Cream Cheese vs. Parmesan Cheese
Nutrition comparison of Cream Cheese and Parmesan Cheese
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
cream cheese
versus
parmesan cheese
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in cream cheese and parmesan cheese:
- Both parmesan cheese and cream cheese are high in Vitamin A, calcium, calories and saturated fat.
- Parmesan cheese has more Vitamin B12.
- Parmesan cheese is an excellent source of protein.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Cream Cheese (Cheese, cream) and Parmesan Cheese (Cheese, parmesan, hard) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Both parmesan cheese and cream cheese are high in calories. Parmesan cheese has 12% more calories than cream cheese - parmesan cheese has 392 calories per 100 grams and cream cheese has 350 calories.
For macronutrient ratios, cream cheese is much lighter in protein, much heavier in fat and similar to parmesan cheese for carbs. Cream cheese has a macronutrient ratio of 7:6:87 and for parmesan cheese, 38:3:59 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.
Macro Ratios from Calories:
| Cream Cheese | Parmesan Cheese | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 7% | 38% |
| Carbohydrates | 6% | 3% |
| Fat | 87% | 59% |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Parmesan cheese and cream cheese contain similar amounts of carbs - parmesan cheese has 3.2g of total carbs per 100 grams and cream cheese has 5.5g of carbohydrates.
sugar
Parmesan cheese and cream cheese contain similar amounts of sugar - parmesan cheese has 0.11g of sugar per 100 grams and cream cheese has 3.8g of sugar.
Protein
protein
Parmesan cheese is an excellent source of protein and it has 481% more protein than cream cheese - parmesan cheese has 35.8g of protein per 100 grams and cream cheese has 6.2g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Both parmesan cheese and cream cheese are high in saturated fat. Cream cheese has 36% more saturated fat than parmesan cheese - parmesan cheese has 14.9g of saturated fat per 100 grams and cream cheese has 20.2g of saturated fat.
trans fat
Parmesan cheese has less trans fat than cream cheese - cream cheese has 1.2g of trans fat per 100 grams and parmesan cheese does not contain significant amounts.
cholesterol
Parmesan cheese has 33% less cholesterol than cream cheese - parmesan cheese has 68mg of cholesterol per 100 grams and cream cheese has 101mg of cholesterol.
Vitamins
Vitamin A
Both parmesan cheese and cream cheese are high in Vitamin A. Cream cheese has 49% more Vitamin A than parmesan cheese - parmesan cheese has 207ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and cream cheese has 308ug of Vitamin A.
Vitamin D
Parmesan cheese has more Vitamin D than cream cheese - parmesan cheese has 19iu of Vitamin D per 100 grams and cream cheese does not contain significant amounts.
Vitamin E
Parmesan cheese and cream cheese contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - parmesan cheese has 0.22mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and cream cheese has 0.86mg of Vitamin E.
Vitamin K
Parmesan cheese and cream cheese contain similar amounts of Vitamin K - parmesan cheese has 1.7ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and cream cheese has 2.1ug of Vitamin K.
The B Vitamins
Parmesan cheese has more Vitamin B12. Both cream cheese and parmesan cheese contain significant amounts of thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, Vitamin B6 and folate.
| Cream Cheese | Parmesan Cheese | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 0.023 MG | 0.039 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.23 MG | 0.332 MG |
| Niacin | 0.091 MG | 0.271 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.517 MG | 0.453 MG |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.056 MG | 0.091 MG |
| Folate | 9 UG | 7 UG |
| Vitamin B12 | 0.22 UG | 1.2 UG |
Minerals
calcium
Both parmesan cheese and cream cheese are high in calcium. Parmesan cheese has 11 times more calcium than cream cheese - parmesan cheese has 1184mg of calcium per 100 grams and cream cheese has 97mg of calcium.
iron
Parmesan cheese has 645% more iron than cream cheese - parmesan cheese has 0.82mg of iron per 100 grams and cream cheese has 0.11mg of iron.
potassium
Cream cheese has 43% more potassium than parmesan cheese - parmesan cheese has 92mg of potassium per 100 grams and cream cheese has 132mg of potassium.
