The Truth About Cottage Cheese Diets

Cheese usually brings to mind images of calorie rich cream cheese, high fat cheeseburgers, deep fat fried mozzarella sticks. Luckily, since cheese is delicious, not every cheese is high fat and unhealthy. For example, cottage cheese is a healthy, low fat, high protein food. It is also relatively inexpensive and can even be made at home.

Many bodybuilders eat cottage cheese because of its high quality protein. Dieters who don't lift weights also turn to cottage cheese as a quick way to lose weight. Cottage cheese is in fact a great way to lose weight if done properly. The wrong way to do it is by eating solely cottage cheese and little else. Doing this may help you lose a few pounds quickly but this type of weight loss is generally short term and the weight usually comes back quickly as soon as you start eating your usual diet. There is a better way -- by eating cottage cheese as a part of your regular diet you will get lasting results.

One way to do this is by using cottage cheese whenever one of your recipes calls for ricotta cheese or grated cheese. Other dairy products like whole milk and ice cream, which are high in fat, can also be replaced by cottage. Mix it up however, don’t try the fad of eating only cottage cheese or you’ll quickly get bored. Use it as a side dish rather than a main dish to keep from getting bored.

Cottage cheese doesn’t necessarily need to be the main dish to provide health benefits. It is excellent as a low calorie side dish or as a nutritious snack. It is delicious when combined with fruit -- you won't even miss dessert. Cottage cheese is a great pre-workout food or as a post workout recovery food. Some athletes eat it an hour before their workout. Many people wish there was a "miracle" diet food. Cottage cheese is not a miracle food however including cottage cheese into your usual diet will help you lose weight it just might take some time.

Of course, you could go on a restrictive cottage cheese diet but you will probably end up hating cottage cheese, and fall off the diet wagon. Once you fall off the diet wagon you will probably quickly gain back the weight. Not only is a restrictive cottage cheese diet boring it is also unhealthy. Cottage cheese may be healthy but it simply can’t provide all of the vitamins and minerals a body needs.

So avoid the temptation to lose weight quickly by eating only a cottage cheese diet. Instead remember to use it as a snack or healthy side dish. This way you won’t get bored and it can instead be a healthy, low fat, low calorie treat that tastes great.