Bizarre New TikTok Weight Loss Hack… COTTAGE CHEESE (But Dietitians Aren’t Convinced)

Cheesecake cookie dough may sound disgusting.

But it’s the latest culinary creation to sweep TikTok – for its supposed slimming powers.

The mix of protein powder, syrup, chocolate chips and cottage cheese is being hailed as a guilt-free alternative to cookie dough.

Fitness influencers say you can cut your fat by eating this strange mix every day, even though it can pack in as many as 300 calories – similar to burgers sold at McDonald’s.

The secret, say proponents, is due to the abundance of protein in the cottage cheese, which keeps you full longer.

Videos for the protein-packed recipe with the hashtag #cottagecheesecookiedough have been viewed more than 21 million times on TikTok.

But dietitians warn that the so-called snack is so big that it looks more like a small meal and warned that this is not the secret to weight loss.

TikTok from fitness influencer @shredathletics, who has 244.3k followers, claims you can eat this “cookie dough every day and still lose body fat.” He mixes 200 grams of cottage cheese, 10 grams of syrup, 45 grams of oat flour, 35 grams of peanut butter, cinnamon and chocolate chips.

A video from @anna.antonje, who has 6.9 million followers, shows her surprise that the strange mix of cottage cheese and chocolate chips tastes good when she spoons it out of a large mixing bowl. She starts the recipe by mixing cottage cheese, as shown

The bizarre recipe was first shared in May by Jake Cohen, a chef and New York Times bestselling author.

One video posted to TikTok by a fitness influencer @shredathletics, who has 244.3K followers, states that you can eat this “cookie dough every day and still lose body fat.”

He mixes 200 grams of cottage cheese, 10 grams of syrup, 45 grams of oat flour, 35 grams of peanut butter, cinnamon and chocolate pieces.

The recipe is described as a “low-calorie, high-volume snack alternative” that contains 378 calories and 35 grams of protein.

Other videos, like those from @anna.antonje, who has 6.9 million followers, show her surprise that the mix tastes good when she spoons it out of a bowl.

Another video, posted by @mattboxall_, who has 633,000 followers, experiments with the recipe and adds yogurt instead of cottage cheese.

At the beginning of the video he sells the 280 calorie recipe as a weight loss option, saying: ‘If you want lose weight this is the cookie dough for you.”

Milk and dairy products, such as cheese and yogurt, are sources of protein and calcium.

But cottage cheese also contains a lot of protein and little fat, making it recommended for people who want to build muscle mass.

It’s a much healthier choice than butter – the typical binding ingredient in cookie dough – because it contains just 3 grams of fat per 100 grams, according to the NHS.

But claiming that this cottage cheese cookie dough is good for weight loss is misleading, experts say.

‘Any claims about helping you lose body fat are mostly unfounded and to be honest it really depends on what else you eat in addition to make up your total daily energy intake,’ says Rob Hobson, a registered nutritionist at supplement company Healthspan and author of Design Your Life.

Although the cottage cheese and egg white powder mix is ​​high in protein, he warns that it is “more than you need at one time.”

That’s because the body can only process 25 to 30 grams of protein at a time, he warns.

‘Increasing your protein intake and reducing your carbohydrate consumption can help with satiety and this in turn can help with weight maintenance, but really, at 378 calories, this recipe feels less like a snack and more like a small meal,’ ‘ he said.

A video posted by @mattboxall_, who has 633,000 followers, experiments with the recipe and adds yogurt instead of cottage cheese. He says the 280 calorie recipe is a weight loss option and says; ‘If you want to lose weight, this is the cookie dough for you’

‘Essentially it’s not that unhealthy as it provides a good source of calcium and B12 from the cottage cheese and healthy carbohydrates with fiber in the oatmeal.’

But those who try the bizarre recipe should use a regular protein powder that is less processed, made with whey protein or a plant-based alternative, and without any additives, experts recommend.

Mr Hobson suggests eating cottage cheese with a portion of whole wheat pita bread or some chopped vegetables for a healthier, but not as exciting, option.

The added flavorings and ingredients in the cookie dough, such as the syrup and chocolate chips, are high in fat and sugar, making the recipe less healthy overall, says dietitian Dr Duane Mellor, from Aston University in Birmingham.

‘It can be a reasonable homemade snack, but like many snacks it’s the portion size that counts.

“If you want a healthy snack, add fresh fruit to a natural yogurt as it will probably be quicker, easier and cheaper,” he added.