Cream Cheese Nutrition Benefits and Facts

Nutritional summary

Cream cheese is classified as an indulgent dairy food because it is significantly higher in fat and lower in protein than most other cheeses .
While institutional guidelines like the USDA and Harvard Nutrition Source recommend limiting cheese intake to manage saturated fat, some systematic reviews suggest that the specific fatty acids and nutrients in dairy, such as calcium, may affect cardiovascular health differently than the fats found in red meat .
Standard dietary guidelines often suggest choosing low-fat or fat-free versions of soft dairy products to reduce total calorie and saturated fat intake .
Early research into the "dairy fat paradox" suggests that full-fat dairy products may not carry the same metabolic risks as once thought, though evidence regarding their specific impact on blood cholesterol is still emerging .

Interesting fact

Modern American cream cheese was created in 1872 by dairyman William Lawrence, who accidentally produced it while attempting to replicate the crumbly French Neufchâtel cheese.

Standout nutrients

ELITE

SOURCE

Retinol

ELITE

SOURCE

Vitamin A

ACE

SOURCE

Calcium

GREAT

SOURCE

Riboflavin (Vitamin B2)

290

kcal per 100g

Protein8.34g

Fat27.8g

Carbs0.80g

Sugar2.75g

Fat breakdown

Polyunsat0.92g

Monounsat6.90g

Saturated17.1g

Trans0.73g

Seasonality

Not available

Diet

VegetarianPescatarianGluten FreeKetoLow Fodmap

Sustainability

Moderate

Dairy production has a higher carbon footprint than plant-based alternatives but lower than most meat products.

Confidencemedium

Storage

Refrigerate

1–2 weeks

Keep in original packaging and ensure it is tightly sealed to prevent absorption of other fridge odors.

Flavour

Data & Sources

Harmonized from 4 validated sources

French Food Database

4 contributing source foods

Swiss Food Database

1 contributing source food

McCance & Widdowson

1 contributing source food

USDA

USDA FoodData Central

1 contributing source food

Claim citations

Milk - The Nutrition Source - Harvard University

[3]nutritionsource.hsph.harvard.edu

Global Review of Dairy Recommendations in Food-Based Dietary Guidelines - PMC

[4]pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Dairy - The Nutrition Source

[6]nutritionsource.hsph.harvard.edu

Cheese - The Nutrition Source

[7]nutritionsource.hsph.harvard.edu

The dairy fat paradox: Whole dairy products may be healthier ... - PMC

[9]pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Coverage

Nutrients

FoodCompass

12.3

Version

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