Whipped cream vs. Ice cream — Nutrition and Health Differences

Calories

Whipped cream provides more calories per hundred grams compared to ice cream. In a 100g serving, ice cream and whipped cream have 257 calories and 207 calories, respectively. 

The serving sizes for whipped and ice cream are one tablespoon (3 grams) and 1/2 cup (66 grams), respectively. One tablespoon of whipped cream has eight calories, and one cup provides 154 calories. One serving of ice cream has 137 calories.

Protein

Ice cream has slightly more protein per hundred grams than whipped cream. A hundred grams of ice cream provides 3.5g of protein, whereas whipped cream has 3.2g.

Fat Type Comparison

Whipped cream provides over two times more fats compared to ice cream. A hundred grams of ice cream provides 11g of fats, whereas whipped cream has 22.22g. 

Whipped cream has over two times more monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat. In contrast, ice cream has two times less saturated fats. The daily need for saturated fat for whipped cream is 35% higher. A hundred grams of whipped cream has 13.8g of saturated fat, while ice cream provides 6.8g.

Fat Type Comparison

Fat type breakdown side-by-side comparison

Whipped cream

2

Saturated Fat: Sat. Fat 13.831 g

Monounsaturated Fat: Mono. Fat 6.418 g

Polyunsaturated fat: Poly. Fat 0.825 g

Ice cream

1

Saturated Fat: Sat. Fat 6.79 g

Monounsaturated Fat: Mono. Fat 2.969 g

Polyunsaturated fat: Poly. Fat 0.452 g

Contains more Mono. FatMonounsaturated Fat	+116.2%
Contains more Poly. FatPolyunsaturated fat	+82.5%

Contains less Sat. FatSaturated Fat

-50.9%

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

A hundred grams of whipped cream does not contain omega-3 fatty acids, whereas ice cream has 0.7g of omega-3 EPA.

Cholesterol

Whipped cream has more cholesterol compared to ice cream. In a 100g serving, ice cream and whipped cream have 76 mg and 44mg of cholesterol, respectively.

Carbohydrates

Ice cream is the winner in this category. A hundred grams of ice cream provides 23.6g of carbs, whereas whipped cream has only 12.5g.

In a 100g serving, ice cream contains 22.9g of net carbs and 0.7g of dietary fiber. Whipped cream lacks dietary fiber.

Carbohydrate type comparison

Carbohydrate type breakdown side-by-side comparison

Whipped cream

0

Ice cream

0

Number of Vitamins

Whipped cream has more vitamins A, D, E, and K. Whipped cream provides over six times more vitamin K. In a 100g serving, ice cream and whipped cream have 0.3µg and 1.9µg vitamin K, respectively. On the other hand, ice cream provides more vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, and B12. Moreover, whipped cream does not contain vitamin C, whereas ice cream provides 0.6mg.

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.

Whipped cream

4

Ice cream

9

Contains more Vitamin AVitamin A	+62.7%
Contains more Vitamin E Vitamin E	+113.3%
Contains more Vitamin DVitamin D	+100%
Contains more Vitamin KVitamin K	+533.3%

Contains more Vitamin CVitamin C	+∞%
Contains more Vitamin B1Vitamin B1	+10.8%
Contains more Vitamin B2Vitamin B2	+269.2%
Contains more Vitamin B3Vitamin B3	+65.7%
Contains more Vitamin B5Vitamin B5	+90.5%
Contains more Vitamin B6Vitamin B6	+17.1%
Contains more Vitamin B12Vitamin B12	+34.5%
Contains more FolateFolate	+66.7%
Contains more CholineCholine	+54.8%

Number of Minerals

Ice cream wins in this category. Ice cream contains a considerably higher amount of choline, calcium, and manganese and is richer in potassium, zinc, phosphorus, copper, and iron. In contrast, whipped cream contains over ten times less sodium. A hundred grams of whipped cream has 8mg of sodium, whereas ice cream contains 80mg.

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.

