Good Culture Classic Cottage Cheese: 19g Protein per 100g, Labelgrade B
Labelgrade: B 79 / 100 — Five-ingredient list — skim milk, whole milk, cream, Celtic sea salt, live cultures. Top-tier ingredient quality. Protein density is comparable to Fage and Chobani plain. The sodium is the main soft spot: 690 mg per serving is notably higher than plain Greek yogurts.
The short answer
Good Culture Classic Cottage Cheese delivers 19 g of protein per 100 g — about 28.5 g per 150 g serving (USDA FDC 2755699). The Labelgrade is B (79 / 100): protein density on par with Fage Total 0%, the shortest ingredient list in our database (just 5 ingredients including live cultures), and zero added sugar. The sodium load (690 mg per serving) is the main soft spot vs plain Greek yogurts.
Why this Labelgrade
| Dimension | Grade | Score | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protein density | B | 79 / 100 | 19 g of protein per 100 g — between Fage Total 0% (18 g) and Oikos Pro (20 g) |
| Ingredient quality | A- | 85 / 100 | Five ingredients: skim milk, whole milk, cream, Celtic sea salt, lactobacillus paracasei. Best-in-class for a packaged food |
| Sugar load | A+ | 100 / 100 | 4.5 g of sugars per serving — all naturally-occurring lactose, no added sugar |
| Sodium load | C | 63 / 100 | 690 mg per serving (~460 mg per 100 g) — moderate-high for the category, expected for traditional cottage cheese |
| Fiber | F | 30 / 100 | 0 g — typical for dairy |
| Protein per dollar | N/A | — | Cottage cheese is generally one of the cheapest protein sources per gram; we’ll add verified per-dollar math later |
| Overall | B | 79 / 100 | Top-tier ingredients and protein density, slightly held back by sodium. Excellent everyday protein source |
How it compares
| Product | Protein per 100 g | Sodium per serving | Notable trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good Culture Cottage Cheese (this product) | 19 g | 690 mg (150 g) | Highest sodium, cleanest ingredients |
| Fage Total 0% Nonfat | 18 g | 117 mg (180 g) | 6× less sodium |
| Chobani Plain Non-Fat | 16 g | 117 mg (180 g) | Lower density, lowest sodium |
| Oikos Pro Vanilla | 20 g | 108 mg (240 g) | Highest density, but added whey concentrate + stevia |
| Plain cooked chicken breast (benchmark) | ~31 g per 100 g | ~75 mg per 100 g | Higher density, lower sodium, requires cooking |
If you can tolerate the sodium, Good Culture wins on ingredient simplicity in this set. If sodium matters, plain Greek yogurt is the better daily-driver.
Whole-food equivalent
150 g of Good Culture Cottage Cheese (28.5 g protein) is roughly equivalent to 92 g of cooked chicken breast — about 3.2 oz. Both deliver complete protein from whole dairy/meat sources; the cottage cheese requires no cooking and adds calcium plus live cultures.
Scope
This page covers Good Culture Classic Cottage Cheese as represented in USDA Branded Foods FDC 2755699 (UPC 00859977005149). Good Culture sells multiple cottage cheese variants — Whole Milk (4% milkfat), Low-Fat, Organic, and flavored varieties (with added fruit, etc.) — each with different macros and ingredient lists. Always check the actual cup label.
Ingredients (from the USDA Branded Foods entry)
Skim milk, whole milk, cream, Celtic sea salt, live and active cultures (Lactobacillus paracasei).
| Nutrient | Per Serving (150 g (USDA reference)) |
|---|---|
| Calories | 165 |
| Protein | 28.5g |
| Total Fat | 4.5g |
| Saturated Fat | 3g |
| Trans Fat | 0g |
| Total Carbohydrates | 4.5g |
| Total Sugars | 4.5g |
| Sodium | 690mg |
Where to buy
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Search links are convenience links that may not land on the exact product variant we covered. Always verify the package label (size, UPC) before purchasing.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much protein is in Good Culture Classic Cottage Cheese?
19 grams of protein per 100 grams — about 28.5 grams per the 150g USDA reference serving (USDA FDC 2755699). Typical retail single-serve cups (5.3 oz / 150 g) deliver the same per-cup numbers.
How does cottage cheese compare to Greek yogurt for protein?
Comparable. Good Culture's 19 g protein per 100 g sits between Chobani Plain Non-Fat (16 g) and Fage Total 0% (18 g). Cottage cheese typically has higher sodium than Greek yogurt and contains casein (slow-digesting) rather than the whey/casein blend of yogurt — a difference that matters for some athletic protein-timing strategies but not for general nutrition.
Is the sugar in cottage cheese added or natural?
Naturally-occurring lactose. The ingredient list shows no added sugar — just skim milk, whole milk, cream, salt, and cultures. The 4.5 g of sugars per serving are all lactose from the milk.
Why is the sodium so high?
Cottage cheese is traditionally salted during processing to control texture and flavor. 690 mg per 150 g serving is moderate for cottage cheese (some commercial brands run higher); compared to plain Greek yogurt at ~120 mg per similar serving, it's a real difference. If sodium matters to you, look for low-sodium cottage cheese variants.
Is it a 'high protein' food under FDA rules?
Yes — 28.5 g per 150 g serving is 57% of the FDA Daily Value of 50 g, well above the 20% threshold for the 'high in protein' claim.
How many calories per serving?
165 calories per 150 g serving — slightly higher than Greek yogurt at the same protein content because of the cream content.
What live cultures does it contain?
Lactobacillus paracasei (per the USDA ingredient list). Standard cottage cheese is not always fermented with live cultures; Good Culture's Classic line is.
Sources
- USDA · ID 2755699 · accessed 2026-05-27
- MANUFACTURER · accessed 2026-05-27
Last verified: 2026-05-27