Cheddar and cream cheese are two of the most popular types of cheese. But what exactly sets them apart?
Cheddar is a hard, natural cheese made from cow's milk and aged for months to develop a sharp, tangy flavor.
Cream cheese is a fresh, spreadable cheese made from milk and cream that has a rich, mild taste.
Ingredients in Cheddar and Cream Cheese
The ingredients that go into making cheddar and cream cheese can vary slightly by brand, but generally:
Cheddar Cheese Main Ingredients
- Pasteurized milk
- Cheese cultures
- Salt
- Rennet (coagulating enzyme)
Cream Cheese Main Ingredients
- Milk
- Cream
- Cheese cultures
- Salt
- Stabilizers like carob bean gum or guar gum (in some varieties)
So while basic cheddar relies mainly on milk, cultures, rennet and salt for its tang and texture, cream cheese sometimes adds gums to create a richer, spreadable consistency.
Let’s look closer at some key parts of the cheddar and cream cheese making process.
Culturing Process Differs
Cheddar uses bacterial cultures that continue to grow and acidify the cheese over months. This fermentation creates complex, robust flavors.
By contrast, cream cheese culturing happens faster, with its fresh dairy flavors stopping at a milder stage.
Moisture Levels Vary
During production, excess moisture gets removed from cheddar curds via heating, cutting, stacking, and pressing. This helps cheddar become firm enough to grate or slice.
With its creamy texture, cream cheese retains more moisture overall during processing.
Key Takeaway: Cheddar tends to have simpler ingredients, while commercial cream cheese often includes thickeners and stabilizers.
Nutrition Comparison: Macros and Vitamins
Now let’s analyze the nutrition you’re getting from a typical one-ounce (28 gram) serving of cheddar or cream cheese:
| Nutrient | Cheddar | Cream Cheese |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 113 | 99 |
| Fat | 9 g | 10 g |
| Carbs | < 1 g | 2 g |
| Protein | 7 g | 2 g |
| Calcium | 227 mg | 98 mg |
| Vitamin A | 15% DV | 20% DV |
| Vitamin B12 | 15% DV | 2% DV |
Cheddar really stands out here for providing more protein and important vitamins and minerals like calcium and vitamin B12.
Cream cheese offers a bit more fat and calories per serving.
Let's analyze the differences in more detail:
Protein Content
Per ounce, cheddar has over 3 times as much protein as cream cheese. All that milk protein gets concentrated as cheddar ages.
So snacking on cheddar can help fill you up, in addition to providing more essential amino acids for building and repairing muscle tissue.
Calcium, Vitamin B12 Levels Higher With Cheddar
Since it takes nearly 10 pounds of milk to make one pound of cheddar, all that calcium and vitamin B12 from the original milk accumulates.
Cheddar’s high calcium content helps strengthen bones and teeth. And increased vitamin B12 assists with energy and red blood cell production.
Fat and Calories Differ Too
Cream cheese does contain slightly more total fat and calories per ounce. Much of this comes from the dairy cream used in production.
However, cheddar still provides a good amount of fat too, which helps you absorb its fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K.
Comparing Health Impacts: Heart Health and Weight Management
How might enjoying cheddar or cream cheese affect heart disease risk or weight management goals?
Saturated Fat Levels
Both cheeses are high in saturated fat, with cheddar providing around 5.7 grams and cream cheese about 6.7 grams per ounce.
In decades past, health authorities stressed limiting dietary saturated fats to protect heart health.
However, updated analyses of dozens of studies find no strong evidence connecting saturated fat from cheese to increased cardiovascular disease. Moderate saturated fat intake from dairy even associates with lower obesity rates and diabetes.
So the latest research indicates cheddar and cream cheese’s saturated fat contents aren’t major health barriers if enjoyed in sensible amounts as part of an overall balanced diet.
Weight Management Benefits
Between cheddar and cream cheese, experts would recommend picking cheddar more often if aiming to lose or maintain weight.
Here’s why:
- Cheddar is lower in calories per serving
- Cheddar provides more satiating protein
- Emerging research links cheddar intake specifically with lower body weight
So snacking on a little cheddar could curb hunger better and be less likely to lead to potential weight gain over time compared to cream cheese.
Best Uses for Cheddar vs. Cream Cheese When Cooking
When it comes to cooking applications for cheddar or cream cheese, each has strengths based on their distinct textures and flavors.
Cheddar Cheese
- Grating or melting into eggs, soups, casseroles
- Pairing with fruits and vegetables
- Serving with crackers or breads
- Enhancing sandwiches and burgers
Cream Cheese
- Spreading onto bagels and toast
- Using in dips, sauces and salad dressings
- Making cheesecake or frosting
- Filling pastas, crepes or baked goods
In general, cheddar’s firmness holds up to melting and grating, while cream cheese offers a luscious texture and tender crumb when baked.
And each can contribute subtly different flavors. For instance, cheddar’s sharpness stands out when paired with apples or crackers. But cream cheese offers a versatile base to mix with fruits or herbs in a breakfast spread or dip.
FAQs
Is cream cheese actually a type of cheese?
Yes, cream cheese meets federal standards to be labeled as a cheese product. It contains at least 33% milk fat, just like regular cheeses. Its smooth, thick texture comes from the additional cream used during processing.
Is one healthier than the other?
Cheddar cheese is often considered the healthier choice due its higher protein, calcium and vitamin B12 contents. It may also have modest weight management advantages. However, both can fit into a balanced diet.
Why does cheddar last longer than cream cheese?
As a fresh cheese, cream cheese has a shorter shelf life – just around 2-3 weeks after opening. Without preservatives, its high moisture content makes it prone to faster mold growth.
In contrast, cheddar’s lower moisture and higher acidity allows it to keep for months, gradually intensifying in flavor. The aging process essentially makes cheddar “pre-spoiled” to resist further decay.
Can you bake with cream cheese or cheddar?
You can bake with both! Their slightly different properties make each better suited to some applications. Since cheddar becomes beautifully gooey when melted, it’s perfect for casseroles. Cream cheese has an almost frosting-like texture from its extra fat, making it useful in desserts like cheesecake or carrot cake.
Conclusion
While cheddar and cream cheese both qualify as cheese, they have distinct nutritional qualities and culinary purposes.
Cheddar packs a more concentrated dairy punch with much protein. Cream cheese offers a dreamy texture befitting sweet and savory spreads.