\nSalt g<\/td>\n | 1.2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n Ingredients<\/strong> – Water, Coconut Oil (23%), Starch, Sea Salt, Acidity Regulator: Glucono-Delta-Lactone, Flavourings, Olive Extract, Vitamin B12<\/p>\nKoko Dairy Free Soft Cheese Alternative<\/h3>\nKoko are all about coconuts and, as with Violife, they utilise coconut oil in their dairy-free cream cheese to ensure a consistency that is very close to that found with \u201creal\u201d cream cheese. Unlike some other brands, Koko only have one cream cheese option, but the company also produces a cheddar cheese-style block, vegan yoghurts<\/a> and coconut-based milk alternatives.<\/p>\n \n\n\nTypical Values (Per 100g)<\/th>\n | Koko Dairy Free Soft Cheese Alternative<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n | \n\nEnergy kJ<\/td>\n | 833<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | \nEnergy kcal<\/td>\n | 199<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | \nFat g<\/td>\n | 18.7<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | \nSaturates g<\/td>\n | 16.6<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | \nCarbohydrate g<\/td>\n | 7.6<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | \nSugars g<\/td>\n | 0.9<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | \nFibre g<\/td>\n | 0.9<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | \nProtein g<\/td>\n | 0.4<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | \nSalt g<\/td>\n | 2.25<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n Ingredients<\/strong> – Water, coconut oil (14%), stabiliser: (potato starch, maize starch, modified potato starch, carob bean gum), coconut cream (6%), salt, natural flavouring, tri-calcium phosphate, citric acid, colour: carrot juice concentrate, vitamin D2, vitamin B12<\/p>\nOatly Creamy Oat Spread<\/h3>\nOatly are now one of the big players in the plant-based milk (and related products) market, so it should come as no surprise that they\u2019ve produced an oat-based cream cheese substitute. Along with oats, they achieve the creamy texture by incorporating coconut oil and rapeseed oil and the results are very good. Best served on a toasted bagel with thin slices of cucumber.<\/p>\n \n\n\nTypical Values (Per 100g)<\/th>\n | Oatly Creamy Oat Spread Plain<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n | \n\nEnergy kJ<\/td>\n | 970<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | \nEnergy kcal<\/td>\n | 234<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | \nFat g<\/td>\n | 20<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | \nSaturates g<\/td>\n | 8.0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | \nCarbohydrate g<\/td>\n | 9.9<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | \nSugars g<\/td>\n | 3.6<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | \nFibre g<\/td>\n | 0.9<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | \nProtein g<\/td>\n | 3.2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | \nSalt g<\/td>\n | 0.72<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n Ingredients<\/strong> – Water, oats, rapeseed oil, fully hydrogenated coconut and rapeseed oil, potato starch, potato protein, iodised salt, pectin, acid (malic acid, lactic acid)<\/p>\nNo Whey! Plant Based Cream Ch!ese<\/h3>\nCambridgeshire plant-based dairy No Whey<\/a> has produced a fermented cashew milk and coconut oil cream cheese that comes in two flavour options: Original or Garlic and Herb. The nutritional info and ingredients given below are for the Original flavour.<\/p>\nThey are not as widely available as many of the vegan cream cheese options we feature but they can be purchased from TheVeganKind Supermarket, GreenBay Supermarket and Planet Organic. They are higher in protein<\/a> than many of the other vegan options listed here due to the use of soy protein.<\/p>\n \n\n\nTypical Values (Per 100g)<\/th>\n | No Whey! Plant Based Cream Ch!ese – Original<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n | \n\nEnergy kJ<\/td>\n | 874<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | \nEnergy kcal<\/td>\n | 224<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | \nFat g<\/td>\n | 18.4<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | \nSaturates g<\/td>\n | 10.2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | \nCarbohydrate g<\/td>\n | 12.2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | \nSugars g<\/td>\n | 1.2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | \nFibre g<\/td>\n | –<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | \nProtein g<\/td>\n | 7.1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | \nSalt g<\/td>\n | 1.2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n Ingredients<\/strong> – Milk (Water\/Cashews), Coconut Oil, Soya Protein Isolate, Potato Starch, Shio Koji, Salt, Thickener: Carob Gum, Potassium Sorbate, Vegan Cultures<\/p>\nBute Island Foods Creamy Sheese<\/h3>\nThis vegan cream cheese \u2013 or \u201cSheese\u201d<\/a> \u2013 is made on the Isle of Bute off the west coast of Scotland, hence the name of the company, Bute Island Foods. Made using coconut oil and soya protein<\/a>, among other ingredients, they offer six cream cheese-style Sheese options at the time of writing: Original Spread, Cheddar Style Spread, Chive Spread, Garlic & Herb Spread, Spring Onion & Cracked Black Pepper Spread, or Sweet Chilli Spread.<\/p>\nWe\u2019ll give the nutritional information and ingredients for the Original Spread option below. This is available from TheVeganKind Supermarket and one or two other outlets.