Is Cottage cheese Safe for Kidney Stones? (Safe)
mg oxalate
per serving
Serving: 1/2 cup (113 g)
Verdict: 🟢 Safe
Per 100g: 0 mg
Data: Harvard T.H. Chan SPH (2024)
In practical terms, Cottage cheese is a low-risk food for kidney stone patients. Its 0 mg oxalate per serving stays under the 25 mg line, so it can appear in your regular rotation without extra calculation. As always, staying hydrated and getting dietary calcium supports stone prevention.
Among dairy & eggs, Cottage cheese sits well below the category average of 3 mg. For context, 87 out of 91 dairy & eggs (95%) are rated 🟢 Safe (under 25 mg oxalate/serving). The average dairy & eggs in our database has 3 mg oxalate per serving — which means Cottage cheese is 100% below the category norm. Within its specific category, Cottage cheese ranks among the lower-oxalate options. This context matters because two 'Safe' foods can have very different oxalate levels — one might have 5 mg while another has 24 mg. Both are Safe, but the first gives you more dietary flexibility. Browse all dairy & eggs rated Safe to compare within the same verdict level.
Why does the safe threshold matter?
The 25 mg cutoff comes from clinical guidance for stone formers. Below it, a food's oxalate contribution is small enough not to move the needle for most patients. Harvard's 2024 lab data sits behind these figures — direct measurements, not estimates. Applied to Cottage cheese: 0 mg oxalate per 1/2 cup — Safe per Harvard (2024).
Can I eat this food every day?
For Safe foods (under 25 mg/serving), daily use is generally fine. Caution and Avoid foods work better as occasional items — rotate them with safer options so no single high-oxalate food becomes a habit. For Cottage cheese, the measured oxalate value is 0 mg per 1/2 cup (Safe).
Where does the oxalate data come from?
The numbers come from Harvard T.H. Chan SPH's 2024 laboratory measurements, published through the OHF database. Direct lab analysis, which is why they're treated as the reference values for food oxalate. For context, Cottage cheese measures 0 mg per 1/2 cup, rated Safe.
Should I also check sodium and calcium?
Yes — oxalate alone doesn't decide stone risk. Sodium pushes more calcium into urine, and calcium from food (not supplements) helps bind oxalate during digestion. The main food page covers sodium and calcium alongside oxalate. Applied to Cottage cheese: 0 mg oxalate per 1/2 cup — Safe per Harvard (2024).