Is ricotta cheese healthy to eat? | You Ask, We Answer (2024)

FAQs

How healthy is ricotta cheese? ›

Compared to most cheeses, ricotta is a healthier choice because it contains less salt and fat - 10 per cent fat, of which 6 per cent is saturated. It's light and creamy with a slightly grainy texture and delicate flavour that can be used on its own or in sweet and savoury dishes.

Most adults need two and a half to four serves each day – and ricotta is a great way to get to your recommended serves. If you're looking for a lower-fat, lower energy, high-protein dairy option, ricotta is an excellent choice.

It can also be eaten by itself, perhaps accompanied by honey or jam, or spread on fresh, warm bread. Made from the leftover curds from cheese making, ricotta is a prime example of the Italian tradition of never throwing anything away.

The recommended serving size for ricotta cheese is about 1/4 to 1/2 cup (60 to 120 grams), depending on your individual nutritional needs. This amount provides a good balance of protein, calcium, and other important nutrients without adding excessive calories or fat to your diet.

The saturated fats and cholesterol in cheese are not a problem when consumed as part of a healthy diet. Cheeses with lower fat content, such as cottage cheese, ricotta cheese, or nonfat cheddar, have relatively less cholesterol. Therefore, you do not need to eliminate all cheese from your diet.

Amer stresses that all cheeses are processed because a draining and curdling process is required when making it. There are, of course, some cheeses which are more processed than others. These are some minimally processed options: Ricotta cheese.

But have we forgotten that ricotta is delicious too, all by itself? Sure, maybe the part-skim stuff can be a little watery, but that's nothing that a drizzle of milk or cream and a quick whisking can't fix. And then you've got a luscious fresh cheese that rivals yogurt in its versatility.

A serving of cottage cheese or ricotta will pack a healthy dose of protein, and they're typically lower in calories; half a cup of cottage cheese is roughly 110 calories. Ricotta is higher in calories — about 180 calories for half a cup — but is loaded with calcium.

A half-cup serving of whole milk ricotta cheese contains 14.2 grams of fat, 8 grams of which is saturated. Saturated fats are known to contribute to the risk of heart disease. For a 2,000 calorie diet, it is recommended to keep saturated fat intake to 20 grams or less.

In Italy, ricotta is typically eaten as a filling for pasta or cannoli.

What to pair ricotta with? ›

Enjoy with crackers, a drizzle of honey, dried fruits or vegetable sticks. As a spread: Toast slices of banana bread or fruit toast, spread with ricotta and drizzle with honey for a snack or brekky. Finger food pasties: Ricotta and spinach are a match made in heaven.

Supports Weight Loss. With 216 calories in a 1/2 cup of ricotta cheese, this delicious dairy product makes a great addition to a healthy weight loss diet. In addition to being relatively low in calories, ricotta is also high in protein and boasts all nine of the essential amino acids that your body needs.

Today, ricotta is widely appreciated for its versatility: it can be sweet or savory, hot or cold, fresh or cooked. We eat it fresh straight out of its fuscella (the basket where ricotta is kept), but also atop pasta, fresh bread, crostini, or eggs.

Ricotta cheese is healthier than butter for certain people since it is lower in fat and calories and higher in protein. It is also suitable for baking as a butter substitute. If you're concerned about the fat content of butter, substitute low-fat ricotta cheese instead.

A serving of cottage cheese or ricotta will pack a healthy dose of protein, and they're typically lower in calories; half a cup of cottage cheese is roughly 110 calories. Ricotta is higher in calories — about 180 calories for half a cup — but is loaded with calcium.