Antioxidants and Phytonutrients
carotenoids
Carotenoids are micronutrients commonly found in plants and some animal products. An example is beta-carotene, the notable carotenoid which is a popular source of Vitamin A.[4][5]
For specific types of carotenoids, both cream cheese and parmesan cheese contain significant amounts of beta-carotene.
| Cream Cheese | Parmesan Cheese | |
|---|---|---|
| beta-carotene | 59 UG | 66 UG |
| alpha-carotene | 1 UG | ~ |
| lutein + zeaxanthin | 7 UG | ~ |
Omega-3 and Omega-6
omega 3s
For omega-3 fatty acids, parmesan cheese has more alpha linoleic acid (ALA) than cream cheese per 100 grams, however, cream cheese contains more dpa than parmesan cheese per 100 grams.
| Cream Cheese | Parmesan Cheese | |
|---|---|---|
| alpha linoleic acid | 0.131 G | 0.297 G |
| EPA | 0.01 G | ~ |
| DPA | 0.02 G | ~ |
| Total | 0.161 G | 0.297 G |
omega 6s
Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, cream cheese has more linoleic acid than parmesan cheese per 100 grams.
| Cream Cheese | Parmesan Cheese | |
|---|---|---|
| other omega 6 | 0.036 G | ~ |
| linoleic acid | 1.212 G | 0.272 G |
| Total | 1.248 G | 0.272 G |
Customize your serving size
The comparison below is by weight, but sometimes 100g isn't that intuitive of a measurement for food. View a custom portion comparison (e.g. cups, oz, package).
You can try adding or subtracting the amount of either Cream Cheese or Parmesan Cheese .
Note: The specific food items compared are: Cream Cheese (Cheese, cream) and Parmesan Cheese (Cheese, parmesan, hard) .
Cream Cheese g
()
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Daily Values (%) |
Parmesan Cheese g
()
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| KCAL % |
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5% | calories | 5% |
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KCAL % | |
| G % |
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5% | carbohydrates | 5% |
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G % | |
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5% | dietary fiber | 5% |
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| G | 5% | sugar | 5% | G | |||
| G % |
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5% | total fat | 5% |
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G % | |
| G % |
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5% | saturated fat | 5% |
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G % | |
| G | 5% | monounsaturated fat | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | polyunsaturated fat | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | trans fat | 5% | G | |||
| MG | 5% | cholesterol | 5% | MG | |||
| MG % |
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5% | sodium | 5% |
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MG % | |
| 5% | Vitamins and Minerals | 5% | |||||
| UG % |
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5% | Vitamin A | 5% |
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5% | Vitamin C | 5% |
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| IU % |
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5% | Vitamin D | 5% |
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5% | calcium | 5% |
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5% | iron | 5% |
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5% | magnesium | 5% |
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5% | potassium | 5% |
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5% | thiamin (Vit B1) | 5% |
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5% | riboflavin (Vit B2) | 5% |
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5% | niacin (Vit B3) | 5% |
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5% | Vitamin B6 | 5% |
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5% | pantothenic acid (Vit B5) | 5% |
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5% | folate (Vit B9) | 5% |
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5% | Vitamin B12 | 5% |
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5% | Vitamin E | 5% |
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5% | Vitamin K | 5% |
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5% | protein | 5% |
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5% | biotin (Vit B7) | 5% |
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5% | choline | 5% |
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5% | chlorine | 5% |
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5% | chromium | 5% |
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5% | copper | 5% |
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5% | fluoride | 5% |
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5% | iodine | 5% |
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5% | manganese | 5% |
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5% | molybdenum | 5% |
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5% | phosphorus | 5% |
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5% | selenium | 5% |
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5% | zinc | 5% |
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MG % | |
| G | 5% | Water | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | Starch | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | Alcohol | 5% | G | |||
FAQ
Does parmesan cheese or cream cheese contain more calories in 100 grams?Both parmesan cheese and cream cheese are high in calories. Parmesan cheese has 10% more calories than cream cheese - parmesan cheese has 392 calories in 100g and cream cheese has 350 calories.
Is parmesan cheese or cream cheese better for protein?
Parmesan cheese is a fantastic source of protein and it has 480% more protein than cream cheese - parmesan cheese has 35.8g of protein per 100 grams and cream cheese has 6.2g of protein.
Does parmesan cheese or cream cheese contain more calcium?
Both parmesan cheese and cream cheese are high in calcium. Parmesan cheese has 11 times more calcium than cream cheese - parmesan cheese has 1184mg of calcium in 100 grams and cream cheese has 97mg of calcium.