Proteins are either complete or incomplete. Those that are complete contain all the essential amino acids, and dairy products fall into this category. Protein itself is a key macronutrient that helps repair the tissues and cells in the human body. All dairy products contain protein, but some are higher than others. The daily recommendation for protein intake is 0.8g per kilogram of body weight. Make this determination by dividing your weight in pounds by 2.2 then multiplying by 0.8.
Milk
Milk is high in calcium, vitamin D and potassium, as well as protein. Low-fat, skim milk, reduced fat milk and buttermilk all have just over 8g of protein per cup. Evaporated condensed milk however has over 24g per cup. If you are looking to boost your protein intake, you can mix this in with your meals. Milk also comes with other benefits. Diets rich in milk and milk products help build and maintain bone mass throughout the life cycle, according to the USDA website.
Cheese
Cheese comes in multiple varieties, such as sharp, cheddar, American, Swiss, mozzarella and Parmesan. All of these cheeses are high in protein and low in carbs. Parmesan has 10g of protein per ounce and mozzarella has 6g per ounce. If you want to watch your calories, you can get all of these in low-fat versions.
Cottage Cheese
Cottage cheese comes in no-fat, low-fat and whole-fat forms. They are all high in protein and low in carbs. One cup of low-fat cottage cheese contains 28g of protein. The protein content is the same in the type with fruit mixed in, but there are more carbs.
Yogurt
Yogurt comes in plain and fruit-added varieties, both of which can be purchased in fat-free or low-fat forms. An 8-oz. cup of low-fat strawberry yogurt contains 8g of protein. Plain, unsweetened skim milk yogurt contains 13g of protein per cup. Greek yogurt is a thicker and creamier version. This trumps all yogurt types with approximately 20g of protein per cup.
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