Ricotta Cheese is an Italian whey cheese made from sheep, cow, goat, or Italian water buffalo milk whey left over from the production of cheese. Like other whey cheeses, it is made by coagulating the proteins that remain after the casein has been used to make cheese, notably albumin and globulin.
Uses
- Ricotta cheese is a commonly-available cheese used as a filling for lasagna and stuffed shells, as well as a pizza topping, and even as a filling for Italian desserts such as cannoli. It is made from whey — a cheese by-product from cheeses like mozzarella and provolone.
Benefits
- Vitamins and Minerals: Including ricotta cheese in your diet boosts your calcium intake; one serving provides you 51 percent of the daily value. Part-skim ricotta may contain slightly more, but fat-free ricotta contains far less. A serving of ricotta cheese will also provide you with 39 percent of the daily value of phosphorus, 28 percent of riboflavin, 22 percent of vitamin A, 19 percent of zinc and 14 percent of the daily value of vitamin B-12. Amounts may vary in part-skim and fat-free varieties.
- Sodium: Ricotta cheese contains 206.6 mg of sodium. Part-skim and fat-free varieties of this cheese contains significantly more sodium, with fat-free ricotta containing approximately 600 mg per 1-cup serving. The American Heart Association recommends consuming 1,500 mg per day or less
- Carbohydrates and Protein: Eat a serving of ricotta cheese, and you will take in 7.5 g of carbohydrates and 27.7 g of protein. Both of these macronutrients contribute to your energy needs. Fat-free ricotta provides you with slightly less protein and more carbohydrates than whole milk ricotta; part-skim ricotta has approximately the same amount of protein but more carbohydrates.
Cautions
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Cholesterol: One serving of ricotta cheese contains 125.5 mg of cholesterol, over one-third of the recommended limit of 300 mg per day. Part-skim ricotta has 76.3 mg per serving, and fat-free ricotta contains 60 mg per serving. Too much cholesterol in your diet can clog your arteries and increase your risk of coronary problems.
Interactions
Please consult with your doctor.
Other names
n/a
References
Source: Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ricotta
LiveStrong, http://www.livestrong.com/article/374376-is-ricotta-cheese-healthy/