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Cream cheese vs. Ricotta — Health Impact and Nutrition Comparison

Article author photo Jack Yacoubian by Jack Yacoubian | Last updated on October 31, 2024
Medically reviewed by Ani Harutyunyan Article author photo Ani Harutyunyan

Table of contents

  1. Introduction
    1. General aspects
      1. Nutritional content comparison
        1. Calories
          1. Carbs
            1. Fats
              1. Saturated fats
            2. Proteins
              1. Minerals
                1. Vitamins
                2. Health impacts
                  1. Cardiovascular health
                    1. Antioxidant 
                      1. Cancer
                      2. References
                        Cream cheese
                        vs
                        Ricotta

                        Summary

                        Ricotta is richer in proteins, selenium, calcium, zinc, phosphorus, and vitamin B12. Cream cheese is higher in calories, fat, saturated fats, and sodium. Cream cheese is richer in vitamins B2, B5, A, and E.

                        Table of contents

                        1. Introduction
                          1. General aspects
                            1. Nutritional content comparison
                              1. Calories
                                1. Carbs
                                  1. Fats
                                    1. Saturated fats
                                  2. Proteins
                                    1. Minerals
                                      1. Vitamins
                                      2. Health impacts
                                        1. Cardiovascular health
                                          1. Antioxidant 
                                            1. Cancer
                                            2. References

                                              Introduction

                                              This article compares two types of dairy products: ricotta and cream cheese. We will discuss their differences according to their general aspects, nutritional content, and health impacts.

                                              General aspects

                                              Ricotta is prepared from leftovers of cheese making by reheating and acidifying the whey product. In comparison, cream cheese is directly prepared from milk.

                                              Ricotta is less creamy and has a granular texture compared to cream cheese; however, it has a slightly sweeter taste. On the other hand, cream cheese has a creamier texture than ricotta and has a saltier taste.

                                              Nutritional content comparison

                                              In this section, we are taking into consideration 100g of each.

                                              Calories

                                              Cream cheese contains double the number of calories compared to ricotta. There are 350 calories in 100g of cream cheese.

                                              Carbs

                                              Cream cheese is higher in carbohydrates than ricotta.

                                              Fats

                                              Cream cheese contains higher amounts of fats compared to ricotta. There is nearly 35g of fat in cream cheese compared to 13g in ricotta.

                                              Saturated fats

                                              Cream cheese contains 2.5 times more saturated fats than ricotta. This difference is significant. Cream cheese contains 20g of saturated fats.

                                              Fat Type Comparison

                                              Fat type breakdown side-by-side comparison
                                              66% 29% 5%
                                              Saturated fat: Sat. Fat 20.213 g
                                              Monounsaturated fat: Mono. Fat 8.907 g
                                              Polyunsaturated fat: Poly. Fat 1.483 g
                                              67% 29% 3%
                                              Saturated fat: Sat. Fat 8.295 g
                                              Monounsaturated fat: Mono. Fat 3.627 g
                                              Polyunsaturated fat: Poly. Fat 0.385 g
                                              Contains more Mono. FatMonounsaturated fat +145.6%
                                              Contains more Poly. FatPolyunsaturated fat +285.2%
                                              Contains less Sat. FatSaturated fat -59%

                                              Proteins

                                              Ricotta contains double the amount of protein compared to cream cheese. There are nearly 12g of protein per 100g of ricotta.

                                              Macronutrient Comparison

                                              Macronutrient breakdown side-by-side comparison
                                              6% 34% 6% 53%
                                              Protein: 6.15 g
                                              Fats: 34.44 g
                                              Carbs: 5.52 g
                                              Water: 52.62 g
                                              Other: 1.27 g
                                              11% 13% 3% 72%
                                              Protein: 11.26 g
                                              Fats: 12.98 g
                                              Carbs: 3.04 g
                                              Water: 71.7 g
                                              Other: 1.02 g
                                              Contains more FatsFats +165.3%
                                              Contains more CarbsCarbs +81.6%
                                              Contains more OtherOther +24.5%
                                              Contains more ProteinProtein +83.1%
                                              Contains more WaterWater +36.3%

                                              Minerals

                                              Ricotta is richer in selenium, calcium, zinc, and phosphorus. In comparison, cream cheese is high in sodium.

                                              In the visual diagram below, we can visualize the difference in their mineral distributions.

