Ricotta Cheese Vs. Cottage Cheese Vs. Cream Cheese
Feb. 8 2023, Published 5:35 p.m. ET
Introduction
This article will compare three types of dairy products: ricotta, cottage cheese, and cream cheese. The comparison will be based on general differences, nutritional content, and health impacts.
General differences
All these foods are dairy products. However, some differences do exist between them.
Ricotta is sweeter than the other two. Its texture is creamier than cottage cheese but not as creamy as cream cheese.
On the other hand, cottage cheese is the most solid of these three kinds of cheese. It has lumpier parts and has a slightly saltier and acidic taste compared to the others.
Nutritional content comparison
In this section, we will be comparing 100g of each product.
Calories comparison
Cream cheese has the highest amount of calories. In ricotta and cottage cheese, there are 174 and 94 calories, respectively. The difference in calories between cream cheese and cottage cheese is 3.5 times higher.
Carbs
Cream cheese is the highest in calories among them. Cottage cheese and ricotta have nearly similar amounts of carbs.
Glycemic index comparison
The glycemic index of cream cheese is 0. In comparison, the glycemic index of ricotta is 27, and that of cottage cheese is 10. Several other differences exist between ricotta and cottage cheese, which you can explore in the article ricotta vs. cottage cheese. This article dives into the differences between ricotta and cottage cheese, considering all their differences.
Fats comparison
Cream cheese is the highest in fat, 34g of fat per 100g. In comparison, we have ricotta with 13g of fat. Finally, the lowest in fat is cottage cheese, with 4g of fat.
The difference between them is quite remarkable and must be considered. The article ricotta vs. cream cheese compares the two foods in detail, focusing on nutritional comparisons and health impacts.
Protein
Cream cheese is the lowest in protein. In comparison, ricotta and cottage cheese have nearly similar amounts of protein, 11g per 100g.
Vitamins
Cream cheese is richer in vitamins B2, A, and E. On the other hand, cottage cheese is richer in vitamins B12 and B5. Cottage cheese vs. cream cheese have other differences that do exist between them. This article compares their differences in various aspects, including nutritional content comparison and health impacts.
Minerals
Cottage cheese contains the highest amount of sodium among the 3 of them. Ricotta cheese is richer in zinc, selenium, and calcium. It is important to note that cream cheese also contains high amounts of sodium.
Nutritional content summary
Ricotta is richer in zinc, selenium, and calcium and it has the highest glycemic index among them. Comparatively, cottage cheese is richer in vitamins B12 and B5 and has the highest amount of sodium. Lastly, cream cheese is the highest in calories and fats and has the lowest glycemic index. It is richer in vitamins B2, A, and E.
Health impacts
Cancer
Foods rich in calcium are positively associated with increased risks of prostate cancer development; in this case, ricotta is richer in calcium than the rest. (1)
Cardiovascular health
Intake of high amounts of LDL cholesterols increases risks of atherosclerosis and, in turn, risks of cardiovascular diseases. (2)
Vitamin E health impacts
Cream cheese is rich in vitamin E which has antioxidative and anti-inflammatory properties. In addition it decreases risks of strokes and clot formations. (3)
Lactose intolerance
For individuals who are lactose intolerant, these three dairy products contain lactose which can induce symptoms of lactose intolerance.
Benefits of selenium
Ricotta is the richest in selenium among these dairy products. Selenium is essential in properly functioning the immune system and acts as an antioxidant. (4)
Summary
This article gave an overview of the difference between ricotta, cottage cheese, and cream cheese. The differences are based on some general aspects, nutritional content, and health impacts. You can check the articles attached to this text to understand the differences between these foods.