Reviewed by Dietitian Karen Ansel, M.S., RDN<\/strong><\/p>\n One is portable. One enjoyed a comeback fueled by TikTok. And they\u2019re both packed with protein. We\u2019re talking about hard-boiled eggs and cottage cheese. But only one can take the crown.<\/p>\n OK, not really. When we asked registered dietitians which one is the healthier snack, they agreed that both can\u00a0fit into a healthy eating plan<\/a>. The choice really comes down to your personal preferences and your unique health needs. So, it\u2019s not necessary to stick to just one.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s the nutrition scoop on why they\u2019re both great-for-you snacks.<\/p>\n Eggs are an\u00a0excellent source of amino acids<\/a>, the building blocks of protein. One large hard-boiled egg provides 6 grams of protein. However, it\u2019s not just about the amount of protein. Eggs boast one of the\u00a0highest-quality forms of protein<\/a>, which is readily available to your body to use for things like muscle-building and repair.<\/p>\n Because eggs\u2019 protein also promotes satiety, they may help with\u00a0weight management<\/a>. If weight loss is a goal, a hard-boiled egg can be a good snack, especially when paired with\u00a0fiber-rich vegetables<\/a>, says\u00a0Kimberly Gomer, M.S., RDN<\/a>.<\/p>\n While egg whites are mostly protein, the yolks are the true nutritional gold mines. In addition to protein, the yolks contain nutrients many of us don\u2019t get enough of, like\u00a0vitamins D and E<\/a>. Egg yolks are also one of the best sources of choline, which supports brain and nerve function, says\u00a0Mia Syn, M.S., RDN<\/a>. Just one large egg provides 27% of the Daily Value for this underconsumed nutrient. Eggs also give you vitamin A, iodine and folate.<\/p>\n You know how the yolk is yellow? That\u2019s a sign of its\u00a0antioxidant pigments, lutein and zeaxanthin<\/a>. Syn points out that these carotenoids may\u00a0support eye health<\/a>, as they accumulate in the retina, protecting the macula (the part of the eye responsible for sharp vision). In fact, research has found that people who ate two to four eggs weekly were 49% less likely to develop late-stage age-related macular degeneration (AMD) compared to those who ate one egg or less per week over the span of 15 years.<\/p>\n With roughly\u00a012 grams of protein per half-cup<\/a>, cottage cheese is an excellent source of protein. One particular protein you\u2019ll find in cottage cheese is\u00a0casein protein<\/a>, says Gomer. \u201cCasein digests slowly, and it can really help you feel full,\u201d she says. That doesn\u2019t mean it\u2019s better than eggs, though. In one older study that pitted cottage cheese versus eggs, researchers concluded that both foods had equal satiating power.<\/p>\n Although cottage cheese contains a different set of vitamins and minerals than eggs, it still offers an impressive menu of micronutrients. \u201cIn addition to protein, it also provides key nutrients, including calcium and phosphorus, which are important for bone health, as well as B vitamins, which help convert the food we eat into energy,\u201d says Syn.,<\/p>\n Probiotics are\u00a0live bacteria<\/a>\u00a0that promote the\u00a0health of your gut microbiome<\/a>. Some types of cottage cheese contain\u00a0added probiotics<\/a>. To know for sure, check the ingredient list for live cultures, like\u00a0L. acidophilus<\/em>\u00a0or\u00a0Bifidobacterium lactis<\/em>.<\/p>\n Nope. \u201cBoth are nutritious snack options on their own, but to make them more balanced, you can pair them with other foods,\u201d says Syn. For example, a hard-boiled egg has protein and fat, so add a\u00a0source of carbohydrates<\/a>, like whole-grain toast or a piece of fruit, she recommends. For cottage cheese, top it with fruit like fresh berries. For an additional\u00a0source of healthy fats<\/a>, add some nuts or seeds.<\/p>\n Adding both to your weekly rotation is a great way to rack up a variety of nutrients. Plus, they\u2019re super-convenient. Grocery and convenience stores may sell small cups of cottage cheese or packages of hard-boiled eggs. So, each can be a nice grab-and-go protein source when you\u2019re out and about.<\/p>\n There is one caveat: Your individual health concerns. If you are\u00a0sensitive to dairy<\/a>, you may experience\u00a0bloating or gas<\/a>\u00a0after eating dairy foods like cottage cheese, says Gomer. That\u2019s because cottage cheese contains lactose, which some people are unable to digest fully. (However, it contains less lactose than milk.)<\/p>\n Cottage cheese is also typically\u00a0high in sodium<\/a>, with about 360 milligrams per half-cup. That can be an issue for you if you have high blood pressure. Fortunately, there are no-added-sodium versions you can buy with as little as 15 mg of sodium per half-cup. What about the cholesterol in eggs? It\u2019s not a reason to avoid them. But if you have\u00a0high LDL cholesterol<\/a>\u00a0or are genetically predisposed to high cholesterol, your health care provider may recommend limiting egg intake. That said, the\u00a0saturated fat in full-fat cottage cheese<\/a>\u00a0can also raise blood cholesterol levels. So, if you\u2019re on team cottage cheese and have high cholesterol, stick with\u00a0low-fat or fat-free cottage cheese<\/a>.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Both hard-boiled eggs and cottage cheese are nutritious snacks that are\u00a0packed with protein, vitamins and minerals<\/a>. To make each of these foods even more nutritious, our registered dietitians recommend pairing them with fruits or vegetables for fiber and extra vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. If you have specific health concerns, such as\u00a0high blood pressure or high cholesterol<\/a>, your health care provider may recommend avoiding or limiting your intake of either full-fat cottage cheese or hard-boiled eggs. Otherwise, pick the one you like best\u2014or, better yet, both of them!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Reviewed by Dietitian Karen Ansel, M.S., RDN Design elements: Getty Images. EatingWell design. Key Points Hard-boiled eggs and cottage cheese are equally nutritious, protein-packed snacks. They\u2019re also rich in vitamins and minerals, so there\u2019s no need to choose one. Dietitians suggest pairing them with fruits or veggies for fiber and extra vitamins and minerals. One […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":331195,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[157085,11861],"tags":[32327,11752,4525,3470,1338,157086],"dealstore":[],"offerexpiration":[],"class_list":["post-331194","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-hard-boiled-egg-vs-cottage-cheese","category-healthcare","tag-boiled","tag-cheese","tag-cottage","tag-egg","tag-hard","tag-hard-boiled-egg-vs-cottage-cheese"],"yoast_head":"\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>
Key Points<\/h3>\n
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Benefits of Hard-Boiled Eggs<\/h2>\n
They Contain High-Quality Protein<\/h3>\n
They Provide Hard-to-Get Nutrients<\/h3>\n
They Have Eye-Healthy Antioxidants<\/h3>\n
Perks of Cottage Cheese<\/h2>\n
It Also Contains High-Quality Protein<\/h3>\n
It\u2019s Also Rich in Vitamins and Minerals<\/h3>\n
It May Contain Probiotics<\/h3>\n
Do You Need to Choose?<\/h2>\n
Our Expert Take<\/h2>\n