There’s a bizarre new viral food trend taking over TikTok involving cottage cheese and… yellow mustard. If you’ve yet to come across it, you’ll be surprised that the #veggieswithmustard hashtag has had over 525M views. It appears to be taking over social media, but does the trend live up to the hype?
Who started the trend?
Started by influencer Tiffany Magee, the trend sees her filming her go-to lunch of sausage and raw vegetables dipped in cottage cheese and a tonne of yellow mustard. Magee claims she’s lost 80 pounds since eating this meal daily, and others have followed suit claiming to have also lost weight.
If weight loss is on your mind, this may sound tempting. But, even if you can get past eating that much mustard in one sitting, should you? Is this TikTok trend actually good for you or is it filled with red flags?
Potential benefits of the cottage cheese and mustard diet
Starting with the benefits, nutritionally speaking, cottage cheese can be a convenient source of protein if can you tolerate dairy. Cottage cheese is made with milk and live active cultures to separate the whey (liquid) and curds, followed by adding cream and salt to the curds to make cottage cheese.
Cottage cheese provides approximately 12g protein per 100g, and is a good source of calcium and vitamin B12. Protein rich foods, including dairy foods such as cottage cheese, are suggested to increase satiety and may play a role in maintaining a healthy weight. Whilst calcium is a key nutrient required throughout life to support bone health.
Just keep in mind that not all cottage cheese is the same, with variations in fat percentages (from full fat through to non-fat) and variations in sodium content. If you are watching your sodium intake, ‘no salt added’ cottage cheese is available.
Potential negative effects of the cottage cheese and mustard diet
Aside from cherry picking the nutritional benefits of the ingredients in this bizarre TikTok diet trend, it is important to consider that eating the same foods everyday without variety isn’t nutritionally balanced. Consuming only sausage and cottage cheese as a source of protein, may mean you’re missing out on the benefits of other protein sources like seafood or legumes. No single food or food group can provide all the macronutrient and micronutrient needs we require. The other concern is the restriction of food groups including carbohydrates, which may not be suitable for everyone.
Research suggests varying our diet day by day increases the probability of reaching our nutrient needs and according to the Australian Dietary Guidelines, a balanced diet promotes health and wellbeing and reduces the risk of chronic diseases. A varied diet means including all food groups, as well as variety within food groups.
Whilst we can commend the consumption of vegetables seen in the cottage cheese and mustard diet TikTok trend, for some, consuming only raw vegetables (as opposed to including some cooked vegetables) may be difficult to digest, particularly if you experience any digestive symptoms such as medically diagnosed Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). One study investigated the differences in nutrient availability between cooked (using different cooking methods such as steaming, boiling, frying) and raw vegetables found that cooking vegetables better preserved the antioxidant content, especially carotenoids and vitamin C.
One of the more concerning downsides of the cottage cheese and mustard diet is the inclusion of chicken sausage, as the consumption of processed meats has been associated with increased risks of certain types of cancer.
Social media diet and food trends like this promote diet culture, but dieting and restricting foods may not be the answer. Research suggests that those who follow restrictive diets may regain more weight. Focusing on healthy foods from the five main food groups (and the occasional treat) promotes a positive relationship with food and is far better for maintaining a healthy diet compared to restrictive diets like this one.
The bottom line
Whilst the cottage cheese and mustard diet may sound appealing to some, aim to include a wide variety of foods, providing a range of nutrients to maintain good health. There is no one single ingredient or meal that is a magic solution for weight loss or health. If you have any concerns about your nutrition or need support for weight management, seek personalised advice from a healthcare professional or clinical nutritionist.
Reviewed by Healthylife health experts September 2023.
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