<\/p>\n \n\n\nTypical Values (Per 100g)<\/th>\n | Bute Island Foods Creamy Sheese – Original<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n | \n\nEnergy kJ<\/td>\n | 1178<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | \nEnergy kcal<\/td>\n | 286<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | \nFat g<\/td>\n | 28.0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | \nSaturates g<\/td>\n | 23.0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | \nCarbohydrate g<\/td>\n | 1.3<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | \nSugars g<\/td>\n | 1.1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | \nFibre g<\/td>\n | 2.2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | \nProtein g<\/td>\n | 6.0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | \nSalt g<\/td>\n | 1.2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n Ingredients<\/strong> – Water, Coconut Oil (24%), Soya Protein Concentrate (9%), Salt, Sugar, Tricalcium Citrate, Acidity Regulator: Lactic Acid (Dairy-Free), Thickener (Carrageenan), Natural Flavourings<\/p>\nNew Roots Free the Cow Spread<\/h3>\nSwitzerland has its fair share of revered cheeses and Switzerland-based New Roots<\/a> have added some fine plant-based cheeses to the mix. They create their products from organic cashew nuts (that they source from a farm in Indonesia that they say has an excellent human rights record and employment conditions).<\/p>\nTheir Free The Cow Spreads come in four varieties: Garlic & Herbs, Chives, Tomatoes & Basil, and Horseradish. The information below is for their Garlic & Herbs option. They are available to order from TheVeganKind Supermarket.<\/p>\n \n\n\nTypical Values (Per 100g)<\/th>\n | New Roots Free The Cow Spread Garlic & Herbs<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n | \n\nEnergy kJ<\/td>\n | 1208<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | \nEnergy kcal<\/td>\n | 290<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | \nFat g<\/td>\n | 22.8<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | \nSaturates g<\/td>\n | 4.4<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | \nCarbohydrate g<\/td>\n | 11.8<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | \nSugars g<\/td>\n | 2.1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | \nFibre g<\/td>\n | –<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | \nProtein g<\/td>\n | 9.6<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | \nSalt g<\/td>\n | 0.54<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n Ingredients<\/strong> – Cashews* (48.5%), revitalized water, mix of herbs (1.5%) (chives*, garlic*, parsley*), Himalayan salt, plant-based cultures (*from organic farming)<\/p>\nTyne Chease Creamed<\/h3>\nOne of the higher-end options comes from artisan \u201ccheese\u201d maker, Tyne Chease<\/a>. With the inclusion of probiotics and almost 73% cashew nuts (with water and Himalayan pink salt being the only other ingredients), they have certainly gone for a basic but very effective recipe.<\/p>\nAt the time of writing, they offer five varieties: Original Creamed, Dill Creamed, Garlic Creamed, Smoked Creamed, and Chives Creamed. They are not the cheapest at almost eight quid a jar, but for those seeking something a little more extravagant they could be worth sampling. They are available to purchase at TheVeganKind Supermarket. Due to the very high nut content, these are higher in protein than many alternatives but also higher in fat and calories.<\/p>\n \n\n\nTypical Values (Per 100g)<\/th>\n | Tyne Chease Original Creamed<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n | \n\nEnergy kJ<\/td>\n | 1729<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | \nEnergy kcal<\/td>\n | 417<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | \nFat g<\/td>\n | 35.1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | \nSaturates g<\/td>\n | 6.9<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | \nCarbohydrate g<\/td>\n | 12.6<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | \nSugars g<\/td>\n | 6.9<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | \nFibre g<\/td>\n | 2.3<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | \nProtein g<\/td>\n | 12.9<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | \nSalt g<\/td>\n | 0.68<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n Ingredients<\/strong> – Cashew Nuts* (72.8%), Water, Himalayan Pink Salt, Probiotics (L. Bacillus, L. Casei Casei, L. Casei Rhamnosus)<\/p>\nWhat Is Vegan Cream Cheese Made From?<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n As with other types of vegan cheese, vegan cream cheese is made from a variety of ingredients. As with vegan halloumi, however, the main ingredients of those mentioned tend to be either coconut oil or cashew nuts, with Oatly using oats (alongside coconut and rapeseed oil). Which of these ingredients is used will have a significant effect on the nutritional makeup of the end product.<\/p>\n Those that utilise coconut oil will tend to have levels of saturated fats that are similar to cream cheese made from dairy milk. There is some evidence to suggest that the saturated fat found in coconut oil could be healthier than the fat in dairy products, but the jury is still out<\/a> on that one.