Bizarre new TikTok weight loss hack… COTTAGE CHEESE (but the dietitians aren’t convinced)

Cottage cheese cookie dough might sound disgusting.

But it’s the latest culinary creation sweeping TikTok — because of its supposed slimming powers.

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

Fitness influencers say you can trim your fat by eating the strange mix every day, even though it can contain up to 300 calories — similar to burgers sold at McDonald’s.

The secret, advocates say, is down to the abundance of protein in the cottage cheese, which helps you stay fuller for longer. 

Videos for the protein-packed recipe with the hashtag #cottagecheesecookiedough have amassed more than 21million views on TikTok. 

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

TikTok by fitness influencer @shredathletics who has 244.3K followers, claims you can eat this ‘cookie dough every single day and still lose body fat’. He mixes 200g of cottage cheese, 10g of syrup, 45g of oat flour, 35g of peanut butter, cinnamon and choc chips

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

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

One video posted on TikTok by fitness influencer @shredathletics, who has 244.3K followers, states that you can eat this ‘cookie dough every single day and still lose body fat’.

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

The recipe is described as a ‘high-volume low-calorie snack alternative’ containing 378 calories and 35g of protein. 

Other videos, such as one by @anna.antonje, who has 6.9million followers, shows her surprise that the mix tastes good as she spoons it out of a bowl.

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

At the start of the video he sells the 280 calorie recipe as a slimming option and says: ‘If you want to lose weight this is the cookie dough for you.’

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

But cottage cheese is also high in protein and low in fat, making it a go-to for people seeking to build muscle mass. 

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

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

‘Any claims about helping to lose body fat are usually unfounded and to be honest it really depends on what else you are eating alongside this to make up your total daily energy intake,’ said Rob Hobson, a registered nutritionist at supplements company Healthspan and author of Unprocess Your Life.

Although the cottage cheese and protein powder mix does contain a lot of protein, he warns it’s ‘more than is needed in a single sitting.’

That’s because the body can only process 25g-30g of protein at any one time, he warns. 

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

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

‘In essence, it is not that unhealthy as it provides a good source of calcium and B12 from the cottage cheese and healthy carbs with fibre in the oat flour.’

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

Mr Hobson suggests eating cottage cheese with a serving of wholemeal pitta bread or some sliced vegetables for a healthier, though not quite as exciting, option.

The added flavouring and ingredients in the cookie dough, such as the syrup and chocolate chips, contain a lot of fat and sugar, making the recipe less healthy on the whole, said dietitian Dr Duane Mellor based at Aston University in Birmingham. 

‘It could be a reasonable homemade snack, but as with many snacks, it is the portion size you have that matters.

‘If you want a healthy snack, why not add fresh fruit to a natural yoghurt, as it will probably be quicker, easier and cheaper,’ he added.