                                              Mineral Comparison

                                              Mineral comparison score is based on the number of minerals by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" charts below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food.
                                              Magnesium Magnesium Calcium Calcium Potassium Potassium Iron Iron Copper Copper Zinc Zinc Phosphorus Phosphorus Sodium Sodium Manganese Manganese Selenium Selenium 6.4% 29% 12% 4.1% 6% 14% 46% 41% 1.4% 47%
                                              Magnesium Magnesium Calcium Calcium Potassium Potassium Iron Iron Copper Copper Zinc Zinc Phosphorus Phosphorus Sodium Sodium Manganese Manganese Selenium Selenium 7.9% 62% 9.3% 14% 7% 32% 68% 11% 0.78% 79%
                                              Contains more PotassiumPotassium +25.7%
                                              Contains more ManganeseManganese +83.3%
                                              Contains more MagnesiumMagnesium +22.2%
                                              Contains more CalciumCalcium +113.4%
                                              Contains more IronIron +245.5%
                                              Contains more CopperCopper +16.7%
                                              Contains more ZincZinc +132%
                                              Contains more PhosphorusPhosphorus +47.7%
                                              Contains less SodiumSodium -73.2%
                                              Contains more SeleniumSelenium +68.6%

                                              Vitamins

                                              Ricotta is richer in vitamin B12. Cream cheese is richer in vitamins B2, B5, A, and E.

                                              In the visual diagram below, we can visualize the difference in their vitamin distributions.

                                              Vitamin Comparison

                                              Vitamin comparison score is based on the number of vitamins by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" charts below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food.
                                              Vitamin C Vit. C Vitamin A Vit. A Vitamin E Vit. E Vitamin D Vit. D Vitamin B1 Vit. B1 Vitamin B2 Vit. B2 Vitamin B3 Vit. B3 Vitamin B5 Vit. B5 Vitamin B6 Vit. B6 Vitamin B12 Vit. B12 Vitamin K Vit. K Folate Folate Choline Choline 0% 103% 17% 0% 5.8% 53% 1.7% 31% 13% 28% 5.3% 6.8% 15%
                                              Vitamin C Vit. C Vitamin A Vit. A Vitamin E Vit. E Vitamin D Vit. D Vitamin B1 Vit. B1 Vitamin B2 Vit. B2 Vitamin B3 Vit. B3 Vitamin B5 Vit. B5 Vitamin B6 Vit. B6 Vitamin B12 Vit. B12 Vitamin K Vit. K Folate Folate Choline Choline 0% 40% 2.2% 3% 3.3% 45% 2% 13% 9.9% 43% 2.8% 9% 9.5%
                                              Contains more Vitamin AVitamin A +156.7%
                                              Contains more Vitamin EVitamin E +681.8%
                                              Contains more Vitamin B1Vitamin B1 +76.9%
                                              Contains more Vitamin B2Vitamin B2 +17.9%
                                              Contains more Vitamin B5Vitamin B5 +142.7%
                                              Contains more Vitamin B6Vitamin B6 +30.2%
                                              Contains more Vitamin KVitamin K +90.9%
                                              Contains more CholineCholine +55.4%
                                              Contains more Vitamin DVitamin D +∞%
                                              Contains more Vitamin B3Vitamin B3 +14.3%
                                              Contains more Vitamin B12Vitamin B12 +54.5%
                                              Contains more FolateFolate +33.3%
                                              ~equal in Vitamin C ~0mg

                                              Health impacts

                                              Both dairy products share common health impacts; however, this section will focus on the different health impacts

                                              Cardiovascular health

                                              Section reviewed by cardiologist Astghik Grigoryan Article author photo Astghik Grigoryan

                                              Cream cheese is high in saturated fats and cholesterol, which have been linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Excessive consumption of saturated fats, like those found in cream cheese, can elevate LDL (bad cholesterol) levels, a key contributor to atherosclerosis and heart disease. In contrast, ricotta cheese, especially the low-fat variety, contains less saturated fat than cream cheese (1). 

                                              Both the Heart Association and the European Society of Cardiology recommend limiting saturated fat intake and opting for low-fat dairy products (2). 

                                              Additionally, cheese has a high level of conjugated linoleic acid, which has been associated with lower blood pressure in rats and may influence the progression of atherosclerosis in rabbits. However, more research is needed to better understand these effects in humans (2). 

                                              In summary, studies suggest that ricotta, particularly the low-fat version, is a healthier choice than cream cheese for reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease.

