Health and food are the two most significant things in our life. So, when choosing ketogenic diet foods, fat is the main thing you should consider. The first rule of the ketogenic diet is to limit carbohydrates and eat foods high in fat levels.
Nowadays, keto is the most significant diet as it is gaining praise from people. It has also been proved that the keto diet can help people lose weight. I am claiming it with confidence because I am the one who has seen it and has used sour cream in the ketogenic diet.
However, people may wonder, is sour cream keto friendly? It is time to give you the answer as I will be discussing whether sour cream is keto friendly or not. So, let’s go through the article to have a solution.
Table of Contents
What Exactly Sour Cream Is?
Sour cream is made by souring cream with an acid, for example, vinegar or lemon juice, or, more commonly, with lactic acid bacteria. Bacteria grow into the cream and make the cream thicken, and give it a tangy flavor. You can also call the process fermentation.
Traditional sour cream is typically made with cream that contains at least 18% milk fat. Low-fat sour cream is slightly different as it has at least 25% less fat than full-fat sour cream. Non-fat sour cream has less than 0.5 grams of fat per 1/4 cup (50 grams).
Regular sour cream is high in fat and can help absorb nutrients from other foods. The absorption is necessary for vitamins A, D, E, and K, which are fat-soluble.
You may know that probiotics are living bacteria that help in digestion. It is present in sour cream, and it does good to the microbiome or the bacteria in the human digestive system. However, the good things that probiotics are doing are: it is helping in the restoration of good health and the reduction of inflammation in gastrointestinal diseases.
Sour Cream’s Nutritional Facts
From the above explanation of full-fat, low-fat, and non-fat sour cream, you may be curious to know about the proper amount of nutritional factors of sour cream. So, sour cream has different variations in its fat content, such as regular/full-fat, low/reduced-fat, and non-fat.
You have to keep in mind the variations as they will help you to get an answer to your question, which is, is sour cream keto friendly or not? Most importantly, you will know which variation of sour cream is keto friendly. The nutritional differences for a 3.5 ounce, or 100 gram, or 2/5 of a cup of sour cream are as follows:
Regular/Full-fat Sour Cream
Regular or full-fat sour cream contains 198 calories, 2 grams of protein, 19 grams of fat, and 5 grams of carbohydrates.
Low/Reduced-fat Sour Cream
Low or reduced-fat sour cream contains 181 calories, 7 grams of protein, 14 grams of fat, and 7 grams of carbohydrates.
Non-fat Sour Cream
Non-fat sour cream contains 74 calories, 3 grams of protein, 0 grams of fat, and 16 grams of carbohydrates.
Moreover, sour cream also contains a wide range of vitamins and minerals, which are given below:
- Vitamin A, E, K, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B12
- Choline
- Folate
- Calcium
- Selenium
- Phosphorus
- Potassium
- Magnesium
- Zinc
- Copper
- Iron
Now, you can see that sour cream does not only taste yummy, but it also has great nutritional value. Moreover, it also contains a wide range of necessary components.
Ketosis And Carbohydrates
Ketosis is a metabolic state that occurs when your body does not have enough carbohydrates to burn for energy. For at least a century, the ketogenic diet has been used to help children with epilepsy by reducing seizure activity. However, it can help people lose weight and lower cholesterol and blood sugar levels.
A study of 307 people discovered that a ketogenic diet could help in reducing cravings for carbohydrates. It works by putting the body into ketosis, which uses ketones for energy instead of glucose, a secondary fat product.
Furthermore, about 5% of total calories come from carbohydrates to convert into ketosis. Whereas up to 80% must come from fat, and the remaining calories will come from protein.
In order to enter and stay in ketosis, you must meet your carbohydrate and fat goals, which are determined by your calorie demands. For instance, if you are on a 2000-calorie diet, your primary goals should be 25 grams of carbohydrates per day, 75 grams of protein per day, and 178 grams of fat per day.
You should not eat grains, fruits, starchy vegetables, and dairy products like yogurt because they are high in carbohydrates. You can eat butter and oil as they have a high amount of fat and no carbohydrates or very few carbohydrates.
Is Sour Cream Keto Friendly?
From the above-stated nutritional facts of sour cream, we can find that regular full-fat sour cream is high in amount of fat. So, this is the time for the answer to your question, which was, is sour cream keto friendly or not?
You can say that sour cream or full-fat sour cream is keto friendly as it contains a high amount of fat and a low amount of carbohydrates. Additionally, sour cream is the food you can add to your keto friendly diet. Keep in mind that you have to eat it in a controlled way.
However, people are interested in the keto diet as they can eat foods that are enjoyable. Let’s take, for example, sour cream, which is a portion of delicious food, and you may want it while eating tacos or similar kinds of dishes. On the other hand, sour cream is keto friendly, which means it can work in your weight loss mission.
The Advantages/Health Benefits Of Sour Cream On Ketogenic Diet
You know that sour cream is keto friendly, and you can include sour cream in your ketogenic diet plan. Other than that, there are some health benefits of sour cream, and those are as follows:
May Reduce The Risk Of Women’s Cardiovascular Disease
Sour cream is a dairy product that has been fermented. Although people think that dairy products can cause heart disease, they have cardiovascular properties that protect you. A recent study from Lund University in Sweden discovered that a woman who ate more fermented dairy products could face a lower risk of cardiovascular disease.