Whipped cream

1

Ice cream

9

Contains less SodiumSodium

-90%

Contains more MagnesiumMagnesium	+27.3%
Contains more CalciumCalcium	+26.7%
Contains more PotassiumPotassium	+35.4%
Contains more IronIron	+80%
Contains more CopperCopper	+130%
Contains more ZincZinc	+86.5%
Contains more PhosphorusPhosphorus	+18%
Contains more ManganeseManganese	+700%
Contains more SeleniumSelenium	+28.6%

Glycemic Index

Whipped cream has a glycemic index of 55. The glycemic index of ice cream is 62. That indicates that whipped cream is low-GI food while ice cream is medium-GI food.

You can click this link to learn more about the glycemic index readings of foods.

Insulin Index

While there is no study on the insulin index of whipped cream, ice cream has an insulin index of 89.

Acidity

The PRAL, or potential renal acid load, is the amount of acid or base produced by meals inside the body. Whipped cream has a PRAL value of 0.2, whereas the PRAL level of ice cream is -0.6. That means whipped cream is acid-forming, while ice cream is alkaline-forming.

Diabetes

Low GI foods may lower postprandial glycemia, resulting in more stable blood glucose levels. They also may decrease weight gain in persons with prediabetes or diabetes.

Whipped cream has a lower GI, so it is the better choice for people with Type 2 Diabetes (1).

Lactose Intolerance

Whipped cream and ice cream are dairy products and contain milk as one of their main ingredients. One serving of ice cream contains 2 - 6g lactose, whereas whipped cream has less than 0.5g (2).

Lactose-intolerant people cannot digest considerable amounts of lactose due to a genetically insufficient level of the enzyme lactase. Following the consumption of lactose-containing meals, common symptoms include stomach discomfort and bloating, excessive flatus,, watery stool, and sometimes constipation (3).

Reducing the amount of lactose in the diet by eliminating lactose-containing foods helps to alleviate the disease's symptoms (4).

Allergy

Dairy products that contain milk are the most common cause of allergy. People who are allergic to milk must avoid ice cream and whipped cream. If you are allergic to milk, your immune system recognizes the protein in milk as potentially harmful. Common symptoms are rash, swelling, trouble breathing, wheezing, loss of consciousness, or even it can be fatal (5). 

Cardiovascular Health

Section reviewed by cardiologist Astghik Grigoryan

Regular consumption of whipped cream and ice cream may cause metabolic syndrome with symptoms such as high blood pressure, high triglycerides, and being overweight or obese. It means that cardiovascular risk will be increased in the presence of metabolic syndrome. It means, in turn, that the risk of myocardial infarction and stroke will be increased.

On the other hand, this study found that eating an antioxidant ice cream made from high-polyphenol foods can improve vascular function and physical performance by battling oxidative stress. It can benefit healthy people, athletes, the elderly, and those with chronic or degenerative diseases due to its potent antioxidant properties (6).

Consuming whipping cream and ice cream in moderation is important due to the uncertain findings on the benefits and risks of full-fat dairy. To ensure your safety, limit your saturated fat intake to 5% to 6% of your daily calorie intake, as the American Heart Association recommends. For instance, if you consume around 2,000 calories daily, do not consume more than 120 calories from saturated fat, which is approximately 13 grams of saturated fat per day (7).

Taste and Use

Whipped cream made with heavy cream tastes rich, creamy, and slightly sweet. Adding sugar and vanilla makes it taste sweeter and smell better. It's light and easy to eat, which makes it a nice change from heavier desserts or drinks.

Ice cream tastes cold, creamy, and sweet with a smooth texture. Depending on the flavor, ice cream can have added tastes like fruit (blueberries, strawberries, raspberries), chocolate, nuts, or other things mixed in, which make its flavor more interesting.

Whipped cream is typically used as a topping, whereas ice cream is eaten alone or with desserts, such as sundaes, milkshakes, or floats.

Whipped cream has an airy and billowy texture and is the ideal topping for pies, cakes, cupcakes, crepes, cheesecake, and trifles. You can add some flavoring such as powdered sugar, coffee, orange zest, chocolate, and vanilla extract.

Ice cream is available in different flavors and can include extra components such as fruits, nuts, chocolate, or cookies.