Is there lactose in cottage cheese?
Moderate — a fresh, undrained cheese.
Cottage cheese is a fresh cheese that hasn't been aged, so it keeps more of its lactose than hard cheeses. A tub-sized serve carries a moderate amount — fine for some, a trigger for the sensitive.
Cottage cheese trips people up because “cheese” makes them assume it’s low-lactose. But the low-lactose cheeses are the aged ones. Cottage cheese is fresh and largely undrained, so it holds onto more of its milk sugar. It’s a favourite for high-protein diets, which is exactly when a big serve can add up.
One to watch: the high-protein crowd often eats cottage cheese by the tub, and that’s where the lactose adds up. A lactose-free version gives you the protein without the fallout.
How much lactose is in cottage cheese?
Cottage cheese contains about 1.8–3 g of lactose per 100 g — roughly 2–3 g in a 100 g serve, more than a drained aged cheese but well under milk.
| Food | Lactose per 100 g | Per typical serve |
|---|---|---|
| Cottage cheese | 1.8–3 g | ~2–3 g (100 g) |
| Regular milk | 4.8 g | ~12 g (250 mL) |
| Aged cheddar | <0.1 g | ~0 g |
Figures compiled from food-composition databases — see the full lactose chart & sources.
When you can still enjoy it
A modest scoop is fine for many. If you eat it by the tubful for the protein, a lactose-free cottage cheese or a lactose-free yoghurt does the same job with less lactose.
If cottage cheese isn't handy, reach for…
Common questions
Is cottage cheese OK for lactose intolerance?
Is cottage cheese high in lactose?
What's a good high-protein swap?
Want the full picture? Grab our free Living Lactose-Free in Australia cheat sheet — it sorts 60+ foods like this one so you never have to guess at the supermarket again.