Is cream cheese better than butter?

Cream cheese is a smooth, creamy fresh cheese product made from milk and cream, often with other ingredients added as stabilizers and thickeners, such as guar gum and carrageenan. Ordinary cream cheese is available in bar form or in whipped tubs. Most supermarket shops have it in the dairy department. Cream cheese calories and fat content are affected by where you purchase it.

Cream Cheese Nutrition Facts

The following nutrition information is provided by the USDA for 1 tablespoon (14.5g) of cream cheese. 1

Calories : 50.8
Fat : 5g
Sodium : 46.5mg
Carbohydrates : 0.8g
Fiber : 0g
Sugars : 0.5g
Protein : 0.9g
Vitamin A : 44.7mcg
Choline : 3.9mg
Vitamin E : 0.1mg

Carbs

Cream cheese has very little carbohydrates. A single serving contains less than 1 gram of carbohydrates (0.8 gram), most of which are sugar. 2 Nevertheless, the carbohydrate level of some varieties of flavored cream cheese will rise.

The Philadelphia brand Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Spread, for example, has 7 grams of sugar per serving. This flavor of cream cheese is whipped, so the serving size is 2 tablespoons.

Fats

Cream cheese contains the majority of its fat as saturated fat. A single serving of cream cheese has 5 grams of total fat, of which 5 grams are saturated fat. There is also a trace of polyunsaturated fat (0.2 g) and monounsaturated fat (0.1 g) (1.3 grams). 2

Protein

A single serving of cream cheese has slightly less than 1 gram of protein (0.9 gram).

Vitamins and Minerals

Cream cheese contains vitamins and minerals. You’ll benefit from a small amount of vitamin A (44.7 IU), vitamin K (0.3 mcg), folate (1.3 mcg), and choline (3.9 mg). 2

Minerals in cream cheese include calcium (14.1 milligrams), phosphorus (15.5 mg), magnesium (1.3 mg), potassium (19.1mg), sodium (45.5 mg), and trace amounts of selenium. 2

Calories

One tablespoon (14.5g) of cream cheese has 50.8 calories, 87% of which are fat, 7% are protein, and 6% are carbohydrates. Whipped cream cheese has much less calories. Because the whipping process adds air to the cheese and fluffs it up, it seems like you get more cream cheese for the same size serving. Some brands also add skim milk as an ingredient, lowering the fat content.

On the container of Philadelphia Whipped Cream Cheese, the serving size is listed as 2 tablespoons. According to the manufacturer, that amount will provide 50 calories, 4.5 grams of fat, and 3 grams of saturated fat.

The calories in flavored cream cheese vary depending on the brand. Sweet flavors like mixed berry or strawberry cream cheese will have added fruit or puree, increasing both the sugar and calorie count. Savory flavors like chive may have added salt so that the sodium content will be slightly higher, but the calories will probably stay the same.

What is a Serving of Cream Cheese?

1-2 teaspoons of cream cheese equals one serving. Popular brands like Philadelphia provide line markings on the package, so you know exactly how much to consume per serving. A single 1-ounce serving (approximately 2 teaspoons) of that brand has 100 calories.

Health Benefits

Cream cheese does not have a lot of health benefits, and there is little to no direct research regarding the potential health benefits of cream cheese. A portion of cream cheese contains very few micronutrients that contribute significantly to daily values.

May Help Reduce Fat in Diet

Cream cheese may be beneficial to certain individuals since it has less fat and calories than butter. 3 However, the difference is not substantial and cream cheese cannot stand in for butter in every case. If you choose low-fat cream cheese, you can save even more saturated fat, which is a kind of fat associated with an increased risk of heart disease. 4 Instead of flour and butter, use low-fat cream cheese to thicken meals like soups and sauces.

Source of Vitamin A

Although cream cheese does not have a high concentration of many nutrients, it does have a high concentration of vitamin A. One tablespoon contains 5% of your recommended daily value, and a typical two-tablespoon serving contains 10%. Dairy is a good source of vitamin A, and including fat in a meal with vitamin A will help its absorption. Cream cheese is high in fat and vitamin A, making it an excellent source. 5

Vitamin A is an essential micronutrient that plays a vital role in several bodily processes, including vision, immune response, cell differentiation and proliferation, intercellular communication, and reproduction. Since your body cannot make vitamin A, you must acquire it from your food or supplements. Main sources come from animal products such as dairy. 6

Allergies

Cream cheese includes cow’s milk, thus anybody with dairy or milk allergies should avoid it. According to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology symptoms of milk allergy can range from mild to severe and may include wheezing, vomiting, hives, and digestive problems. 7 Anaphylaxis may also be caused by milk.

Those who are lactose sensitive should also avoid cream cheese. Symptoms of lactose intolerance include nausea, cramps, gas, bloating, and diarrhea.

Varieties

Cream cheese comes in a variety of flavors and textures, including low-fat, flavored, and whipped. A comparable cheese product, Neufchatel cheese, has one-third to one-half less fat than the conventional kind. A 1-tablespoon serving contains 2.5 g of fat and 1.5 g of saturated fat. 8

Neufchatel cheese is made from milk while traditional cream cheese is made from milk and cream. You may use Neufchatel cheese for cream cheese in recipes to reduce fat and calories.

Storage and Food Safety

Cream cheese should be kept chilled and properly wrapped. Cream cheese may be frozen for use in recipes, although the texture will alter. When it has thawed, you probably won’t want to spread it over toast or a bagel.

How to Prepare

Cream cheese may be difficult to deal with in recipes when it is cold. The easiest approach to soften it is to leave it on the counter for a few minutes. If you don’t have time, just press the cheese with a pastry roller or your hands to soften it.

If you like cream cheese, you may be creative in order to include it into your healthy diet. Greek cream cheese may be available at your local store. Brands like Green Mountain Farm make this style of spread and it provides more protein and less fat than traditional versions.

You may also use less spread to keep the fat and calories under control. For example, if you usually love to eat a bagel with jam and cream cheese for breakfast, try this healthier version instead: scoop out a bagel, then spread a thin layer of whipped cream cheese, and top with real fruit.

You’ll not only save fat, carbohydrates, and calories, but you’ll also lose sugar by substituting fresh fruit for jam.