Cream cheese: how many calories?

Cream cheese carries 350 calories per 100 grams; a typical portion (30 g) comes to 105 calories. The tables below give the same figure in cups, spoons and slices.

100 g350kcal
  • Protein6.2 g
  • Carbs5.5 g
  • Fat34.0 g
  • Fibre0.0 g
1 portion · 30 g105kcal
  • Protein1.9 g
  • Carbs1.6 g
  • Fat10.2 g
  • Fibre0.0 g

Where do the calories come from?

  • Protein 7%
  • Carbs 6%
  • Fat 87%

The shares are calculated from the calorie value of the macros: protein and carbohydrate are 4 calories per gram, fat is 9. Fibre is counted inside the carbohydrate and there is no alcohol in this list, which is why the three shares always add up to one hundred percent.

What do these numbers mean on the plate?

Cream cheese carries 3.5 calories per gram: 29 grams are enough for 100 calories. This is the band of cheese and desserts — the smaller the portion, the more the eye is fooled, because a small amount looks like few calories.

A typical portion is 30 g. Because tables are written per 100 grams, counting the portion as 100 grams too is a common mistake; for Cream cheese that means overstating the calories by 233%.

In calories, one portion (30 g · 105 kcal) comes to: 29 g Corn flakes. Corn flakes page

One portion every day adds up to 38,325 calories a year — roughly a 5.0 kg difference. This is a linear estimate and an upper bound: as weight changes, daily needs change with it. Build your own timeline

In dairy, fat content is what varies most between two products sharing a name: the “light” version can drop to a third of the calories at the same weight.

Household measure equivalents

MeasureGramCaloriesProtein
Teaspoon (5 ml)4.8 g17 kcal0.3 g
Dessert spoon (10 ml)9.7 g34 kcal0.6 g
Tablespoon (15 ml)15 g51 kcal0.9 g
Glass (200 ml)194 g679 kcal12.0 g
1 serving30 g105 kcal1.9 g

A cup measures 200 millilitres, not 200 grams; the grams in the table therefore come from the food's own bulk density rather than from volume. Packing the cup down or chopping more finely shifts the figure by 10-20%. Convert your own measure

How much of the daily reference intake?

NutrientDaily reference100 g1 portion · 30 g
Calories2,000 kcal18%5%
Fat70 g49%15%
Carbs260 g2%1%
Protein50 g12%4%
Fibre25 g0%0%

The reference values are the figures EU Regulation 1169/2011 gives for an average adult — the %RI column on labels rests on the same numbers. They are not a personal target; the fibre row is not in the regulation, the 25 grams there is EFSA's adequate intake for adults. Work out your own calorie needs

Where does it sit within its group?

It is number 6 of the 7 foods in the Breakfast and dairy group by calories per 100 grams. The group averages 196 kcal; Cream cheese is 78% above that average.

Lighter options at the same 30 grams

FoodCaloriesDifferenceProtein
Strained yogurt — fat-freeGood swap18 kcal−87 kcal3.1 g
Yogurt — whole milkGood swap18 kcal−87 kcal1.1 g
Curd cheeseGood swap24 kcal−81 kcal3.3 g

The “good swap” mark only appears when an option lowers the calories without also lowering protein and fibre per 100 calories. Unmarked rows save calories but give up nutrient density. Try it with your own portion

How long does it take to burn one portion (30 g)?

  • Walking — brisk (5.6 km/h)26 min
  • Running — 8 km/h (7:30 min/km)12 min
  • Cycling — 16-19 km/h15 min

The times are for someone weighing 70 kilos and use NET burn: the resting calories that would have been spent anyway over the same period are subtracted. The heavier the person, the shorter the time. Calculate with your own weight

Foods with similar calories

Which claims could its label carry?

EU Regulation 1924/2006 ties every label claim to a numeric threshold. Cream cheese meets none of them; the closest one is “Protein source” (7% of its calories come from protein · threshold: at least 12%).

The values here are averages; on a real label the thresholds are applied to the product's OWN analysis. The list estimates which claim could be printed and guarantees none of them. For drinks, the calorie and fat thresholds run per 100 millilitres and are lower. Interpret your own label

Apply these numbers to your own portion

The values are averages taken from standard composition tables; a 10-15% difference between two products with the same name is normal, and the cooking method can double that gap. This page is for information and is not medical advice.