Unfortunately, cream cheese without additives like gums and emulsifiers is really hard to come by. What should in theory be a nutritious, calorie-dense food is almost always tainted with these cheap fillers that are best avoided. All of the big brands use gums like guar and/or locust bean gum so you’re better off with one of the smaller batch, high quality producers listed below.
Ingredients I avoid
- Carrageenan: emulsifier; Gut irritant that has been linked to cancer, GI distress, and general inflammation [1]
- Gums (Acacia, Gellan, Xanthan, Locust Bean, Carob Bean, Guar, Tara): emulsifiers; Gut irritants causing gas, bloating, inflammation [2]
- Sodium Tripolyphosphate: emulsifiers; Contain trans fat [3]
Cream Cheese Without Gum: Best Brands
The two brands listed here are to my knowledges the only cream cheese brands without gums or carrageenan. I’d like this list to be comprehensive so if you know of any other brands please reach out to me!
Sierra Nevada
Sierra Nevada is a creamery based in Glenn County, California that made a name for itself as one of the first to buy milk from farms that did not use rBST or antibiotics. They also stand out for being the only additive-free cream cheese that is available for purchase online direct through their website.
Ingredients: Organic Pasteurized Cultured Milk & Cream, Sea Salt
Where to buy: Company website, find a local store, or through Azure Standard
Nancy’s
Nancy’s Yogurt is a multi-generation, family owned and operated creamery known for their commitment to real ingredients and their cream cheese is no exception. As a bonus, the milk used for their cream cheese comes from local (to them) farmers that do not use rBST or antibiotics.
Ingredients: Pasteurized Cream, Nonfat Dry Milk, L. Acidophilus, B. Bifidum And 4 Strains Of Lactic Cultures, Salt
Where to buy: Find a local store
Sources
