Ricotta Cheese vs. Sour Cream
Nutrition comparison of Ricotta Cheese and Sour Cream
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
ricotta cheese
versus
sour cream
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in ricotta cheese and sour cream:
- Both ricotta cheese and sour cream are high in Vitamin A, calcium, calories and saturated fat.
- Ricotta cheese has more Vitamin B6 and Vitamin B12.
- Ricotta cheese is a great source of potassium.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Ricotta Cheese (Cheese, ricotta, whole milk) and Sour Cream (Cream, sour, cultured) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Both ricotta cheese and sour cream are high in calories. Sour cream has 32% more calories than ricotta cheese - ricotta cheese has 150 calories per 100 grams and sour cream has 198 calories.
For macronutrient ratios, ricotta cheese is heavier in protein, heavier in carbs and much lighter in fat compared to sour cream per calorie. Ricotta cheese has a macronutrient ratio of 20:19:61 and for sour cream, 5:9:86 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.
Macro Ratios from Calories:
| Ricotta Cheese | Sour Cream | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 20% | 5% |
| Carbohydrates | 19% | 9% |
| Fat | 61% | 86% |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Ricotta cheese and sour cream contain similar amounts of carbs - ricotta cheese has 7.3g of total carbs per 100 grams and sour cream has 4.6g of carbohydrates.
sugar
Ricotta cheese and sour cream contain similar amounts of sugar - ricotta cheese has 0.27g of sugar per 100 grams and sour cream has 3.4g of sugar.
Protein
protein
Ricotta cheese has 209% more protein than sour cream - ricotta cheese has 7.5g of protein per 100 grams and sour cream has 2.4g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Both ricotta cheese and sour cream are high in saturated fat. Sour cream has 58% more saturated fat than ricotta cheese - ricotta cheese has 6.4g of saturated fat per 100 grams and sour cream has 10.1g of saturated fat.
trans fat
Both ricotta cheese and sour cream are low in trans fat - ricotta cheese has 0.33g of trans fat per 100 grams and sour cream has 0.8g of trans fat.
cholesterol
Ricotta cheese and sour cream contain similar amounts of cholesterol - ricotta cheese has 49mg of cholesterol per 100 grams and sour cream has 59mg of cholesterol.
Vitamins
Vitamin C
Sour cream has more Vitamin C than ricotta cheese - sour cream has 0.9mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and ricotta cheese does not contain significant amounts.
Vitamin A
Both ricotta cheese and sour cream are high in Vitamin A. Ricotta cheese is very similar to ricotta cheese for Vitamin A - ricotta cheese has 120ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and sour cream has 124ug of Vitamin A.
Vitamin D
Ricotta cheese has more Vitamin D than sour cream - ricotta cheese has 10iu of Vitamin D per 100 grams and sour cream does not contain significant amounts.
Vitamin E
Ricotta cheese and sour cream contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - ricotta cheese has 0.11mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and sour cream has 0.38mg of Vitamin E.
Vitamin K
Ricotta cheese and sour cream contain similar amounts of Vitamin K - ricotta cheese has 1.1ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and sour cream has 1.5ug of Vitamin K.
The B Vitamins
Ricotta cheese has more Vitamin B6 and Vitamin B12. Both ricotta cheese and sour cream contain significant amounts of thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid and folate.
| Ricotta Cheese | Sour Cream | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 0.013 MG | 0.02 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.298 MG | 0.168 MG |
| Niacin | 0.137 MG | 0.093 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.461 MG | 0.472 MG |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.097 MG | 0.041 MG |
| Folate | 4 UG | 6 UG |
| Vitamin B12 | 0.85 UG | 0.21 UG |
Minerals
calcium
Both ricotta cheese and sour cream are high in calcium. Ricotta cheese has 104% more calcium than sour cream - ricotta cheese has 206mg of calcium per 100 grams and sour cream has 101mg of calcium.
iron
Ricotta cheese and sour cream contain similar amounts of iron - ricotta cheese has 0.13mg of iron per 100 grams and sour cream has 0.07mg of iron.
potassium
Ricotta cheese is a great source of potassium and it has 75% more potassium than sour cream - ricotta cheese has 219mg of potassium per 100 grams and sour cream has 125mg 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 ricotta cheese and sour cream contain significant amounts of beta-carotene.
| Ricotta Cheese | Sour Cream | |
|---|---|---|
| beta-carotene | 33 UG | 25 UG |
| lutein + zeaxanthin | ~ | 4 UG |
Omega-3 and Omega-6
omega 3s
For omega-3 fatty acids, both ricotta cheese and sour cream contain significant amounts of alpha linoleic acid (ALA) and DPA.
| Ricotta Cheese | Sour Cream | |
|---|---|---|
| alpha linoleic acid | 0.043 G | 0.074 G |
| DHA | 0.001 G | 0.001 G |
| EPA | 0.004 G | 0.006 G |
| DPA | 0.006 G | 0.011 G |
| Total | 0.054 G | 0.092 G |
omega 6s
Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, both ricotta cheese and sour cream contain significant amounts of linoleic acid.
| Ricotta Cheese | Sour Cream | |
|---|---|---|
| other omega 6 | 0.012 G | 0.018 G |
| linoleic acid | 0.356 G | 0.648 G |
| Total | 0.368 G | 0.666 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 Ricotta Cheese or Sour Cream .
Note: The specific food items compared are: Ricotta Cheese (Cheese, ricotta, whole milk) and Sour Cream (Cream, sour, cultured) .
Ricotta Cheese g
()
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Daily Values (%) |
Sour Cream 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 % |
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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 ricotta cheese or sour cream contain more calories in 100 grams?Both ricotta cheese and sour cream are high in calories. Sour cream has 30% more calories than ricotta cheese - ricotta cheese has 150 calories in 100g and sour cream has 198 calories.
Does ricotta cheese or sour cream contain more calcium?
Both ricotta cheese and sour cream are high in calcium. Ricotta cheese has 100% more calcium than sour cream - ricotta cheese has 206mg of calcium in 100 grams and sour cream has 101mg of calcium.