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  6. Pudding vs. Custard

Pudding vs. Custard — What Is The Difference?

Article author photo Ani Harutyunyan by Ani Harutyunyan | Last updated on July 26, 2023
Medically reviewed by Igor Bussel Article author photo Igor Bussel
Pudding
vs
Custard

Summary

Chocolate pudding contains more phosphorus and iron, while custard is richer in vitamins B2, B5, and B12. 100g of pudding covers 102% of the DV of phosphorus. Custard is nine times higher in cholesterol and three times lower in sodium. 

Table of contents

  1. Introduction
    1. Actual Differences
      1. Nutrition
        1. Calories
          1. Fats
            1. Cholesterol
              1. Carbs
                1. Protein
                  1. Minerals
                    1. Vitamins
                      1. Glycemic index
                        1. Insulin Index
                         

                        Introduction

                        A cooked mixture of milk or cream, butter, sugar, and flour is called pudding. Pudding can be made without eggs, with the thickness coming from cornstarch or flour. This creamy dish is best served in a bowl, occasionally with berries or whipped cream on top. Chocolate pudding contains chocolate or cocoa powder additionally. This dessert is trendy in America and the United Kingdom. 

                        Custard is a cooked combination of eggs, cream, and sweetened milk. It serves as the foundation for a variety of sweets, including pastry cream, crème brûlée, crème caramel, and crème anglaise. Eggs are a key custard ingredient since they are a thickening agent. The custard thickens as the egg yolk-to-cream ratio increases.

                        Actual Differences

                        While both have many similarities, pudding, and custard are different, especially regarding ingredients and preparation. Let us go through some differences between these two. 

                        The main difference between pudding and custard is the thickening agent used for the preparation of each dessert. Pudding uses cornstarch or flour as a natural thickening agent instead of eggs to transform sweetened milk into your favorite dessert. Eggs are a necessary custard ingredient since they give the dessert gelatinous consistency.

                        Pudding is lighter and fluffier than traditional custard. Custard has a heavier and firmer texture. 

                        One of the key differences is flavoring. Everyone knows about pudding's chocolate and vanilla flavors, but usually, no one flavors custard. 

                        Nutrition

                        Now let's explore the nutritional differences between chocolate pudding and egg custard. Both desserts contain nearly 75% of water but differ in the distribution of other nutrients. 

                        Macronutrient Comparison

                        Macronutrient breakdown side-by-side comparison
                        3% 3% 20% 73%
                        Protein: 3.16 g
                        Fats: 3.15 g
                        Carbs: 19.64 g
                        Water: 73.13 g
                        Other: 0.92 g
                        4% 4% 18% 73%
                        Protein: 3.99 g
                        Fats: 4 g
                        Carbs: 17.6 g
                        Water: 73.45 g
                        Other: 0.96 g
                        Contains more CarbsCarbs +11.6%
                        Contains more ProteinProtein +26.3%
                        Contains more FatsFats +27%
                        ~equal in Water ~73.45g
                        ~equal in Other ~0.96g
                         

                        Calories

                        Both pudding and custard are medium-calorie food products. Custard is higher in calories: it provides 122 calories per 100g, while the same amount of pudding has 105 calories. 

                        Fats

                        There is a significant difference between the fat content of these two desserts: custard pastry has 2.1g more fat. Custard is higher in saturated fats. 

                        Cholesterol

                        Custard is nearly nine times richer in cholesterol. Pudding provides 6mg of it, while custard contains 51mg. 

                        Fat Type Comparison

                        Fat type breakdown side-by-side comparison
                        64% 29% 6%
                        Saturated Fat: Sat. Fat 1.81 g
                        Monounsaturated Fat: Mono. Fat 0.819 g
                        Polyunsaturated fat: Poly. Fat 0.18 g
                        59% 32% 9%
                        Saturated Fat: Sat. Fat 2.032 g
                        Monounsaturated Fat: Mono. Fat 1.127 g
                        Polyunsaturated fat: Poly. Fat 0.312 g
                        Contains less Sat. FatSaturated Fat -10.9%
                        Contains more Mono. FatMonounsaturated Fat +37.6%
                        Contains more Poly. FatPolyunsaturated fat +73.3%
                         

                        Carbs

                        The amounts of carbs in the two desserts come from their ingredients. Pudding is a little higher in carbs than custard: 100g contains 18.9g and 17.6g of carbohydrates. Custard is higher in sugar content. Pudding provides more dietary fiber than custard. 

