Heavy cream is a thick, delicious dairy product that seems to make everything taste better
Despite its taste, heavy cream has traditionally had a bad reputation due to its high fat content
In this article we will look at the full nutritional profile of heavy cream and possible health effects
First, heavy cream is a minimally processed dairy product that comes from milk
The production process of cream is very simple and involves skimming off the high-butterfat topping of ordinary milk
Fresh milk that has yet to undergo homogenization naturally has this denser, creamier top layer
Second, there are some important differences between the available ices that we can buy
To try and make it a little easier to understand, the table below shows the types of cream available in the United States and the United Kingdom (1, 2, 3);
Type of cream
Butterfat content (%)
Clotted Cream (UK)
Double Cream (UK)
Heavy Cream (USA)
Heavy Cream (USA)
whipping cream (USA)
whipping cream (USA)
Light cream (UK/US)
As the table shows, heavy cream has a butterfat content of at least 36%, but it can go up to 40%
This minimum butterfat content that manufacturers strive for is to be sure that the cream will whip (4)
Heavy cream is the rough equivalent of whipping cream in the UK
What is the difference between heavy cream and (US) whipping cream?
In the United States, heavy cream and whipping cream are very similar, but there are some slight differences;
Heavy cream typically contains at least 36% butterfat, but the minimum for whipping cream is only 30% (4)
Due to the difference in fat content, heavy cream has a firmer and denser texture after being whipped
These are the only real differences, and both ices are good options depending on the required properties
Key Point: Heavy cream contains about 36% butterfat and it comes in a liquid state
It is easily whipped to a firm and dense cream
The following table shows the full nutritional values for heavy cream per 100 ml (338 fl oz)
Calories/Nutrient
Fat
Saturated fat
Monounsaturated fat
Polyunsaturated fats
As shown above, heavy cream provides a large amount of (mainly saturated) fat
It contains only small amounts of carbohydrates and proteins
Heavy cream is an excellent source of vitamin A (retinol) in its most bioavailable form
Key Point: Heavy cream is a significant source of (mainly saturated) fat
With the exception of vitamin A, it provides low to moderate amounts of vitamins and minerals
Health Benefits of Heavy Cream
Over the past few decades, many of us have come to fear dietary fat because of the low-fat guidelines and health promotion of low-fat dairy products
However, this belief that all fat is “bad” for us was very misplaced
In fact, natural sources of fat, in reasonable amounts, are nothing to fear and even have benefits for our health
Here’s a look at some of heavy cream’s health benefits
1 Heavy cream contains a healthy source of fat
Dietary fat is important for many processes in our body, so we must recognize that it provides health benefits
First, fat provides significant amounts of energy and supports a healthy metabolism
Second, dietary fat intake helps our body absorb fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K
We absorb these essential vitamins in the intestines, provided sufficient fat is present
Plant sources of vitamin A and K in particular have very low bioavailability without an adequate amount of dietary fat (5, 6)
2 Heavy Cream is a good high-fat, low-carb option for diabetics
To be clear; there is nothing inherently bad about (whole food) sources of carbohydrates
Yes, as a society we eat too many carbohydrates, especially refined carbohydrates and sugar, but fruits and vegetables should not be demonized
That said, large numbers of people suffer from type 2 diabetes and prediabetes in the modern world
Low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet is a clinically proven dietary intervention for obesity and diabetes
With its high fat content, heavy cream fits this profile perfectly (8, 9)
3 Heavy Cream Provides Calcium
Heavy cream contains calcium, a mineral that plays an important role in skeletal health
In addition, calcium is essential for the muscle and central nervous system and, among many other functions, helps stimulate muscle contraction (10)
On the downside, it’s hard to get enough calcium from heavy cream
While both cream and milk contain calcium, the calorie content of each varies greatly
Due to the high energy density of heavy cream, there is a limit to how much we can consume
4 Heavy cream is lower in lactose
Heavy cream only contains lower amounts of the milk sugar lactose compared to milk
Lactose intolerance rates can be as high as 90% in East Asia or as low as 5% in Northern Europe
However, for those who do suffer with a mild sensitivity to lactose, they can handle heavy cream better than milk
For example, milk contains 5% lactose, so a cup of milk will provide almost 15 grams of the milk sugar
On the other hand, heavy cream is 3% lactose by weight and people generally only consume small amounts of it
Key Point: Heavy cream provides some important nutrients, and it also contains less lactose than milk
Concerns about heavy cream
The main concern with heavy cream revolves around the energy-to-nutrient density ratio and possible overconsumption
Heavy Cream is extremely high in calories and fat
First, to avoid confusion, there is nothing wrong with foods that contain high amounts of calories or fat
In fact, high-fat foods can be incredibly healthy
However, the problem with heavy cream (and other isolated fats like butter and coconut oil) is that they are energy dense, but not very nutrient dense
A little heavy cream in your morning coffee?
Or maybe a bowl of berries with a little cream on top?
But how about eating cups of it every day?
