Melt 3 times more fat

A lot of popular recipes right now have three things in common: They’re super tasty, super slimming and they’re made with...cottage cheese. Yep, the once-humble ingredient is having a moment. It’s ridiculous how great itis,” says Ted Naiman, M.D., a Seattle-based protein expert and author of The P:E Diet. Have a cup of cottage cheese an hour before meals, and you'll automatically eat hundreds fewer calories a day.” You'll also jolt your metabolism! One new study found women getting at least 30 grams of dairy protein a day—the amount in 1% cups of cottage cheese—burn three times more fat than women on the same basic diet with no dairy. Texas mom Jen Witherspoon, 47, says the effect was powerful enough to help her lose 104 pounds! Read on for Jen’s inspiring story and to learn how protein-rich cottage cheese might help you.

- ALLISON NEMETZ

When a just-right amount of acid is added to milk, it triggers a chemical reaction that results in cottage cheese’s soft, creamy curds. It also leaves the stuff with less sugar than milk, less fat than aged cheese and triple the protein of either option. “Greek yogurt has a similar nutrient profile, but cottage cheese is better in recipes. I think that’s why people love it so much,” says Dr. Naiman.

He personally swaps whipped nonfat cottage cheese for ricotta in his protein-pasta lasagna. Another popular pasta option is the Alfredo recipe, bottom right. There’s also a viral and versatile cottage-cheese flatbread. And for dessert, cottage-cheese ice cream!

Dr. Naiman notes that prioritizing protein from any good-quality source sets you up for benefits like smoother skin, stronger muscles, lower blood pressure, sharper memory, break-resistant bones and effortless weight control. That said, there’s evidence dairy protein is a bit easier for our bodies to utilize than, say, beef or fish. So anything ordinary protein can do, dairy protein may do at least a little better.

Why more protein is key