Could Lower The Chances Of Obesity
According to a study of 1782 men, it is found that a person who takes a high amount of dairy fat cannot suffer from obesity. Another study found that eating dairy products increases satisfaction.
It means if you eat dairy products like sour cream, you will feel that you are full. Thus, you will not overeat, which can help you achieve your weight loss goals.
Full Of Nutrients
Sour cream is also high in vitamins and minerals. You have to add one cup of sour cream to yogurt, which will give you about a fifth of your daily vitamin A, riboflavin, calcium, and phosphorus needs.
Beneficial To Your Digestive And Immune Systems
Sour cream is a fermented food, and fermented foods are high in beneficial probiotics. That is why sour cream is healthy for the digestive and immune systems.
Sour Cream’s Best Uses
You may be thinking about how you can eat sour cream. I will not say that you should eat plain sour cream. There are some best uses of sour creams given below:
Recipes With Eggs
One recipe is scrambled eggs. Sour cream and scrambled eggs may seem strange together, but it makes them creamier and fluffier.
It is the same thing as adding milk or buttermilk to scrambled eggs. You have to use around one tablespoon of sour cream per egg as a general rule.
Another recipe with eggs is called deviled eggs. Deviled eggs mean hard-boiled eggs that are shelled, divided in half, and filled with an egg yolk paste mixed with other ingredients like mustard and mayonnaise.
Instead of mayonnaise and mustard, you can combine your sour cream with egg yolk. It is a keto friendly snack and also a side dish at parties.
Dip Of Vegetables And Dressings For Salad
Sour cream is also an excellent ingredient for vegetable dips. You can have raw vegetables with sour cream. Likewise, if you are not sure what to add to your salads, you can use sour cream, apple cider vinegar, and a little oil to make an easy keto friendly salad dressing.
Keto Friendly Recipes With Sour Cream
Here are some sour cream-based keto friendly recipes:
Stroganoff Made With Beef
Stroganoff is a dish where the main ingredient is usually beef cooked in a sour cream sauce. This keto friendly beef stroganoff is a delicious way to enjoy your food while dieting.
The recipe is that you have to boil the beef and mushrooms gently in a cream sauce. Additionally, to keep it keto friendly, you have to use cauliflower mash instead of using noodles.
Keto Yogurt In The Instant Pot
It will help if you consider making keto yogurt because traditional yogurt is high in carbohydrates. To make a high fat and low carbohydrate yogurt that is keto friendly, you need to use only three ingredients: heavy cream, full-fat sour cream, and keto sweetener.
Mashed Cauliflower
If you are missing mashed potatoes, here is a recipe for mashed cauliflower. To make this keto friendly recipe, you need to use chopped cauliflower instead of chopped potatoes. Microwave the cauliflower and combine it with butter and sour cream. You can also add crispy bacon to increase the taste if you need it.
Soup Toppings
Adding toppings to soup is one of the most enjoyable aspects of the dish. You can also add sour cream to your favorite keto soups.
Be Aware While Buying Keto Friendly Sour Cream
While buying keto friendly sour cream in the grocery store, keep yourself aware and search for the following things. Avoid putting anything in the cart that says “low carb”.
While taking keto sour cream, always read the label. Here are some suggestions for buying keto sour cream:
- If non-GMO (Genetically modified organisms) and preservative labels are present on the keto sour cream jar, avoid them.
- Choose high-quality grass-fed organic keto sour cream whenever possible.
- Pay attention to the title.
- Sour cream with artificial sweeteners should be avoided.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Is sour cream good for health?
Yes, sour cream is good for health as it consists of vitamins, minerals, and probiotics.
2. How long does sour cream last in the refrigerator?
Sour cream can be kept in the refrigerator for three weeks after the expiration date.
3. How long can sour cream be left out before it spoils?
Sour cream should not be left out in temperatures above 90°F for more than one hour.
4. What is the amount of net carb in sour cream?
According to the USDA, one tablespoon of full-fat sour cream includes 0.6 grams of net carbohydrates.
5. What happens if I consume sour cream that has gone bad?
Food poisoning can occur if you consume rotten sour cream which may lead to nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhea.
6. What is the best way to thicken sour cream that is runny?
Bring the sour cream to room temperature before using it in any hot liquid. To prevent curdling, mix one tablespoon flour into 1/2 cup sour cream.
7. Is reheating sour cream safe?
Yes, it is safe to reheat the sour cream that is left.
8. Which is healthier, sour cream or mayonnaise?
Sour cream comprises calories and fat but no cholesterol. So, in that regard, it is better than mayonnaise.
Final Thoughts
It is pretty normal to be tense to maintain eating food and health. Similarly, it is quite usual to ask questions regarding diets like you had a question: is sour cream keto friendly?
So, this article is where you need to come and focus. Here you can find your answer that sour cream is high in fat and low in carbs which is why it is keto friendly.
Moreover, here in this article, you can get an elaborate explanation of the questions that might come to your mind. All you need to do is to follow the things written here. If you follow and do according to it, you will get a better result.
