Why is ricotta good for you

Ricotta cheese is a great source of several important nutrients. Although the non-fat ricotta cheese nutrition profile and low-fat ricotta cheese nutrition profile may vary slightly, most varieties are rich in protein, calcium, selenium and phosphorus, as well as several other nutrients.

A half cup of ricotta cheese made from whole milk contains the following nutrients:. Ricotta is made from the whey that is left over from making other types of cheese. The whey must be acidified, either by undergoing fermentation or through the use of an acid, such as lemon juice, vinegar or buttermilk.

Many ricotta cheese brands also add rennet, which is a thickening agent made from enzymes found in the stomachs of ruminant mammals, such as cows. Next, the whey is heated, causing the proteins to coagulate and form curds. These curds are then strained and cooled, producing the creamy, white cheese that many of us are so familiar with.

Making homemade ricotta cheese is easy and requires just a few simple ingredients. In fact, there are plenty of recipes available for how to make ricotta cheese, and most simply require milk and an acid, such as buttermilk or lemon juice.

There are plenty of reasons you may want to consider adding this delicious dairy product to your diet. Here are a few of the top health benefits of ricotta. Ricotta is a great source of calcium , an important mineral that is integral to the formation and metabolism of the bones. Each serving of ricotta is also high in phosphorus, another mineral that plays a key role in bone health. Phosphorus is involved in many functions related to bone health but is especially important for maintaining bone integrity and skeletal development.

A deficiency in this essential micronutrient can cause issues like softening of the bones, bone loss and rickets. Ricotta is loaded with protein, packing around 14 grams into a single half-cup serving. Protein is crucial to several aspects of health, including growth and development, immune function, muscle strength, and more.

A deficiency in protein can wreak havoc on health, causing a slew of side effects — like hair loss, hunger, stunted growth and impaired immunity. Pairing ricotta with other protein foods like meat, fish, poultry or legumes is a great way to ensure that you meet your daily needs. Since blue cheese is high in calcium, a nutrient necessary for optimal bone health , adding it to your diet may help prevent bone-related health issues.

In fact, adequate calcium intake is linked to a reduced risk of osteoporosis, which causes bones to become weak and brittle 11 , 12 , Blue cheese tastes great on top of burgers, pizzas, and salads made with spinach, nuts , and apples or pears. Feta is a soft, salty, white cheese originally from Greece. Since feta is packaged in brine to preserve freshness, it can be high in sodium.

However, it is typically lower in calories than most other cheeses. One ounce 28 grams of full-fat feta cheese provides 1 :. Feta, like all full-fat dairy, provides conjugated linoleic acid CLA , which is associated with reduced body fat and improved body composition 14 , 15 , One study in 40 overweight adults found that taking 3.

Thus, eating CLA-containing foods like feta may help improve body composition. To add feta cheese to your diet, try crumbling it over salads, adding it to eggs, or whipping it into a dip to eat with fresh vegetables.

Cottage cheese is much higher in protein than other cheeses. Since cottage cheese is high in protein but low in calories, it is often recommended for weight loss. Several studies indicate that eating high-protein foods like cottage cheese can increase feelings of fullness and help decrease overall calorie intake, which in turn may lead to weight loss 19 , A study in 30 healthy adults found that cottage cheese was just as filling as an omelet with a similar nutrient composition 21 , Thus, adding cottage cheese to your diet may help you feel fuller after meals and reduce your calorie intake.

It tastes great spread on toast, blended into smoothies, added to scrambled eggs, or used as the base for dips. Ricotta is an Italian cheese made from the watery parts of cow, goat, sheep, or Italian water buffalo milk that are left over from making other cheeses. Ricotta has a creamy texture and is often described as a lighter version of cottage cheese. The protein in ricotta cheese is mostly whey, a milk protein that contains all of the essential amino acids that humans need to obtain from food Whey is easily absorbed and may promote muscle growth, help lower blood pressure, and reduce high cholesterol levels 24 , 25 , However, this study focused on whey supplements rather than whey from dairy foods Ricotta cheese tastes delicious in salads, scrambled eggs, pasta, and lasagna.

It can also be used as a base for creamy dips or served with fruit for a sweet-and-salty snack. Parmesan is a hard, aged cheese that has a gritty texture and a salty, nutty flavor. The final product is loaded with nutrients. One ounce 28 grams of Parmesan cheese provides 1 :. Since Parmesan is rich in both calcium and phosphorus — nutrients that play a role in bone formation — it may promote bone health 28 , However, the production of rennet-coagulated cheese overtook the production of fresh whole-milk cheeses during the first millennium BC.

Bronze cheese graters found in the graves of the Etruscan elite prove that hard-grating cheeses were popular with the aristocracy. Cheese graters were also commonly used in ancient Roman kitchens.

Unlike the fresh acid-coagulated cheese, aged rennet-coagulated cheese could be preserved for much longer. The increased production of rennet-coagulated cheese led to a large supply of sweet whey as a byproduct. Cheese makers then started using a new recipe, which used a mixture of whey and milk to make the traditional ricotta as it is known today.

The ancient Romans made ricotta, but writers on agriculture such as Cato the Elder, Marcus Terentius Varro, and Columella do not mention it. They described the production of rennet-coagulated cheese but did not write about milk boilers or acid-coagulated cheese. A likely reason is that ricotta was not commercial because its very short shelf life did not allow distribution to urban markets. Ricotta was most likely consumed by the shepherds who made it. Even so, evidence from paintings and literature specifies that ricotta was known and likely eaten by Roman aristocrats, as well.

Ceramic milk boilers were still used by Apennine shepherds to make ricotta in the 19th century AD. Today, metal milk boilers are used, but production methods have changed little since ancient times. Fresh ricotta can be subjected to extra processing to produce variants which have a much longer shelf life. Am J Clin Nutr. Effect of dairy consumption on weight and body composition in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled clinical trials.

Int J Obes Lond. Milk and dairy products: good or bad for human health? An assessment of the totality of scientific evidence. Food Nutr Res. Published Nov The importance of milk as a source of vitamin b12 for human nutrition.

Animal Frontiers. Journal of the American College of Nutrition. Cow milk allergy. In: StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing; Cheese, ricotta, part-skim milk. Updated April 1, Innovation Center for U. How long can yogurt sit out? Your Privacy Rights. To change or withdraw your consent choices for VerywellFit.

At any time, you can update your settings through the "EU Privacy" link at the bottom of any page. These choices will be signaled globally to our partners and will not affect browsing data. We and our partners process data to: Actively scan device characteristics for identification. I Accept Show Purposes. Calories : Fat : Dairy Products for the South Beach Diet. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Sign Up. What are your concerns?

Verywell Fit uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles.