“Best idea I’ve ever seen”

Protein, protein and more protein: it seems to be the latest health and wellness trend on social media. And some TikTok creators have found what they see as the best way to get more protein into people’s diets.

TikTokers take cottage cheese and bake it.

Hundreds of videos appear when searching for “baked cottage cheese” on the social media app as users try out the new trend for themselves.

People basically spread a layer of their favorite brand of cottage cheese on a baking sheet – usually lined with parchment paper – and put it in the oven.

Victoria Minell is a TikTok creator from Sydney with over 1.2 million followers who shared a basic how-to video about baked cottage cheese with her audience.

She told Fox News Digital that the protein hack is “super versatile, high in protein, low in carbs and a great gluten-free option.”

Minell showed her online audience how to make this bread substitute and how to make it into a prosciutto and tomato wrap – and it garnered almost 11 million views.

Fox News Digital also spoke with Ashley McCrary, known as Healthy Little Peach on social media. Her TikTok video of cooking cottage cheese currently has over 2.5 million views.

The content creator from Springfield, Missouri, has been sharing recipes on the internet for seven years and said the trend is tasty.

“People are always looking for delicious ways to increase their protein intake, and cottage cheese has recently become incredibly popular,” she said.

With over 760,000 followers on Instagram, McCrary shared with his audience a baked cottage cheese recipe that contains 37 grams of protein in the serving.

“Versatile and delicious, you can use it as a wrap or even a pizza crust. It’s also a great choice for those following a low-carb lifestyle,” she said.

The recipe she created, inspired by others, has a few additional ingredients, including a cup of cottage cheese, two eggs, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder and 1 ½ teaspoons Italian seasoning.

McCrary uses a blender or food processor to combine the ingredients before lining a baking dish with parchment paper and pouring the cheese evenly over the dish.

From there, she cooks it for 40 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for a crunchy, protein-rich addition to her meal.

It is best to check with nutritionists, other experts first

Tanya Freirich, a registered dietitian nutritionist from Charlotte, North Carolina, told Fox News Digital that while cottage cheese is a high-protein food, hacking it has some potential downsides.

“Although low-carb diets have been popular for a few decades in one form or another, carbohydrates are a necessary part of a balanced diet,” she said.

She noted that if people looking to make this new trendy food are very active and exercise a lot, then removing tortillas, bread, wraps and other carbohydrates from their diet may cause them to “overconsume protein and lack other nutrients.

Freirich also said she wouldn’t recommend the baked cottage cheese trend to those who are lactose intolerant or sensitive to dairy, because cottage cheese is milk-based.

“I recommend everyone discuss your potential nutrient needs with a registered dietitian to ensure your food choices best support your health goals,” she added.

Lauren Harris-Pincus, a registered dietitian and nutritionist based in New York, also recommended against cooking cottage cheese for those who are sensitive to high amounts of sodium.

“(A) potential downside includes high sodium content, which can be more than a third of the recommended daily intake,” she told Fox News Digital.

Harris-Pincus also noted that cottage cheese lacks fiber, which is found in whole-grain bread and tortillas and can cost much more than your average bread.

“Bread contains nutrients like iron and B vitamins, like folic acid, which are very important for women of childbearing age,” she also explained.

The online response was mixed: some social media users said it was a “game changer”, while others said they “hate cottage cheese”.

One user commented on Minell’s TikTok video and said: “CLOSE THE FRONT DOOR!!! You can make this with cottage cheese?!”

Another wrote: “The way I immediately got up and threw cottage cheese in the oven! »

Some users are shaking their heads at the idea – with one commenting: “I really hate cottage cheese… It sits in my fridge until it goes in the trash.” »