Breakstone's Lowfat Cottage Cheese: Nutrition & Labelgrade B (76/100)
B 76 / 100 — A genuinely good everyday protein staple: 10g of protein per half cup at only 80 calories, very low saturated fat, and no added sugar. The grade lands at B rather than higher because cottage cheese is salty by nature (sodium is the soft spot) and because the per-100g protein density, while solid, sits below dense cheeses and lean meats.
🛒 Buy on Amazon →The short answer
Breakstone’s Lowfat Cottage Cheese delivers 10 g of protein for 80 calories in a 1/2-cup (113 g) serving (USDA FDC 1477756). That works out to roughly 8 calories per gram of protein — the kind of ratio you normally only get from plain chicken breast, and better than nearly anything else in the dairy aisle. A full cup is 20 g of protein for 160 calories, with just 1.5 g of saturated fat and no added sugar. It earns a B (76/100). The one real knock is sodium (370 mg a half cup), and there’s a wrinkle worth knowing before you compare labels: this is a built cottage cheese, with added inulin fiber plus starch and gums, not a three-ingredient curd.
Why the B
| Dimension | Grade | Score | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protein density | C | 63 / 100 | 8.8 g per 100 g — scored per weight, and cottage cheese is mostly water, so it ranks below dense cheeses and lean meats. Per calorie it’s exceptional |
| Ingredient quality | B | 79 / 100 | 13 recognizable ingredients, but more than a minimalist label: skim milk and cream, whey, inulin, modified food starch, xanthan and guar gums, salt, added A and D |
| Saturated fat load | A | 93 / 100 | 1.5 g per serving (~1.3 g/100 g) — the 2% formulation doing exactly its job |
| Sodium load | C+ | 65 / 100 | 370 mg per serving (~327 mg/100 g) — the soft spot. Salt is intrinsic to cottage cheese, and Breakstone’s runs saltier than many |
| Sugar load | A+ | 100 / 100 | 3 g sugar, all naturally-occurring lactose; zero added |
| Fiber | D | 49 / 100 | 3 g from added inulin — modest, but more than the ~0 g plain cottage cheese carries |
The grade is held down by exactly two things, and only one of them is a real fault. Sodium is the genuine soft spot. The protein-density “C” is a scoring artifact — it’s measured per 100 grams, and a wet curd will always lose that contest to hard cheese, even when its protein-per-calorie is class-leading. Nothing here is pretending to be what it isn’t.
The protein-per-calorie case
This is the number that earns cottage cheese its reputation, and Breakstone’s hits it: 10 g of protein for 80 calories. For comparison, you’d burn roughly the same 80 calories on 2 tablespoons of Boursin — and get 2 g of protein. The reason cottage cheese works for high-protein, calorie-controlled eating is that the curd is lean: the fat was pulled out (2% milkfat), the protein left behind. Two cups across a day is 40 g of protein for 320 calories, scoopable straight from the tub. The ceiling on how much you’ll actually eat isn’t calories — it’s the sodium, which is the whole reason the grade isn’t higher.
A “built” cottage cheese, not a three-ingredient curd
This is the most product-specific thing to know about Breakstone’s, and it’s the angle the front label won’t tell you. The ingredient list runs 13 items deep because this is engineered for texture and a fiber claim, not pared to the minimum:
- Inulin — a chicory-root prebiotic fiber. It’s why this shows ~3 g of fiber and 8 g total carbs per serving, where plain cottage cheese shows near-zero fiber and lower carbs. A real, if modest, bonus.
- Modified food starch + xanthan and guar gums — stabilizers that keep a lowfat curd from weeping and give it body. Harmless, but they’re the ingredients ultra-clean brands like Daisy (cultured milk, cream, salt) and Good Culture leave out.
None of this is a knock on safety — every addition is recognizable and common. But if your reason for buying cottage cheese is “the shortest label in dairy,” Breakstone’s isn’t that product; a bare curd is. If you want a built-in fiber boost and don’t mind gums, the formulation is working in your favor.
How it compares
| Product | Protein / serving | Per 100 g | Calories | Sat fat | Sodium | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Breakstone’s Lowfat Cottage Cheese (this) | 10 g (113 g) | 8.8 g | 80 | 1.5 g | 370 mg | B (76) |
| Babybel Original (mini wheel) | 5 g (21 g) | ~23.8 g | 70 | 4 g | 160 mg | C (62) |
| Philadelphia Original Cream Cheese | 2 g (28 g) | ~7.1 g | 100 | 6 g | 105 mg | C (61) |
| Boursin Garlic & Herb | 2 g (23 g) | ~8.7 g | 80 | 4.5 g | 110 mg | C- (59) |
Against the other dairy-case staples we track, Breakstone’s is the only one that’s genuinely a protein food rather than a fat-and-flavor one. Babybel beats it on per-100-g density — it’s a cured semisoft cheese — but carries nearly 3x the saturated fat per serving and scores an F on saturated fat. Cream cheese and Boursin aren’t in the same conversation: 2 g of protein against 4.5–6 g of saturated fat per serving. Where every one of those rivals has a lower per-serving sodium number, Breakstone’s wins on the two dimensions that decide a protein staple — protein-per-calorie and saturated fat (A/93). Its loss is the salt, full stop.
