Cottage cheese has recently become a trending food on social media platforms like TikTok, with countless recipes and meal ideas highlighting it as a "healthy" choice. But why is cottage cheese, of all foods, making a comeback, and how might its resurgence be linked to diet culture?
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Cottage Cheese and Diet Culture: A Brief History
Cottage cheese is no stranger to diet trends. It was a staple in many restrictive diet plans of the past, often used as a low-calorie, high-protein food that dieters could eat to feel full while consuming fewer calories. Recently, the "cottage cheese diet" trended again on social media in 2023, encouraging people to consume mostly cottage cheese for its supposed weight loss benefits. While this might sound like a simple way to lose weight, it’s far from a balanced or sustainable approach.
Why is Cottage Cheese Popular Again?
There are several reasons why cottage cheese has become a "diet-friendly" food in today’s culture:
1. High in Protein: Diet culture often promotes high-protein, low-calorie foods as a way to control weight. Cottage cheese fits perfectly into this narrative, offering a protein boost. However, this focus can lead to an overemphasis on certain macronutrients while neglecting a balanced approach to eating.
2. Ultra Processed Foods: Cottage cheese is seen as a minimally processed, "wholesome" food. It doesn’t fall into the category of ultra-processed foods, which are often demonised by diet culture. This can create a false dichotomy between "good" and "bad" foods, leading to food fear and restriction.
3. Affordable and Accessible: Cottage cheese is relatively inexpensive compared to other high-protein foods, making it a popular choice for those looking to follow a high-protein diet on a budget. This affordability can also play into diet culture’s appeal, suggesting that "healthy eating" requires buying specific, low-cost "diet" foods rather than focusing on a variety of nutrient-dense options.
The Problem with Cottage Cheese Diets
While cottage cheese can be part of a balanced diet, using it as the foundation of a restrictive eating plan is problematic. The resurgence of cottage cheese-based diets on social media reinforces several unhealthy diet culture messages:
- Restriction Over Balance: Many cottage cheese recipes promoted on social media suggest replacing more balanced options with cottage cheese alternatives. For example, using cottage cheese to make low-carb wraps or “chips” instead of enjoying a balanced meal with whole grains, vegetables, and protein. This can lead to nutrient deficiencies and an unbalanced approach to eating.
- Fear of Calories and Carbs: Cottage cheese is often used in "low-carb" or "low-calorie" meal plans, reinforcing the fear of certain nutrients, particularly carbohydrates and fats. This focus can create anxiety around eating a diverse range of foods, ultimately promoting disordered eating habits.
Moving Beyond Diet Culture
If you like cottage cheese it could be one of many nutritious options that can be part of a balanced diet:
- Use it to Add Variety: Cottage cheese can add flavour and texture to meals like baked potatoes or quiches. Rather than replacing other food groups, it should complement them.
- Focus on Overall Balance: Rather than centering your diet around low-calorie, high-protein foods, aim for a balance of proteins, carbohydrates, fats, and fiber. This approach helps ensure that you’re getting a wide range of nutrients.
- Eat Foods You Enjoy: The healthiest diet is one that includes foods you genuinely enjoy. If you don’t like cottage cheese, don’t force yourself to eat it because it’s trending or perceived as "healthy." There are plenty of other delicious and nutritious foods to choose from.
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What If You Don’t Like Cottage Cheese?
If cottage cheese isn’t for you, that’s okay. Diet culture often promotes the idea that there are "right" and "wrong" foods, but nutrition is much more flexible than that. There are many other options for protein, calcium, and other nutrients, such as lean meats, beans, pulses, yogurt, and fortified plant-based milks.
Cottage cheese can be a nutritious addition to a balanced diet, but it’s important to recognise when its promotion is more about diet culture than health. Instead of getting caught up in the latest food trends, focus on eating a variety of foods that nourish your body and bring you satisfaction. Remember, a healthy relationship with food goes beyond calories and protein counts—it’s about finding balance, variety, and enjoyment in what you eat.
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