Cream is the high-fat portion of liquid milk, typically separated from the bulk of the fluid and sold as a separate product or incorporated into foods such as ice cream. Raw cream has not undergone pasteurization, a process of heat treatment that kills potential food-borne pathogens. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, says raw dairy products, including raw cream, are unsafe for consumption, as they might harbor toxic microorganisms. However, the nutrition of cream is essentially the same whether it is raw or pasteurized, according to the FDA.
Fat
Nearly all the calories – roughly 95 percent – in heavy whipping cream come from its fat content. A cup of this cream, enough for 2 cups of whipped cream, contains 88 g of dietary fat. Saturated fat accounts for more than half the total fat, and this portion of cream also includes 326 mg of cholesterol. Both saturated fat and cholesterol correlate with an increased risk of heart disorders when you consume them in high amounts. Although fat is a vital component of good nutrition, supplying fat-soluble vitamins as well as a concentrated source of energy for your cells, the fat in raw cream is not the best kind for optimal health.
Carbohydrates and Protein
Because of its rich fat content, raw cream contains few carbohydrate or protein. A 1-cup portion has less than 7 grams of carbs and less than 5 grams of protein. Your body uses carbs as its primary energy source and proteins to build muscle, repair tissue and synthesize biological molecules. Carbs and protein are essential nutrients for good health, but the amounts present in this dairy product are insufficient to contribute greatly to your body’s need for them.
Vitamins
Cream contains fat-soluble vitamins, as well as B vitamins. A cup of heavy whipping cream offers 116 percent of your daily requirement for vitamin A for males and 150 percent for females. It also supplies 35 percent of the vitamin D and 16 percent of the vitamin E you need each day. In addition, this volume of cream gives you 22 percent of your recommended daily intake for riboflavin and 12 percent of your pantothenic acid.
Minerals
A cup of cream contains 16 percent of the calcium and 21 percent of the phosphorus you need each day. It also supplies you with less than 5 percent of your daily requirement for iron, potassium and zinc. However, consuming less than a cup of cream contributes proportionally less of these minerals to your diet. For example, adding a tablespoon, or 1/16 of a cup, of raw cream to your morning coffee provides only 1 percent of your daily need for calcium. The same calculation holds true for the vitamin content of raw cream.
References
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration; "Questions & Answers: Raw Milk"; March 2007
- U.S. Department of Agriculture: National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference -- Cream, Fluid, Heavy Whipping
- University of Illinois McKinley Health Center; "Macronutrients: the Importance of Carbohydrate, Protein, and Fat"; March 2008
- University of Illinois McKinley Health Center; "Vitamins and Minerals"; March 2008
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology; "Best Foods for Specific Vitamins"; November 2006
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