                                              Antioxidant 

                                              Ricotta is richer in selenium, which has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Selenium maintains a healthy immune system. (3) 
                                              Cream cheese is richer in vitamin E, which also provides antioxidant properties. (4)

                                              Cancer

                                              Calcium-rich foods, in this case, ricotta, are associated with increased risks of prostate cancer in males. It is essential to keep dairy consumption to moderate amounts. (5)

                                              References

                                              1. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34649831/
                                              2. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9318947/
                                              3. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10963212/
                                              4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3997530/
                                              5. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22081693/
                                              Article author photo Jack Yacoubian
                                              Education: Haigazian Medical University
                                              Last updated: October 31, 2024
                                              Medically reviewed by Ani Harutyunyan

                                              Infographic

                                              Cream cheese vs Ricotta infographic
                                              Infographic link

                                              All nutrients comparison - raw data values

                                              Nutrient Cream cheese Ricotta DV% diff.
                                              Saturated fat 20.213g 8.295g 54%
                                              Fats 34.44g 12.98g 33%
                                              Vitamin A 308µg 120µg 21%
                                              Cholesterol 101mg 51mg 17%
                                              Monounsaturated fat 8.907g 3.627g 13%
                                              Calcium 97mg 207mg 11%
                                              Selenium 8.6µg 14.5µg 11%
                                              Protein 6.15g 11.26g 10%
                                              Sodium 314mg 84mg 10%
                                              Calories 350kcal 174kcal 9%
                                              Phosphorus 107mg 158mg 7%
                                              Polyunsaturated fat 1.483g 0.385g 7%
                                              Vitamin B5 0.517mg 0.213mg 6%
                                              Zinc 0.5mg 1.16mg 6%
                                              Vitamin E 0.86mg 0.11mg 5%
                                              Vitamin B12 0.22µg 0.34µg 5%
                                              Vitamin B2 0.23mg 0.195mg 3%
                                              Iron 0.11mg 0.38mg 3%
                                              Choline 27.2mg 17.5mg 2%
                                              Vitamin D 0IU 10IU 1%
                                              Folate 9µg 12µg 1%
                                              Vitamin K 2.1µg 1.1µg 1%
                                              Vitamin B6 0.056mg 0.043mg 1%
                                              Carbs 5.52g 3.04g 1%
                                              Vitamin B1 0.023mg 0.013mg 1%
                                              Potassium 132mg 105mg 1%
                                              Vitamin D 0µg 0.2µg 1%
                                              Net carbs 5.52g 3.04g N/A
                                              Magnesium 9mg 11mg 0%
                                              Sugar 3.76g 0.27g N/A
                                              Copper 0.018mg 0.021mg 0%
                                              Starch 0.35g 0%
                                              Manganese 0.011mg 0.006mg 0%
                                              Vitamin B3 0.091mg 0.104mg 0%
                                              Tryptophan 0.069mg 0.125mg 0%
                                              Threonine 0.233mg 0.517mg 0%
                                              Isoleucine 0.324mg 0.589mg 0%
                                              Leucine 0.657mg 1.221mg 0%
                                              Lysine 0.567mg 1.338mg 0%
                                              Methionine 0.191mg 0.281mg 0%
                                              Phenylalanine 0.291mg 0.556mg 0%
                                              Valine 0.395mg 0.692mg 0%
                                              Histidine 0.175mg 0.459mg 0%
                                              Omega-3 - EPA 0.01g 0g N/A
                                              Omega-3 - ALA 0.125g N/A
                                              Omega-3 - DPA 0.02g 0g N/A
                                              Omega-3 - Eicosatrienoic acid 0.002g N/A
                                              Omega-6 - Gamma-linoleic acid 0.002g N/A
                                              Omega-6 - Dihomo-gamma-linoleic acid 0.036g N/A
                                              Omega-6 - Eicosadienoic acid 0.007g N/A
                                              Omega-6 - Linoleic acid 0.807g N/A

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                                              References

                                              All the values for which the sources are not specified explicitly are taken from FDA’s Food Central. The exact link to the food presented on this page can be found below.

                                              1. Cream cheese - https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/173418/nutrients
                                              2. Ricotta - https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/170851/nutrients

                                              All the Daily Values are presented for males aged 31-50, for 2000-calorie diets.

                                              Data provided by FoodStruct.com should be considered and used as information only. Please consult your physician before beginning any diet.