade cottage cheese (calorie content per 100 grams - 180-260 Kcal), because when buying it in a store or on the market, you can not be sure of its quality and freshness.
Homemade cottage cheese: cooking methods
- The first method is the fastest. To cook cottage cheese at home and spend a minimum of time, you will need 1 liter of milk, 3 tbsp. l lemon juice and 0.5 tsp salt. First you need to dissolve the salt in milk. Then bring the milk to a boil, but do not boil. Remove from the stove while adding lemon juice and mix gently. Milk immediately begins to thicken and curl up. If you need a creamy taste, you can add 1 tbsp. l fat cream. Spread a waffle towel or gauze in a bowl, put the curd mixture there. Carefully tie the bag with the mixture and hang over a pan or bowl, thereby letting the liquid drain. The longer the whey drains, the harder and denser the cheese is. To obtain friable and soft cottage cheese, it is necessary to withstand from 45 minutes to an hour.
- A longer way is to cook homemade cottage cheese on kefir. To begin with, you should prepare yogurt, putting milk in a warm place of the day for 3-4, and for faster souring, you need to put a piece of rye bread. After this, a water bath is made, where a saucepan with kefir is placed, and heated until the curd mass is obtained. Then the resulting mixture should be thrown on a sieve or cheesecloth and hung over the dishes for draining the whey.
- The cold cooking method is different in that kefir is placed for several days (3-4) in the freezer, and then transferred to cheesecloth and decanted whey.
Cottage cheese with sour cream and dumplings with cottage cheese
Serum can be used for baking, okroshka.
Cottage cheese is suitable for various dishes, it can be consumed with honey, sour cream, fruits and berries, jam, nuts, herbs. It is ideal for filling in dumplings, pies, muffins, rolls, as an ingredient for pancakes, sandwiches, toasts.
Cottage cheese with sour cream (calories per 100 grams about 110-140 Kcal) - one of the most acceptable combinations.
One of the most popular ways to consume cottage cheese is to mix cottage cheese with sour cream. To get the calorie content of fat-free cottage cheese with sour cream, you need to know: sour cream 10-15% per 100 g is 100 Kcal, therefore, if the fat content is 20-30%, then the calorie content increases to 200-300 kilocalories.
It must be remembered that fat sour cream is better to combine with low-fat cottage cheese and vice versa. And if someone likes to use cottage cheese with additives in the form of dry or fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, honey, then it is necessary to take into account their calorie content separately.
Dumplings with cottage cheese (calorie content per 100 grams - about 203 Kcal) is also a fairly popular dish. It is done like this:
- In egg whites (3 pcs.) Add a pinch of salt, mix, add 100 g of water and milk, combine with 5-6 tbsp. l flour, if necessary, increase its amount, since the dough should be dense. After kneading the dough, put it in the refrigerator for half an hour, covering it with a film or a lid.
- Cook the filling at this time. In cottage cheese (1 tbsp.) Add 1 yolk, 1-2 tbsp. l sugar and 1 tbsp. l melted butter, mix everything until sugar dissolves.
- Divide the dough into 3-4 parts, roll a thick tourniquet, cut it into several small parts. Roll a piece in flour, roll out, put the filling and blind at the edges.
- Formed dumplings toss in boiling water, cook over low heat for 15-20 minutes.
For the very lazy, you can cook lazy dumplings with cottage cheese.
To do this, stir 250 g of cottage cheese with 1 egg, add a pinch of salt and sugar 2 tsp, mix, add 3 tbsp. l flour and mix well again until a homogeneous mass is formed. From the resulting dough, roll out a sausage bundle with a diameter of 1-1.5 cm, cut the flagellum into cubes. In boiling water add a small pinch of salt, 0.5 tsp. sugar and formed cubes. Cook over low heat for about 5 minutes.
Before serving, add butter and sour cream.
It should be noted that for the preparation of this dish you can take low-fat cottage cheese, calorie content per 100 grams - 70-80 Kcal.
Dietary dishes with cottage cheese
- Smoothies are a fairly popular diet dish. In order to cook it you will need: cottage cheese - 70 g, frozen banana and berries (strawberries, cherries or raspberries) - 150 g, orange juice - 0.5 tbsp. Grind all ingredients in a blender. It is better to use low-fat cottage cheese, calorie content per 100 grams - 70 Kcal. The calorie content of the dish per 100 g is - 280 Kcal.
- Vegetable salad with cottage cheese: bell pepper - 100 g, leek, low-fat cottage cheese (calories per 100 g - 70 Kcal) - 200 g, 2 tbsp. l sour cream with a slide, black pepper (to taste). Cut pepper and onion, mix with cottage cheese, season with black pepper and sour cream. Calorie dishes - 102 Kcal.
- Ethiopian cottage cheese is an original dish that can be prepared for a change. To do this, mix the cottage cheese (calorie content per 100 grams - 70 Kcal) - 450 g with 1 clove of garlic and ground cloves (0.5 tsp) and send to the refrigerator. Fry onions (40 g), ginger (1 tbsp.), 2 cloves of garlic and a small chili pepper. When the onion becomes golden, add 900 g of spinach, fry until soft. Drain the oil and mix with cottage cheese. Calorie dishes - 210 Kcal.
Bon Appetit!