Health authorities recommend two dairy products a day for adults under 55. For children, pregnant women and the elderly, it is three or four. Dairy products include milk, fermented milk, yogurt, cottage cheese, and cheese. But this does not include dessert creams and ice creams, which are very sweet, or processed cheese spreads, which are often very fatty. Butter and cream are classified as fats.
Many people do not miss cheese and cottage cheese in the house, and those who frequent the gym consume cheeses that are rich in protein. However, there are many types of cheese you can try that are good for you. Do you want to vary and try something new? Here’s what you need to know about foods like burrata, ricotta or cottage cheese.
Burrata: an Italian specialty
Burrata is a cheese very creamy made from cow’s milk and is originally from Puglia in Italy. It is made from cow’s milk. After the milk has been turned into curd, it is then spun. The obtained paste is used as a pocket containing a mixture of mozzarella and fresh cream.
Burrata is a cheese and therefore quite a fatty food (24% fat) that should be consumed in moderation. However, it contains very few carbohydrates and is a source of calcium, which is important for good bone health. In addition, burrata is not very salty, unlike other cheeses. It has 17 grams of protein per 100 grams of product.
Like the health benefits of cheese, Burrata is high in quality fat, cholesterol and protein, containing all the essential amino acids that are good for the brain. This will help fuel the brain so that it works well. Eating burrata cheese will also increase cognitive functions, including learning and memory.
Ricotta: creamy and delicately flavored
Creamy, soft and delicate to the taste, ricotta is a dairy product of ancient origin, known and appreciated since the time of ancient Greece, praised by the poet Homer and Andrea Camilleri, who defined it as “the very form of milk”. Produced from the second transformation of whey, ricotta has a sweet and delicate flavor and a light consistency, characteristics that make it not only incredibly versatile and easy to use in the kitchen, but also an essential ingredient for those who follow a healthy, varied diet and balanced.
Ricotta, processed without adding cream or other types of milk, is considered a low-calorie food: it is between 130 and 240 kcal per 100 grams of fresh product. In any case, we are talking about a product with an interesting nutritional profile, rich in health benefits. Rich in vitamins and minerals, ricotta (especially cow’s milk) is recommended in low-calorie and weight-loss diets because it is light and easy to digest, giving a good feeling of satiety. It also provides a good amount of protein with high biological value which, in addition to being easy to assimilate, supports the immune system and protects the health of the cardiovascular system.
Ideal and essential for athletes as it increases muscle mass and is often recommended as a snack, ricotta is mainly composed of water, has a low content of simple sugars and available carbohydrates, has an energizing and restorative effect and is rich in essential amino acids, among which valine, leucine and threonine. Regular consumption of fresh cheese also provides calcium and phosphorus in particular, which are essential for good bone development and the health of the entire skeletal system.
Cottage cheese: source of protein
Cottage cheese is light, white and creamy. Considered a fresh cheese, it is not subjected to a ripening or baking process to develop its flavor. Therefore, its flavor is very mild compared to matured cheeses. Cottage cheese is made from coagulated milk at various levels of pasteurized cow’s milk, including skimmed, low-fat and normal milk.
No doubt you know that cottage cheese is good for health and fitness. Enjoying a high-quality cottage cheese, we do not suspect that it is a source of easily digestible proteins, amino acids, iron, magnesium and much more for the body. It contains vitamins A, E, PP, C and B, pantothenic acid and many others. 100 grams of cottage cheese provides about 98 calories and 11 grams of protein.
When combined with resistance training, a diet that includes high-protein foods can help you build muscle mass. In addition, the proteins from cheese of cows are particularly effective in helping you build muscle. Casein makes up 80% of its protein content and is absorbed slowly. It’s just as effective as whey protein at building muscle – and even better at inhibiting muscle breakdown due to its slower absorption.
Casein also promotes prolonged absorption of amino acids, which has been associated with increased muscle building capacity. Many bodybuilders prefer to eat cottage cheese before going to bed. This results in a prolonged release of amino acids into the blood and muscles overnight, which can reduce muscle breakdown.
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