IS CREAM CHEESE PALEO?
The Paleo List Answers:Is Cream Cheese Paleo?
After posting about lox, we couldn’t leave you hanging without covering one of the most common accompaniments for the salty seafood. What about cream cheese? Is it Paleo?
What is Cream Cheese?
Cream cheese is a simple cheese made by lightly fermenting milk and thick cream and removing a lot of the water. The process is simply and can be completed in just 24 hours. A lot of store-bought cream cheese is made using starter cultures and rennet, while homemade versions often follow many different processes.
Although cream cheese is thick and smooth, and might remind you of bright orange Velveeta, it is actually real cheese. Cream cheese is the step-sibling of Normandy’s Neufchâtel, developed in the U.S. While the original French cheese is made of only milk, cream cheese is made using both milk and cream, resulting in a slightly thicker and richer cheese.
Is Cream Cheese Paleo?
Now that you’ve seen all that milk and cream, you can tell that cream cheese is not Paleo. Just about all cream cheese made in the U.S. is pasteurized, which removes the bad stuff, and some of the good bacteria as well. The most popular brand, Philadelphia Cream Cheese, contains additional ingredients: Pasteurized Milk and Cream, Whey Protein Concentrate, Salt, Carob Bean Gum, Xanthan Gum, Cheese Culture.
If you’re looking for a replacement, there’s good news! If you’re able to handle dairy and you’re following a Primal diet, you can always make your own cream cheese at home. OR, make your own Paleo version, from coconut milk or nuts. Recipe links below!
Are you struggling with which foods are Paleo? Do you need help planning some Paleo meals? Check out this great Paleo cookbook:
