Is Cream Cheese Healthy?

The ingredients in standard commercial cream cheese are simply pasteurized milk and cream, salt, carob bean gum, and cheese culture.

A 1-ounce portion provides 99 calories,

1.74 grams of protein,

9.75 grams of fat (5.73 grams as saturated fat),

and 1.56 grams of carbohydrate

Cream cheese isn't particularly nutrient-rich, but this same-sized portion does contain 7% of the daily value for vitamin A, which supports immune function, vision, and bone health, as well as smaller amounts of calcium (3%), B vitamins, iron, and magnesium (1% each).

Regular cream cheese is considered a full-fat dairy product, meaning none of the fat content has been removed.

A Harvard study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition looked at the relationship between the intake of dairy fat, including full-fat dairy, and cardiovascular risks.

Researchers followed over 200,000 men and women and found that full-fat dairy products like cream cheese were not linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), heart disease, or stroke.

However, the researchers found that replacing dairy fat with polyunsaturated fat (which is found in nuts and seeds) or high-quality carbohydrates from whole grains did lower the risk of CVD by 24% and 28%, respectively.

This led researchers to conclude that while full-fat dairy may not necessarily raise heart disease risk, it's not optimal, as other options may better guard heart health.