<\/p>\nThe vegan cream cheese options that use cashew nuts instead have lower saturated fat levels and higher quantities of vegan protein<\/a> than those that use coconut oil. Whatever the main ingredient used, other ingredients, such as flavourings, stabilisers, salt and sometimes probiotic cultures, are also added.<\/p>\nVegan Cream Cheese Vs Dairy Cream Cheese<\/h3>\nWe cover the reasons almost all plant-based alternatives are better than animal-derived alternatives from both environmental and ethical perspectives in detail elsewhere on the site (in our article entitled Environmental Reasons to Go Vegan<\/a> and, you\u2019ve guessed it, Ethical Reasons to Go Vegan<\/a>).<\/p>\nBut, focussing on the health reasons vegan food is better<\/a> in this instance, let\u2019s compare the nutritional data between some of the leading vegan cream cheese products and some of the most popular dairy cream cheese products. Those with an * are the non-vegan products.<\/p>\n \n\n\nTypical Values (Per 100g)<\/th>\n | Free The Cow Spread Garlic & Herbs<\/th>\n | Oatly Creamy Oat Spread<\/th>\n | Koko Soft Cheese Alternative<\/th>\n | Philadelphia Original*<\/th>\n | Philadelphia Light*<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n | \n\nEnergy kJ<\/td>\n | 1208<\/td>\n | 970<\/td>\n | 833<\/td>\n | 933<\/td>\n | 614<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | \nEnergy kcal<\/td>\n | 290<\/td>\n | 234<\/td>\n | 199<\/td>\n | 226<\/td>\n | 148<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | \nFat g<\/td>\n | 22.8<\/td>\n | 20<\/td>\n | 18.7<\/td>\n | 21<\/td>\n | 11<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | \nSaturates g<\/td>\n | 4.4<\/td>\n | 8.0<\/td>\n | 16.6<\/td>\n | 14<\/td>\n | 7.1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | \nCarbohydrate g<\/td>\n | 11.8<\/td>\n | 9.9<\/td>\n | 7.6<\/td>\n | 4.3<\/td>\n | 5.2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | \nSugars g<\/td>\n | 2.1<\/td>\n | 3.6<\/td>\n | 0.9<\/td>\n | 4.3<\/td>\n | 5.2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | \nFibre g<\/td>\n | –<\/td>\n | 0.9<\/td>\n | 0.9<\/td>\n | 0.2<\/td>\n | 0.4<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | \nProtein g<\/td>\n | 9.6<\/td>\n | 3.2<\/td>\n | 0.4<\/td>\n | 5.4<\/td>\n | 7.4<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | \nSalt g<\/td>\n | 0.54<\/td>\n | 0.72<\/td>\n | 2.25<\/td>\n | 0.75<\/td>\n | 0.7<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n As you can see, we\u2019ve featured one vegan option that uses mainly cashew nuts, one that uses a mix of oats and oils and one that relies heavily on coconut oil. We\u2019ve compared them to the market-leading Philadelphia spread and added Philadelphia Light too.<\/p>\n From a health perspective, the New Roots Free The Cow Spread is the best option with lower saturated fat and higher protein levels than the others. The Koko option is the worst based on the figures with saturated fat levels that are higher than the dairy versions and protein that is lower. It is worth saying that coconut oil is viewed by some research<\/a> as having some health benefits, such as the possible reduction of bad cholesterol (or at least not raising it) and a possible increase in good cholesterol<\/a>, but further research is needed to draw more concrete conclusions.<\/p>\nAll in all, no cream cheese \u2013 whether vegan or dairy \u2013 could be described as particularly healthy, but it seems the vegan options made from cashews are the least bad for you. Of course, if you eat it in moderation anyway it\u2019s not going to be much of a problem.<\/p>\n Conclusions: Vegan Cream Cheese<\/h2>\nAs with other products that are conventionally made from dairy milk, we are pleased to see that there is both a decent number of vegan alternatives but also that the quality is high. When it comes to something like vegan ice cream, the best products are almost indistinguishable from their dairy counterparts. We wouldn\u2019t go quite that far with vegan cream cheese, but we would certainly say many of those products mentioned above are very tasty in their own right and certainly serve as very good replacements for dairy cream cheese.<\/p>\n We were surprised to see some of the vegan-friendly cream cheese products having similar (or even higher amounts) of saturated fat as those made from dairy milk. But those that are high in saturated fat use coconut oil as one of their main ingredients and the health implications of this plant-based oil<\/a> are difficult to unpick within the scope of this article.<\/p>\nAll in all, for those on a plant-based diet, there are several good cream cheese options. The more health-conscious among you might want to edge towards those made from cashew nuts for lower levels of saturated fat and higher amounts of protein.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":4009,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"template":"","acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.veganfriendly.org.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/food\/4001"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.veganfriendly.org.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/food"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.veganfriendly.org.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/food"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.veganfriendly.org.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4009"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.veganfriendly.org.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4001"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}} | | | | | | | |