You’re replacing nutrient-dense whole foods with cream and getting less nutrients from your diet than you should be
Or you consume large amounts of cream in addition to normal meals, which, in such amounts, will encourage weight gain
Heavy cream is a perfectly healthy dairy food, but it lacks nutritional value compared to whole food sources of fat such as eggs, meat or fish
Sometimes people may be sensitive to dairy products, or they may not be able to get heavy cream at a time when they need it
In either of these cases, there are many good substitute options for heavy cream
Key Point: Is heavy cream bad for us?
No, but it’s not very nutrient dense compared to the amount of energy it provides
How to make heavy cream – at home!
Maybe you need a heavy cream but don’t have any on hand?
Don’t worry because it’s surprisingly easy to make at home
While it won’t be exactly the same, it is an excellent substitute for heavy cream that is equivalent in taste/fat content
All you need is a little time and two ingredients;
Butter: 75 grams (⅓ cup)
First, measure the required amount of milk into a bowl
Then melt the butter in a pan
Butter can burn quite easily, so it is important to use a low temperature and keep stirring until it is completely liquid
Place the liquid butter in a bowl and leave to cool
Once the butter has cooled, add it to the milk and stir vigorously until completely combined to a smooth consistency
You will now have some homemade heavy cream that you can use immediately or refrigerate for later use
Key Point: We can make a heavy cream substitute at home; it only requires butter, whole milk and about 10 minutes of time
Heavy Cream Recipes
Many people enjoy heavy cream but don’t really know what to make with it
For this reason, here are five delicious recipe ideas
1 Mushroom soup
A warm, thick and creamy mushroom soup tastes amazing – especially on a cold day
To make this recipe, start by lightly frying the mushrooms, onion and garlic cloves in butter
Once the vegetables begin to soften, add the heavy cream, chicken stock, salt and pepper
Bring to the boil then lower the heat and simmer on low for 1 hour
2 Strawberries and Cream
Strawberries and heavy cream are one of the best food pairings you can make; they just work, that’s why everyone loves them
For a tasty bowl, the following ingredients work well;
Strawberries: 100 grams (⅔ cup)
Measure the strawberries into a bowl, then add a few drops of vanilla extract to the cream and stir
Then simply pour the cream over the strawberries and enjoy
3 Ricotta Cheese
For those who are feeling adventurous (and love to eat cheese) it is entirely possible to make ricotta at home
Since the cheese is fresh, it requires no fermentation and only requires a handful of ingredients (plus a strainer and cheese cloth);
Whole milk: 600 ml (2 ½ cups)
Whole milk: 600 ml (2 ½ cups)
White wine vinegar: 1 tablespoon
Ricotta cheese is much easier to make at home than you might expect; it is quite an easy process
Before you begin, line a sieve with cheesecloth and place the sieve over a bowl
To start making the ricotta, first add the whole milk, heavy cream and salt to a pan
Heat at medium temperature until the mixture begins to foam and bubble (but do not boil)
At this point, reduce the heat and add the lemon juice and white wine vinegar
After this simmer while stirring constantly
You will notice that the mixture will start to thicken and it will eventually curl
Remove the pan from the heat and pour the mixture into the cheesecloth-lined sieve
Let it drain for about half an hour – or longer if you want thicker ricotta
After you drain, you will be left with the thick cheese solids and you can use them in any ricotta recipe
If you don’t want to use it all at once, keep it in the fridge for a few days as well
4 Heavy Cream Coffee
There may be a trend these days to drink coffee with butter, but – to me at least – heavy cream tastes so much better
Just make a regular coffee and add as many tablespoons of cream as you like
You can add the cream in its freshly chilled state, but it’s better if you heat it first – a steaming hot coffee is always ideal
If you want something really indulgent (as a rare treat), you can also heat a (small) cup of heavy cream and add it to 1 or 2 shots of espresso
The latter option tastes amazing, but is extremely high in fat/calories, so should only be a rare treat
5 Spicy cream of tomato soup
For a creamy tomato soup with a bit of bite, try this recipe
1 cup heavy cream (240 ml)
1 cup heavy cream (240 ml)
1 cup heavy cream (240 ml)
1 cup heavy cream (240 ml)
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp butter
10 fresh basil leaves
3 cups chicken stock (720 ml)
3 cups chicken stock (720 ml)
Black pepper (to taste)
Black pepper (to taste)
To make this soup, sauté the onions in butter until they begin to soften
Then add the chicken broth, garlic, red pepper, salt and black pepper and bring to the boil
When the soup starts to boil, lower the heat and pour the heavy cream into the pan
Stir well until the soup has a fine creamy consistency and then simmer gently for about 20 minutes
At this point, add the basil leaves to the soup and then simmer for another ten minutes or so
After 10 minutes, the soup should be ready to serve
Key Point: There are many delicious heavy cream recipes
Heavy cream is a delicious high-fat dairy food, and when you use it in the kitchen, it leads to great things
However, cream is not the most nutritious food in the world
If you enjoy it, don’t worry about using it in sensible amounts – whether it’s with your coffee, berries or in the occasional recipe
For more dairy ideas, see this guide to clotted cream – a delicious dairy food with a high butterfat content
Related Dairy Articles
Cheese: good or bad?
A Guide to Milk: Nutrition Facts, Benefits, Cons