                        @carbcontent 

                        Protein

                        Custard and pudding contain some proteins due to their ingredients. Custard contains 0.84 more protein per 100g, so that this difference can be neglected. 

                        Minerals

                        The mineral composition of these food products is almost similar. However, pudding is higher in iron, magnesium, phosphorus, and copper. In contrast, calcium, potassium, and zinc levels are higher in custard. Check the mineral comparison in the chart below. 

                        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 14% 32% 13% 13% 37% 13% 37% 13% 13% 20%
                        Magnesium Magnesium Calcium Calcium Potassium Potassium Iron Iron Copper Copper Zinc Zinc Phosphorus Phosphorus Sodium Sodium Manganese Manganese Selenium Selenium 11% 42% 18% 13% 10% 14% 56% 11% 0.91% 33%
                        Contains more MagnesiumMagnesium +25%
                        Contains more CopperCopper +270%
                        Contains more ManganeseManganese +1285.7%
                        Contains more CalciumCalcium +31.1%
                        Contains more PotassiumPotassium +38%
                        Contains more PhosphorusPhosphorus +49.4%
                        Contains less SodiumSodium -14.3%
                        Contains more SeleniumSelenium +62.2%
                        ~equal in Iron ~0.34mg
                        ~equal in Zinc ~0.51mg
                         

                        Vitamins

                        Custard has higher vitamin content than pudding. Custard is richer in all B-complex vitamins. Pudding is eight times richer in vitamin C.

                        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% 8.3% 1.2% 33% 9.5% 36% 2.5% 20% 6.9% 39% 0.75% 3% 6.2%
                        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 0.33% 11% 1.2% 36% 15% 51% 2.5% 42% 15% 65% 0.5% 6.8% 6.4%
                        Contains more Vitamin KVitamin K +50%
                        Contains more Vitamin CVitamin C +∞%
                        Contains more Vitamin AVitamin A +30.9%
                        Contains more Vitamin B1Vitamin B1 +60.5%
                        Contains more Vitamin B2Vitamin B2 +40.1%
                        Contains more Vitamin B5Vitamin B5 +114.4%
                        Contains more Vitamin B6Vitamin B6 +113.3%
                        Contains more Vitamin B12Vitamin B12 +67.7%
                        Contains more FolateFolate +125%
                        ~equal in Vitamin E ~0.06mg
                        ~equal in Vitamin D ~1.2µg
                        ~equal in Vitamin B3 ~0.132mg
                        ~equal in Choline ~11.8mg
                         

                        Glycemic index

                        Both custard and pudding are considered to have a low glycemic index. However, pudding's GI (51) is higher than the GI of custard (35). You can check the GI values for the other foods by visiting our glycemic index chart.

                        Insulin Index

                        The insulin index of custard is lower than that of pudding. Custard has an insulin index of 57, whereas the insulin index of the pudding is equal to 80.

                        Article author photo Ani Harutyunyan
                        Education: General Medicine at YSMU
                        Last updated: July 26, 2023
                        Medically reviewed by Igor Bussel

                        Infographic

                        Pudding vs Custard infographic
                        Infographic link

                        Comparison summary table

                        Pay attention to the rightmost column. It displays the amounts side by side, giving a clearer understanding of the difference.
                        Pudding Custard
                        Lower in Cholesterol ok
                        Lower in Saturated Fat ok
                        Lower in Sugar ok
                        Lower in Sodium ok
                        Lower in Glycemic Index ok
                        Lower in price ok
                        Rich in vitamins ok
                        Rich in minerals Equal

