The best low carb creams to have on keto

There are a wide variety of low carb creams available in most supermarkets. Some are great on a keto diet, whilst others should only be consumed every once in a while. In this article, I’ve put together a list of the best low carb creams and what you should look out for when shopping.

Note on brands – I’ve found that most of the supermarket’s own brand creams are often lower in carbs compared to big brands. So keep an eye out and always check the carb count before buying.

Clotted cream

The richest and thickest cream on the market due to its high fat content. It’s a traditional part of a cream tea. It has a lovely buttery taste and is super indulgent, so you’ll likely only be having a small serving size! It’s made by indirectly heating the cream which causes it to thicken and clot (hence the name).

Minimum fat content: 55%

Average carbs per 100ml: 2.3g

Double cream (the best low carb cream)

This is a main staple on the keto diet. I use it in sauces, coffee, desserts and so much more. It has one of the highest fat contents (second only to clotted cream) and lowest carbs.

In the United states, it is often called heavy or whipping cream. However, it usually has a lower fat content than our double cream. For a more comparable cream, you can use whipping cream which can be found in most UK supermarkets. Though, personally I just use double cream when a recipe calls for heavy cream.

Minimum fat content: 48%

Average carbs per 100ml: 2.6g

Extra thick double cream

You can also get extra thick double cream. This is cream that is heat treated then quickly cooled, causing it to thicken to a point where it is no longer pourable. It is rich and is a great topping on desserts and smoothies.

Single cream

Perfect for cooking and pouring on desserts. It is one with the lowest fat content and is the thinnest consistency. However, because of it’s low fat content, it has less flavour and a slightly higher carb count compared to double cream.

Use sparingly on keto. It’s good when you want to keep the calorie count down as it has roughly half the calories of double cream.

Minimum fat content: 18%

Average carbs per 100ml: 3.9g

Sour cream

Much lower in fat compared to other creams. It has an active culture (lactobacillus), which gives it its sour taste. Perfect for making dips, like sour cream and chive. Also, commonly used in cheesecakes and other desserts.

Minimum fat content: 10-19%

Average carbs per 100ml: 3.2g

Crème fraîche

About twice as rich and thick than sour cream. It has a tart, buttery flavour. Often used to thicken up sauces and desserts.

Minimum fat content: 38-48%

Average carbs per 100ml: 2.5g

Marscapone

Some argue its more of a cheese than cream. Thick & creamy, great for sauces and indulgent desserts. Originally made in Italy, it is easy to spread and made by adding acidic substances (like lemon juice) to cream.

Minimum fat content: 70-75%

Average carbs per 100g: 3.5g

Buttermilk

The left over product when cream is made into butter. Buttermilk is thicker than milk and has a slight tart flavour. Often used in baking, as well as in batters (like deep fried chicken). It has a very low fat content but quite a high carb content. So not often used in keto recipes.

Minimum fat content: 0-2%

Average carbs per 100ml: 6.0g

Others

You could possible include cream cheese in the list of low carb creams, but I’ve left that off as I’ll cover that in a separate article. Stay tuned, in the meantime check out my chaffle post!