Keto dieters swear by cream cheese as the ideal cheese substitute. It’s high in fat and will help you reach your macros. However, is cream cheese keto? If you’re new to the keto diet, you might be wondering if using cream cheese is even allowed.
The keto diet is founded on the principle of eating foods that are low in carbohydrates and high in fats. The food list is as short as possible, excluding certain types of carbohydrates. Many of the commonly available foods are not part of the keto diet. With that in mind, is cream cheese keto?
The answer is yes, but only to a certain extent. When it comes to cream cheese, you have to keep the rest of the calories in mind. While the fat from cream cheese is an excellent source of keto fats, the rest of the calories from cream cheese will affect your macro goals.
If you’re looking to drop weight, limit your calorie intake, and keep your macros in check, then cream cheese is not the right choice for you. Here’s everything you need to know about using this ingredient in a keto diet.
What is cream cheese?
Cream cheese is a dairy product made from cream and bacterial cultures. It’s smooth, creamy, and doesn’t melt like butter.
It has a soft texture that is spreadable and can be used in cooking, baking, or on top of foods. You can create different dishes such as dips, sauces, cheesecakes, and more with this ingredient. While cream cheese isn’t keto-friendly in its natural state, it can be used to make some keto-friendly dishes.
Is cream cheese keto?
Cream cheese is a dairy product that has a high-fat content. It’s common to use cream cheese in keto recipes, making it the perfect substitute for heavy cream. Cream cheese is also a spreadable and fluffy topping for many different foods.
While cream cheese is higher in fat than heavy cream and contains fewer carbohydrates, it also contains calories. The calories are often hidden because they can be found in the ingredients listed on the label. For example, if you were to omit all of the ingredients from a typical jar of cream cheese with no added sugars, you would see 126 calories per tablespoon.
Since this ingredient isn’t keto-friendly, it should only be used sparingly when you have extra time on your hands to spend planning for your macros. The best way to use cream cheese in your keto diet is by using it as a replacement for heavy whip or whipped cream in low-carb recipes.
This will help you save on carbs and keep your macros under control while still enjoying some delicious food!
How to use cream cheese in a keto diet
While cream cheese is allowed in the keto diet, you have to keep your intake of calories in mind. If you’re looking to drop weight and lose fat while sticking with a low-carb plan, then cream cheese is not the right choice for you. It would be best to use heavy cream in place of cream cheese as it has fewer calories than cream cheese.
Things to be careful of while using cream cheese in a keto diet
Firstly, it’s important to know that cream cheese is only low-carb when eaten in moderation. Using cream cheese in bulk can lead to too many carbs for a keto diet.
Secondly, there are certain ingredients you should avoid if you want to keep your macros in check. Cream cheese is sometimes made with thickeners like xanthan gum or guar gum.
These additives will give the cream cheese a carb count that makes it not fit into the keto diet. Lastly, some brands add sugar and other fillers to their products, affecting your macro goals.
You can find a pure, keto-friendly brand of cream cheese by searching online or at your local health food store.
Summary
Of the article, Cream cheese is a dairy product that people usually eat on bread, in sandwiches, and as a spread.
It’s made from a mixture of cream, milk, and buttermilk that has been fermented with a bacterial culture. Cream cheese is high in fat, so it’s considered keto-friendly.
However, the rest of the calories in cream cheese can affect your macro goals if you want to lose weight or keep your macros in check.