Ingredients
Cultured pasteurized Grade A skim milk, milk and cream, water, whey, inulin, less than 2% modified food starch, salt, calcium phosphate, xanthan gum, guar gum, natural flavor, vitamin A palmitate, vitamin D3. The skim milk, cream and whey are the protein; inulin is the added fiber; starch and gums are the stabilizers; the vitamins replace what’s lost when the fat is removed. (Verbatim from the USDA Branded Foods entry, FDC 1477756.)
Where to buy
Affiliate links — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. The Labelgrade score is independent of affiliate relationships. More.
🔬 Compare this product side-by-side with any other →
Quick Facts
Per serving · 1/2 cup (113 g)
See how this fits your day — protein calculator · macro calculator
Full nutrition facts
| Nutrient | Per Serving (1/2 cup (113 g)) |
|---|---|
| Calories | 80 |
| Protein | 10g |
| Total Fat | 2.5g |
| Saturated Fat | 1.5g |
| Trans Fat | 0g |
| Total Carbohydrates | 8g |
| Dietary Fiber | 3g |
| Total Sugars | 3g |
| Sodium | 370mg |
| Cholesterol | 15mg |
| Calcium | 99mg |
| Iron | 0mg |
Scope: This page applies specifically to Breakstone's Lowfat Cottage Cheese (16 oz (454 g) tub) · UPC 021000013289. Other sizes, flavors, or formulations may differ.
How this fits each diet
Each score is computed from the same USDA nutrition + ingredient data, against the published rules of each diet. They tell you "does this food fit this diet" — not whether the diet is right for you.
contains animal-derived ingredients
contains no listed meat or fish
no wheat, barley, rye, or malt detected in USDA ingredient list
Frequently Asked Questions
How much protein is in Breakstone's Lowfat Cottage Cheese?
10 g of protein per 1/2-cup (113 g) serving (USDA FDC 1477756) — about 8.8 g per 100 g. The number that matters more is the ratio: 10 g of protein for 80 calories is roughly 8 calories per gram of protein, which lands it next to plain chicken breast and ahead of almost everything else in the dairy case. A full cup is 20 g for 160 calories.
Why is the protein-density grade only a C if the protein is so good?
Because that dimension is scored per 100 grams, and cottage cheese is mostly water — 8.8 g of protein per 100 g ranks below dense cheeses (Babybel is ~24 g/100 g) and lean meats. Per calorie, though, it's outstanding. The C reflects the format (a wet curd), not a weak protein. Judge it by protein-per-calorie and it's an A-tier food.
Does it have added sugar?
No. The 3 g of sugar is naturally-occurring lactose from the milk base — the USDA entry lists no added sugar, which is why the sugar dimension scores a perfect A+. Any slight sweetness you taste is milk sugar, not sweetener.
Why does this cottage cheese have fiber and stabilizers? Isn't cottage cheese just milk?
Plain cottage cheese is essentially curds, cream and salt with near-zero fiber. Breakstone's is a built formulation: it adds inulin (a chicory-root prebiotic fiber, which is why this shows ~3 g of fiber and 8 g total carbs), plus modified food starch and xanthan and guar gums to hold the lowfat curd together. Ultra-minimal labels like Daisy or Good Culture skip the starch and gums. None of Breakstone's additions are red flags — they're texture and fiber aids — but if you want the shortest possible ingredient list, this isn't it.
How much sodium is in it, and is that a problem?
370 mg per 1/2 cup — about 16% of the FDA's 2,300 mg daily limit, and the single thing holding this grade down (sodium scores C+/65). Salt is intrinsic to cottage cheese, but Breakstone's runs on the higher end. One serving is fine; two cups a day stacks up fast. If sodium is a concern, Breakstone's own 2% Low Sodium variant has the same protein with far less salt.
Is Breakstone's Lowfat Cottage Cheese 'high in protein' by FDA rules?
Yes. 10 g per serving is 20% of the FDA's 50 g Daily Value, clearing the threshold for a 'high in protein' claim. A full cup (two servings) reaches 20 g for 160 calories — a legitimate meal-grade protein source, not just a snack.
When was this data last verified?
2026-05-28, against USDA FoodData Central FDC 1477756. We re-verify high-traffic pages monthly and update within 7 days of a confirmed reformulation.