Cottage cheese (lowfat) vs Cheddar
Both are dairy protein, in very different densities. Cottage cheese is high-protein and low-calorie, mild and wet — easy to eat a lot of. Cheddar packs far more calories, fat and flavour into a small piece, plus more calcium. Cottage cheese when you want protein with room to spare, cheddar when a little richness does the job.
Cottage cheese (lowfat) and Cheddar, per 100 g and per portion. A gap means USDA has no value for it — not zero.
| Cottage cheese (lowfat) · per 100 g | Cheddar · per 100 g | |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 72 | 403 |
| Protein | 12.4 g | 22.9 g |
| Fat | 1 g | 33.3 g |
| Carbs | 2.7 g | 3.4 g |
| Fiber | 0 g | 0 g |
| Sugars | 2.7 g | 0.5 g |
| Sodium | 406 mg | 653 mg |
| Vitamins & minerals — where both carry data | ||
| Calcium | 61 mg | 710 mg |
| Folate | 12 µg | 27 µg |
| Iron | 0.1 mg | 0.1 mg |
| Magnesium | 5 mg | 27 mg |
| Niacin | 0.1 mg | 0.1 mg |
| Phosphorus | 134 mg | 455 mg |
| Potassium | 86 mg | 76 mg |
| Riboflavin | 0.2 mg | 0.4 mg |
| Thiamin | 0 mg | 0 mg |
| Vitamin A | 11 µg | 337 µg |
| Vitamin B12 | 0.6 µg | 1.1 µg |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.1 mg | 0.1 mg |
| Vitamin C | 0 mg | 0 mg |
| Vitamin D | 0 µg | 0.6 µg |
| Vitamin E | 0 mg | 0.7 mg |
| Vitamin K | 0.1 µg | 2.4 µg |
| Zinc | 0.4 mg | 3.6 mg |
Generic USDA foods (not brands), so both carry micronutrients. Numbers are per 100 g unless the portion toggle is on. USDA FoodData Central, as of 2026-08-12.
Is Cottage cheese (lowfat) or Cheddar better?
Neither is “better” on its own — it depends what you want from it. The table shows where each is higher; the short answer says when each one fits. Compare on the same basis (per 100 g) and pick for your dish and your goal.
How were these numbers worked out?
Straight from USDA FoodData Central for the generic form of each food, per 100 g. We show the portion view too, but portion sizes differ between foods, so per 100 g is the fair comparison.
Why does one column say “no data”?
Because USDA has no value for that nutrient in that food — so we leave it blank rather than print a 0 that would read as “none”. A real zero from USDA still shows as 0.