Cottage Cheese vs. Whole Milk
Nutrition comparison of Cottage Cheese and Whole Milk
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
cottage cheese
versus
whole milk
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in cottage cheese and whole milk:
- Both whole milk and cottage cheese are high in calcium.
- Cottage cheese has more folate.
- Cottage cheese is a great source of protein.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Cottage Cheese (Cheese, cottage, creamed, large or small curd) and Whole Milk (Milk, whole, 3.25% milkfat, with added vitamin D) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Whole milk has 38% less calories than cottage cheese - whole milk has 61 calories per 100 grams and cottage cheese has 98 calories.
For macronutrient ratios, cottage cheese is much heavier in protein, lighter in carbs and lighter in fat compared to whole milk per calorie. Cottage cheese has a macronutrient ratio of 46:14:40 and for whole milk, 21:31:48 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.
Macro Ratios from Calories:
| Cottage Cheese | Whole Milk | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 46% | 21% |
| Carbohydrates | 14% | 31% |
| Fat | 40% | 48% |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Both whole milk and cottage cheese are low in carbohydrates - whole milk has 4.8g of total carbs per 100 grams and cottage cheese has 3.4g of carbohydrates.
The carbs in whole milk and cottage cheese are both made of 100% sugar.
sugar
Whole milk and cottage cheese contain similar amounts of sugar - whole milk has 5.1g of sugar per 100 grams and cottage cheese has 2.7g of sugar.
Protein
protein
Cottage cheese is a great source of protein and it has 253% more protein than whole milk - whole milk has 3.2g of protein per 100 grams and cottage cheese has 11.1g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Whole milk and cottage cheese contain similar amounts of saturated fat - whole milk has 1.9g of saturated fat per 100 grams and cottage cheese has 1.7g of saturated fat.
cholesterol
Whole milk and cottage cheese contain similar amounts of cholesterol - whole milk has 10mg of cholesterol per 100 grams and cottage cheese has 17mg of cholesterol.
Vitamins
Vitamin A
Whole milk and cottage cheese contain similar amounts of Vitamin A - whole milk has 46ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and cottage cheese has 37ug of Vitamin A.
Vitamin D
Whole milk has 16 times more Vitamin D than cottage cheese - whole milk has 51iu of Vitamin D per 100 grams and cottage cheese has 3iu of Vitamin D.
Vitamin E
Whole milk and cottage cheese contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - whole milk has 0.07mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and cottage cheese has 0.08mg of Vitamin E.
Vitamin K
Whole milk and cottage cheese contain similar amounts of Vitamin K - whole milk has 0.3ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and cottage cheese does not contain significant amounts.
The B Vitamins
Cottage cheese has more folate. Both cottage cheese and whole milk contain significant amounts of thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, Vitamin B6 and Vitamin B12.
| Cottage Cheese | Whole Milk | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 0.027 MG | 0.046 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.163 MG | 0.169 MG |
| Niacin | 0.099 MG | 0.089 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.557 MG | 0.373 MG |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.046 MG | 0.036 MG |
| Folate | 12 UG | 5 UG |
| Vitamin B12 | 0.43 UG | 0.45 UG |
Minerals
calcium
Both whole milk and cottage cheese are high in calcium. Whole milk has 36% more calcium than cottage cheese - whole milk has 113mg of calcium per 100 grams and cottage cheese has 83mg of calcium.
iron
Whole milk and cottage cheese contain similar amounts of iron - whole milk has 0.03mg of iron per 100 grams and cottage cheese has 0.07mg of iron.
potassium
Whole milk and cottage cheese contain similar amounts of potassium - whole milk has 132mg of potassium per 100 grams and cottage cheese has 104mg of potassium.
