Protein in Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, and the rest of the dairy aisle

The protein in Greek yogurt runs about 10 g per 100 g for plain nonfat — roughly 15 g in a 5.3 oz cup and 20 g in a 7 oz cup. Whole-milk (5%) versions land closer to 9 g per 100 g, because fat displaces protein. Cottage cheese is a shade higher per gram.

How much protein in Greek yogurt, by fat level and container

Container size isn't standardized: 5.3 oz (150 g) single-serve cups dominate US shelves, 7 oz (200 g) is next, and large tubs (32 oz / 907 g) label servings at 170 g or 227 g.

Plain Greek yogurt, per 100 g:

• Nonfat (0%): ~10 g protein, ~60 calories
• Lowfat (2%): ~9–10 g protein, ~80 calories
• Whole (5%): ~9 g protein, ~110 calories

Two things pull products below those numbers: flavored tubs swap yogurt for fruit prep and sugar, so a 150 g flavored cup often lands at 11–13 g instead of 15, and "Greek-style" isn't protected in the US — some products thicken with starch or gums instead of straining and read like regular yogurt, others add milk protein concentrate to inflate the number. Only the panel tells you which you bought.

Why strained yogurt has roughly double the protein of regular yogurt

Straining is subtraction: cultured milk loses its whey — water, lactose, minerals, and the whey protein fraction — leaving a concentrated curd. It takes several pounds of milk to yield one pound of Greek yogurt.

Regular plain lowfat yogurt runs about 5 g of protein per 100 g; whole-milk yogurt is lower still, around 3.5 g. Strained yogurt roughly doubles that. Skyr, strained harder and traditionally made from skim milk, goes further still — about 11 g per 100 g, or 17 g in a 150 g cup.

Straining also shifts which protein remains: milk protein runs roughly 80% casein and 20% whey, and pulling the whey out skews what's left more casein-heavy, which digests slowly — why strained dairy works well at night. Both fractions are complete proteins; see foods high in complete protein for how dairy compares to plant sources.

Calcium partly leaves with the whey, though: plain unstrained yogurt beats Greek yogurt per gram on calcium, and cottage cheese trails both.

Protein in cottage cheese, milk, and cheese

Typical values for plain US products — brands vary, and sodium varies most:

Dairy food (plain)	Protein per 100 g	Typical serving	Protein	Calories	Sodium
Greek yogurt, nonfat	~10 g	5.3 oz (150 g)	15 g	90	55 mg
Greek yogurt, 2%	~9–10 g	5.3 oz (150 g)	14 g	120	55 mg
Greek yogurt, 5%	~9 g	5.3 oz (150 g)	13 g	165	55 mg
Skyr, nonfat	~11 g	5.3 oz (150 g)	17 g	100	60 mg
Yogurt, lowfat, unstrained	~5 g	1 cup (245 g)	13 g	155	170 mg
Cottage cheese, 2%	~11 g	½ cup (113 g)	13 g	95	350 mg
Milk, skim	~3.4 g	1 cup (240 mL)	8 g	85	105 mg
Cheddar	~25 g	1 oz (28 g)	7 g	115	185 mg
Swiss	~27 g	1 oz (28 g)	8 g	110	55 mg
Mozzarella stick, part-skim	~24 g	1 stick (28 g)	7 g	80	200 mg
Parmesan, grated	~35 g	1 Tbsp (5 g)	2 g	20	75 mg
Cream cheese	~6 g	1 oz (28 g)	2 g	100	90 mg

The protein in milk barely moves across fat levels — about 8 g per cup, since removing fat doesn't touch protein. Ultra-filtered milks are the exception, concentrating it to around 13 g per cup.

Cottage cheese vs Greek yogurt

Per 100 g they're nearly tied — cottage cheese around 11 g, nonfat Greek yogurt around 10 g. The question isn't decided on protein; it's decided on the other columns.

Sodium. Half a cup of cottage cheese carries roughly 350 mg, about six times a whole cup of Greek yogurt — curd is salted, yogurt isn't. Managing blood pressure, that's the deciding number; low-sodium cottage cheese exists for it.

Calories per gram of protein. Nonfat Greek yogurt and 2% cottage cheese both land near 6–7 calories per gram of protein, about as lean as whole food gets. Whole-milk Greek yogurt roughly doubles that.

Casein. Both are casein-heavy, cottage cheese more so — it's essentially drained curd, and neither digests fast.

Sugar and texture. Plain versions of both carry 3–4 g of naturally occurring sugar per 100 g. Cottage cheese works savory in ways yogurt doesn't; yogurt blends into smoothies. Pick on that, not protein.

Read the panel, not the front of the tub

US Nutrition Facts are per serving, and servings in this aisle range from 5.3 oz to 1 tablespoon. Comparing two labels means converting both to per 100 g, or at least per 100 calories.

The %DV column helps once you know the Daily Value for protein is 50 g. It's optional unless the package claims a protein content: "high protein" means at least 20% DV per serving (10 g), "good source" means 10–19% (5–9 g) — neither tells you the food is protein-dense, only that one serving clears a bar.

Because the same food swings this much between brands, it's worth pinning down your actual products once rather than re-reading tubs. Protein Tracker is a protein tracking app for iPhone, and saving the specific yogurt or cottage cheese you buy means checking the label once instead of every morning.

Dairy is one of the more efficient ways to hit a daily target, but it isn't the only one — high protein foods covers the rest, and how much protein do I need sets the target these numbers feed.

FAQ

How much protein is in a cup of Greek yogurt?

A cup of plain nonfat Greek yogurt is 227 g — roughly 23 g of protein and 135 calories. Lowfat and whole-milk versions give 20–22 g with more calories; flavored yogurt runs several grams lower.

How much protein is in string cheese?

About 6–7 g per stick: a standard stick is 1 oz (28 g) of low-moisture part-skim mozzarella at roughly 24 g per 100 g, with about 80 calories and 200 mg of sodium.

Does milk have as much protein as yogurt?

Per cup, plain unstrained yogurt has about 13 g against milk's 8 g, since yogurt is concentrated milk — Greek yogurt widens the gap further. Skim, 1%, 2%, and whole milk all carry about the same 8 g.

Which cheese has the most protein?

Hard aged cheeses lead by weight — grated Parmesan runs around 35 g per 100 g, with Swiss and cheddar in the mid-20s — but serving sizes are small, so a 1 oz portion delivers 7–8 g. Soft cheeses trail badly: cream cheese is about 6 g per 100 g, closer to a fat than a protein food.