Cottage Cheese or Paneer: Nutritional facts.

Cottage cheese is a wonder food. Storehouse of all nutrients our body needs. No fussy preparation makes it the most widely used food by vegetarians. Boil milk and add some lime juice or vinegar. The casein protein in the milk when reacts with the acid curdles up and your cottage cheese is ready. Strain it through a muslin cloth and press it. Now you can cook or can have it directly with a little sugar.

One cup of cottage cheese provides you approximately 200 calories. It has protein, vitamin B12, Riboflavin (vitamin B2), calcium, phosphorus, zinc and selenium. One cup can provide you 28 grams of protein which is 47 percent of the recommended daily dose. Like other animal-based proteins, cottage cheese provides all the amino acids you need, making it a source of complete protein. Hence if you are vegetarian then you need not worry about protein intake with paneer on your platter. One cup of paneer gives you plenty of phosphorus and calcium. These two minerals are essential for bone growth and strength. Phosphorus also helps in biological metabolism to create energy and helps in make up the structure of DNA. Calcium also helps in muscle relaxation, prevent muscle cramps.

One cup of cottage cheese provides you vitamin B12. The only natural source of vitamin B 12 is animal protein. This vitamin helps to remove homocysteine, from the blood stream. Homocysteine is a natural byproduct of other processes in the body, but it should be removed as it increases the risk of cardiovascular disease. Vitamin B 12 converts homocysteine into other helpful substances. Another vitamin is Riboflavin (B 2) found in cottage cheese which helps in enzymatic reactions to produce energy.

Zinc, which is one of the micronutrients required by the body is present in paneer. Zinc improves the immune system, digestion, diabetes control, improves ocular health, and prevents prostate disorder.

Selenium is another micronutrient which is available in paneer. It helps in protecting cell and DNA. Selenium is also helpful to prevent prostate and colon cancer.