Antioxidants and Phytonutrients
carotenoids
Carotenoids are micronutrients commonly found in plants and some animal products. An example is beta-carotene, the notable carotenoid which is a popular source of Vitamin A.[4][5]
For specific types of carotenoids, both cottage cheese and whole milk contain small amounts of beta-carotene.
| Cottage Cheese | Whole Milk | |
|---|---|---|
| beta-carotene | 12 UG | 7 UG |
Omega-3 and Omega-6
omega 3s
For omega-3 fatty acids, whole milk has more alpha linoleic acid (ALA) than cottage cheese per 100 grams.
| Cottage Cheese | Whole Milk | |
|---|---|---|
| alpha linoleic acid | 0.017 G | 0.075 G |
| Total | 0.017 G | 0.075 G |
omega 6s
Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, both cottage cheese and whole milk contain significant amounts of linoleic acid.
| Cottage Cheese | Whole Milk | |
|---|---|---|
| linoleic acid | 0.105 G | 0.12 G |
| Total | 0.105 G | 0.12 G |
Customize your serving size
The comparison below is by weight, but sometimes 100g isn't that intuitive of a measurement for food. View a custom portion comparison (e.g. cups, oz, package).
You can try adding or subtracting the amount of either Cottage Cheese or Whole Milk .
Note: The specific food items compared are: Cottage Cheese (Cheese, cottage, creamed, large or small curd) and Whole Milk (Milk, whole, 3.25% milkfat, with added vitamin D) .
Cottage Cheese g
()
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Daily Values (%) |
Whole Milk g
()
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| KCAL % |
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5% | calories | 5% |
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KCAL % | |
| G % |
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5% | carbohydrates | 5% |
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G % | |
| G % |
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5% | dietary fiber | 5% |
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G % | |
| G | 5% | sugar | 5% | G | |||
| G % |
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5% | total fat | 5% |
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G % | |
| G % |
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5% | saturated fat | 5% |
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G % | |
| G | 5% | monounsaturated fat | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | polyunsaturated fat | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | trans fat | 5% | G | |||
| MG | 5% | cholesterol | 5% | MG | |||
| MG % |
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5% | sodium | 5% |
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MG % | |
| 5% | Vitamins and Minerals | 5% | |||||
| UG % |
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5% | Vitamin A | 5% |
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5% | Vitamin C | 5% |
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| IU % |
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5% | Vitamin D | 5% |
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IU % | |
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5% | calcium | 5% |
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5% | iron | 5% |
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5% | magnesium | 5% |
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5% | potassium | 5% |
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5% | thiamin (Vit B1) | 5% |
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| MG % |
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5% | riboflavin (Vit B2) | 5% |
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| MG % |
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5% | niacin (Vit B3) | 5% |
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| MG % |
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5% | Vitamin B6 | 5% |
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| MG % |
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5% | pantothenic acid (Vit B5) | 5% |
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5% | folate (Vit B9) | 5% |
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5% | Vitamin B12 | 5% |
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5% | Vitamin E | 5% |
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5% | Vitamin K | 5% |
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5% | protein | 5% |
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5% | biotin (Vit B7) | 5% |
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5% | choline | 5% |
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5% | chlorine | 5% |
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5% | chromium | 5% |
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5% | copper | 5% |
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MG % | |
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5% | fluoride | 5% |
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5% | iodine | 5% |
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5% | manganese | 5% |
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5% | molybdenum | 5% |
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5% | phosphorus | 5% |
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5% | selenium | 5% |
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5% | zinc | 5% |
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MG % | |
| G | 5% | Water | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | Starch | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | Alcohol | 5% | G | |||
FAQ
Does whole milk or cottage cheese contain more calories in 100 grams?Whole milk has 40% less calories than cottage cheese - whole milk has 61 calories in 100g and cottage cheese has 98 calories.
Is whole milk or cottage cheese better for protein?
Cottage cheese is a great source of protein and it has 250% more protein than whole milk - whole milk has 3.2g of protein per 100 grams and cottage cheese has 11.1g of protein.
Does whole milk or cottage cheese have more carbohydrates?
By weight, both whole milk and cottage cheese are low in carbohydrates - whole milk has 4.8g of carbs for 100g and cottage cheese has 3.4g of carbohydrates. the carbs in whole milk and cottage cheese are both made of 100% sugar.
Does whole milk or cottage cheese contain more calcium?
Both whole milk and cottage cheese are high in calcium. Whole milk has 40% more calcium than cottage cheese - whole milk has 113mg of calcium in 100 grams and cottage cheese has 83mg of calcium.