Know2eat

Cream

What cream has been studied for

2 associations assessed — 1 with at least some human evidence behind it. Strongest first.

  • 1 Moderate
  • 1 Insufficient
3 things to know first — allergies, interactions and intake limits

About cream

The fat-rich layer separated from milk, sold at fat levels that determine what it can do — light cream will not whip, double cream will. It is an emulsion of milk fat globules in a small amount of milk.

Also known as Table cream, Coffee cream, Single cream

Heart Health

The evidence in depth

Best supported: Moderate

What each association actually rests on, and the papers behind it. A rating describes the state of the research, not how impressive the food is. How we rate evidence.

Blood lipid profile

Heart Health
Moderate evidence

Research suggests dairy fat raises LDL cholesterol relative to unsaturated plant oils in controlled feeding trials. That is a statement of direction rather than a benefit, and it is one of the better-replicated findings in diet and lipid research.

What may be going on: Saturated fatty acids, particularly palmitic and myristic acid, reduce hepatic LDL receptor activity and slow LDL clearance from the blood.

Moderate evidence. Several human studies point the same way, with real caveats.

1 source

Deep research mode adds each paper’s own conclusion and stated limitations.

Cardiovascular risk markers

Heart Health
Insufficient evidence

Evidence is limited and contested. Cohort studies of full-fat dairy and cardiovascular events often find no association, which sits awkwardly with the trial data on dairy fat and LDL cholesterol. The disagreement is real and unresolved rather than a point in favour of either position.

Insufficient evidence. Not enough human research to say anything useful yet.

2 sources

Deep research mode adds each paper’s own conclusion and stated limitations.

Ask about Cream

Ask about Cream

Answers are written only from the entries on this page — the same nutrients, compounds, claims and citations you can read above. Nothing is added from outside the database, and every answer lists what it was built from.

AI explanations are not switched on for this site, so there is nothing to ask here. Everything above is read straight from the database and does not need them.

Key nutrients

Nutrient content per 100 grams
NutrientAmount% DV
Macronutrients
Calories195 kcal10%
Protein2.96 g6%
Total fat19.1 g24%
Carbohydrate3.66 g1%
Fibre0 g0%
Total sugars3.67 g—
Water73.8 g—
Fats
Saturated fat10.2 g51%
Monounsaturated fat4.53 g—
Polyunsaturated fat0.789 g—
Cholesterol59 mg20%
ALA (omega-3)0.062 g—
EPA (omega-3)0.0050 g—
DHA (omega-3)0 g—
DPA (omega-3)0.01 g—
Linoleic acid (omega-6)0.654 g—
Vitamins
Vitamin A120 µg13%
Vitamin C0.8 mg1%
Vitamin D1.1 µg6%
Vitamin E0.12 mg1%
Vitamin K1.7 µg1%
Thiamin (B1)0.023 mg2%
Riboflavin (B2)0.19 mg15%
Niacin (B3)0.09 mg1%
Pantothenic acid (B5)0.44 mg9%
Vitamin B60.044 mg3%
Folate2 µg1%
Vitamin B120.14 µg6%
Choline17.4 mg3%
Minerals
Calcium91 mg7%
Iron0.05 mg0%
Magnesium9 mg2%
Phosphorus92 mg7%
Potassium136 mg3%
Sodium72 mg3%
Zinc0.32 mg3%
Copper0.012 mg1%
Manganese0.0050 mg0%
Selenium4.6 µg8%
Other measured compounds
Beta-carotene37 µg—
Alpha-carotene0 µg—
Lycopene0 µg—
Lutein + zeaxanthin0 µg—
Caffeine0 mg—
Ash0.61 g—

Nutrient values are per 100 g of the USDA reference entry named on this page and vary with variety, growing conditions, storage and preparation.

Source record: Cream, fluid, light (coffee cream or table cream) (USDA FoodData Central, FDC ID 170857).

% DV uses the FDA Daily Values for adults and children aged 4 and over. A dash means no Daily Value has been established for that nutrient.

Bioactive compounds

Compounds present in meaningful amounts. Presence is banded rather than quantified, because whole-food levels vary enormously with variety, growing conditions, storage and preparation.

How preparation changes things

Only effects with real support are listed. If a preparation method is missing, it is because nothing dependable is documented — not because it makes no difference.

Nothing dependable is recorded about how preparation changes this food’s nutritional properties. Rather than guess, this section stays empty.

Things to know

Allergies, interactions and intake concerns. Every food gets this section — a reference where everything is uniformly good is not a reference.

  • Too much

    Energy density

    Cream adds a large number of calories for a small volume, and it is easy to pour more than intended into coffee, sauces and desserts.

  • Too much

    Saturated fat

    Milk fat is largely saturated. Controlled feeding trials consistently show that replacing it with unsaturated plant oils lowers LDL cholesterol.

  • Allergy

    Cow milk protein allergy

    A major regulated allergen, present even though cream is mostly fat.