                        All nutrients comparison - raw data values

                        Nutrient Pudding Custard Opinion
                        Calories 120kcal 122kcal Custard
                        Protein 3.16g 3.99g Custard
                        Fats 3.15g 4g Custard
                        Vitamin C 0mg 0.1mg Custard
                        Net carbs 18.84g 17.6g Pudding
                        Carbs 19.64g 17.6g Pudding
                        Cholesterol 9mg 51mg Pudding
                        Vitamin D 44IU 47IU Custard
                        Magnesium 20mg 16mg Pudding
                        Calcium 106mg 139mg Custard
                        Potassium 150mg 207mg Custard
                        Iron 0.34mg 0.34mg
                        Sugar 11.96g 4.82g Custard
                        Fiber 0.8g 0g Pudding
                        Copper 0.111mg 0.03mg Pudding
                        Zinc 0.48mg 0.51mg Custard
                        Phosphorus 87mg 130mg Custard
                        Sodium 98mg 84mg Custard
                        Vitamin A 139IU 182IU Custard
                        Vitamin A 39µg 52µg Custard
                        Vitamin E 0.06mg 0.06mg
                        Vitamin D 1.1µg 1.2µg Custard
                        Manganese 0.097mg 0.007mg Pudding
                        Selenium 3.7µg 6µg Custard
                        Vitamin B1 0.038mg 0.061mg Custard
                        Vitamin B2 0.157mg 0.22mg Custard
                        Vitamin B3 0.133mg 0.132mg Pudding
                        Vitamin B5 0.326mg 0.699mg Custard
                        Vitamin B6 0.03mg 0.064mg Custard
                        Vitamin B12 0.31µg 0.52µg Custard
                        Vitamin K 0.3µg 0.2µg Pudding
                        Folate 4µg 9µg Custard
                        Choline 11.3mg 11.8mg Custard
                        Saturated Fat 1.81g 2.032g Pudding
                        Monounsaturated Fat 0.819g 1.127g Custard
                        Polyunsaturated fat 0.18g 0.312g Custard
                        Tryptophan 0.082mg Custard
                        Threonine 0.192mg Custard
                        Isoleucine 0.207mg Custard
                        Leucine 0.337mg Custard
                        Lysine 0.214mg Custard
                        Methionine 0.091mg Custard
                        Phenylalanine 0.173mg Custard
                        Valine 0.233mg Custard
                        Histidine 0.092mg Custard
                        Omega-3 - DHA 0g 0.003g Custard

                        Which food is preferable for your diet?

                        ok
                        ok
                        is better in case of low diet
                        Pudding Custard
                        Low Calories diet ok
                        Low Fats diet ok
                        Low Carbs diet ok
                        Low Glycemic Index diet ok

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                        Vitamins & Minerals Daily Need Coverage Score

                        The summary scores indicate the extent to which this food can fulfill your daily vitamin and mineral requirements if you consume 3 servings, consisting of 100 grams of each (an approximation of 3 serving sizes).
                        Vitamins Daily Need Coverage Score
                        13%
                        Pudding
                        19%
                        Custard
                        Minerals Daily Need Coverage Score
                        21%
                        Pudding
                        21%
                        Custard

                        Comparison summary

                        Which food is lower in Cholesterol?
                        Pudding
                        Pudding is lower in Cholesterol (difference - 42mg)
                        Which food is lower in Saturated Fat?
                        Pudding
                        Pudding is lower in Saturated Fat (difference - 0.222g)
                        Which food is lower in Sugar?
                        Custard
                        Custard is lower in Sugar (difference - 7.14g)
                        Which food contains less Sodium?
                        Custard
                        Custard contains less Sodium (difference - 14mg)
                        Which food is lower in glycemic index?
                        Custard
                        Custard is lower in glycemic index (difference - 12)
                        Which food is cheaper?
                        Custard
                        Custard is cheaper (difference - $0.5)
                        Which food is richer in vitamins?
                        Custard
                        Custard is relatively richer in vitamins
                        Which food is richer in minerals?
                        ?
                        It cannot be stated which food is richer in vitamins. See the charts below for detailed information. See the charts below for detailed information. See the charts below for detailed information.

                        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. Pudding - https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/169604/nutrients
                        2. Custard - https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/168773/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.