Calcium
By Susie LaFever and Howie Thompson (as posted to the Wellpet List)

In Volhard's book, she mentions that in feeding cottage cheese care must be taken because of its incorrect ratio of calcium/phosphorus. Does anyone else know about this?

According to the Nutrition Almanac third edition By Lavon J, Dunne: 1 cup creamed cottage cheese has 126 mg calcium and 277 mg phosphorus. 1 cup dry has 46 mg cal and 151 phos. 1 cup lowfat 2% has 155mg cal and 340 mg phos. I didn't get my calculator out to figure the ratios, but I would say it's opposite of what is desired.

Ricotta cheese on the other hand has per cup, 509mg calcium and 389mg phosphorus. If I feed my dogs cottage cheese I add some egg shell powder or calcium lactate to correct the imbalance. In the book " Stocking Up 111 " Rodale Press pg. 375 it says, (I'm abbreviating a bit) To prepare authentic ricotta, you need whey. - the liquid left over from curdled milk (cottage cheese, etc) when you have removed the curd. It contains the water-soluble proteins, vitamins, and minerals in the milk, such as soluble calcium. Most people do not realize that one-third of the calcium in milk is lost in the whey in the cheese making process, even more when the cheese is made by the acid-coagulation method (with lemon juice and vinegar rather than the rennet method). Liquid whey also contains most of the milk sugar or lactose.

However, in the finished whole milk ricotta cheese only 3% lactose remains. BTW, 1 cup whole milk contains 291mg calcium and 228mg phosphorus. I got the calculator out, and if I am doing it correctly; milk = 1.28:1 c/p creamed cottage cheese =.45:1 whole milk ricotta = 1.31:1 2 cups ricotta + 1 cup creamed cottage cheese = 1.09:1

Susie LaFever

I just thought I would add the benefits of whey here. It apparently greatly enhances immunity. Whey contains high levels of cysteine. Cysteine is the precursor of glutathione (antioxidant). Studies show that glutathione levels increase rapidly in animals who are fed whey concentrate, and this enhances immunity. Source: Bounous G, et al. Clin Invest Med 1989; 12:154
Howie Thompson