Greek yogurt and cottage cheese are the two reigning high-protein dairy staples, both popular for breakfast bowls, protein-boosted snacks and savoury pairings alike — but they’re not quite as similar as their shared “high protein” reputation suggests.
| Nutrient | Greek Yogurt (plain, nonfat) | Cottage Cheese |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 61 kcal | 81 kcal |
| Protein | 10.3 g | 10.45 g ✓ |
| Total Carbohydrate | 3.64 g | 4.76 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 0 g | 0 g |
| Total Sugars | 3.2 g ✓ | 4 g |
| Total Fat | 0.37 g | 2.27 g |
| Saturated Fat | 0.11 g ✓ | 1.24 g |
| Sodium | 36 mg ✓ | 308 mg |
Notable compounds in each
Greek Yogurt (plain, nonfat)
When to choose each
Reach for Greek yogurt when sodium matters — cottage cheese carries substantially more, largely from how it’s made — or when you want a smoother texture for blending into smoothies and sauces. Reach for cottage cheese for its characteristic curd texture and a very similar protein count gram for gram. Both are near enough on protein that the choice usually comes down to texture and how you’re using it, not nutrition.
Common questions
Which is better for a high-protein diet? They’re close enough that either works well — the bigger practical difference is sodium (cottage cheese has considerably more) and texture, not protein content.
Does plain Greek yogurt contain lactose? Yes, though straining during production removes some of it compared to regular yogurt, which is part of why it’s sometimes better tolerated by people with mild lactose sensitivity — though not a substitute for a genuinely lactose-free product if you need one.
Nutrition values are USDA FoodData Central approximations — see our editorial approach for how we source and verify data.