Heavy Cream Limits??

[Buddyjay]

I have a question regarding heavy cream. In it's liquid form, it has 800 calories and 6+ carbs, per cup. But whipped it has only 400 calories and 3+ carbs, per cup. Does anyone know why it is lower for whipped? It's the same product, isn't it?
Also, why is heavy cream to be used in limited quantities, even on OWL? 1 cup is a lot anyway and is only 6 carbs.
Thanks.

[Fuschia]

Re: Heavy Cream Limits??

It because of the air. Whipped cream is well, whipped full of air. It's half the volume of it's former, denser self. I'm still reading the book, but I would imagine that you should go light on heavy cream is because it's still very high in calories/fat. I could be wrong on that though.

[not2late]

Re: Heavy Cream Limits??

Heavy cream is measured in it's liquid (non-whipped state). On Induction it's limited to 2-3 tablespoons daily. However it is also listed in the Special Category foods list of the Induction Acceptable Foods list with the amount of 3 fluid ounces----the footnote being that the special category foods are weight loss problem foods and may need to be limited during Induction. And the other interesting footnote is that in a Atkins foods list published about the time of Dr. Atkins' death, that 3 fluid ounces of heavy cream was qualified as 3 fluid ounces of whipped unsweetened heavy cream!

When cream is whipped, it typically doubles in volume. So 1 tablespoon of liquid cream will whip to 2 tablespoons of whipped cream because air is incorporated into the cream. That whipped cream still has the same nutritional value as the non-whipped form.

If you look at a container of heavy cream, the nutritional value states a tablespoon serving of the product has about 50 calories and 1 carb gram. The carb gram is from the stabilizers and additives used after the ultrapasteurization process to mimick unpasteurized cream. If you can get unpasteurized cream, the carb count might be lower, but lots of luck finding that in a supermarket! Unpasteurized or "raw" milk products are forbidden in the US and the only way to get those is 'illegally' through small dairy farmers or if you own a cow.

There are 16 tablespoons in 1 cup. So there are 16 carbs in 1 cup of heavy cream.

[Buddyjay]

Re: Heavy Cream Limits??

If you look at a container of heavy cream, the nutritional value states a tablespoon serving of the product has about 50 calories and 1 carb gram.

There are 16 tablespoons in 1 cup. So there are 16 carbs in 1 cup of heavy cream.

That's why I am confused?? My container says 0 carbs for 1 TB and Fitday says 6 carbs for 1 cup? But you are saying 16 carbs for 1 cup.

[not2late]

Re: Heavy Cream Limits??

Just remember, in the US labelling laws for carbs are non-existent. It's perfectly "legal" for a manufacturer to label a product "0 carbs" eventhough the product contains about 1 carb per serving. So it's safer to count that product as 1 carb---better to overestimate your carbs slightly than it is to underestimate them.

Fitday is probably using about 0.3 grams carbs per serving of heavy cream to get their figure. Again, it's because there are carbs in heavy cream.

Here's a link with the measuring equivalents:
http://www.mealsmatter.org/RecipesAndMeals/Equivalents/

[Buddyjay]

Re: Heavy Cream Limits??

O.K. Thanks for the info. I am a stickler for accuracy. I just started making my own "whipped cream" to put on berries and did not want to overdo it.

[Elizellen]

Re: Heavy Cream Limits??

Our labelling in UK is much fairer to the consumer as it gives the numbers for 100 grams or 100 mls, so we can work out accurate figures.

I just looked at the pot my double cream (heavy cream in USA) comes in and for 100 mls (3.4 US fluid ounces) has 438 calories, 47.5g fat, 1.7g protein and 2.6g carbs.

So one US fluid ounce (2 tablespoons) would = 0.76 carbs

[dimar97]

Re: Heavy Cream Limits??

ahhh - so heavy cream that says 0 carbs is not 0 carbs after all, huh?
I have been buying heavy whipping cream as it says 0 carbs.
does everything that says 0 still need to be counted as one?
that changes everything (or at least alot of things!)

[not2late]

Re: Heavy Cream Limits??

Kristin, it depends on the food. That's why you have to read the ingredients list on the label.

If a food is made with ingredients that contain carbs, then the food contains carbs. For example, many hot sauces contain chili peppers and vinegars. The nutritional info usually says 0 carbs for the serving size. It's probably accurate for that serving size, but if you use more than that serving, then start counting that 0 carb food as 1 carb.

Likewise, eggs contain carbs. Depending on the size of the egg, it contains 0.5 to 0.8 carbs per egg. Sometimes manufacturers list eggs as 0 carbs. If you eat 1 egg, that 0.8 carbs might not be a major issue. However if you eat 6 eggs, then that's 4.8 grams of carbs from the eggs alone.