Ricotta lovers, rejoice! Ricotta cheese is a healthy choice and part of the dairy food group. Packed with high-quality protein and essential nutrients, it can be enjoyed daily as part of a balanced diet.

Ricotta is an Italian word that means ‘recooked’.  It’s made from the whey portion leftover from other cheese making, which is reheated to bring the whey proteins together.

Whey protein is a muscle-building superstar. Easily absorbed by the body, it contains all nine essential amino acids, making it a complete protein. While all dairy proteins are high-quality, whey proteins stand out in sports nutrition for their impressive profile of branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), including leucine, isoleucine, and valine.

Leucine, in particular, takes the spotlight—it’s well known for its role in helping muscle fibres recover and rebuild after a tough gym session.¹

The Australian Dietary Guidelines recommend eating from the dairy food group every day to enjoy good health. Thankfully, all types of milk, cheese (including ricotta) and yoghurt qualify for this group, as they’re packed full of essential nutrients like calcium, protein, vitamin A, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B12, vitamin K, iodine, phosphorus, selenium and zinc, to name a few!² 

The number of serves of dairy you need depend on your age and gender. Most adults need two and a half to four serves each day – and ricotta is a great way to get to your recommended serves.

A serve of ricotta (1/2 a cup or 120g) provides:

• 798 kilojoules
• 3.2g carbohydrates
• 12.5g protein
• 14.2g fat
• 204 mg calcium³

If you’re looking for a lower-fat, lower energy, high-protein dairy option, ricotta is an excellent choice.  

References

1. National Health and Medical Research Council. Australian Dietary Guidelines, Canberra: Commonwealth of Australia; 2013
2. Available via: https://www.sportsdietitians.com.au/factsheets/supplements/protein-supplementation. Accessed 16.09.2019
3. Australian Food Composition Database [Internet]. Foodstandards.gov.au. 2023 [cited 2023 Nov 30]. Available from:https://afcd.foodstandards.gov.au/fooddetails.aspx?PFKID=F002488