Milk vs. Sour Cream

Nutrition comparison of Milk and Sour Cream


Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?

We compared the nutritional contents of milk versus sour cream (100g each) below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].

For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in milk and sour cream:

  • Both sour cream and milk are high in calcium.
  • Milk has 6.3 times less cholesterol than sour cream.
  • Milk has more Vitamin B12.
  • Sour cream is a great source of Vitamin A.
Detailed nutritional comparison of milk and sour cream is analyzed below. You can also visualize the nutritional comparison for a custom portion or serving size and see how the nutrition compares.

USDA sources for nutritional information: Milk (Milk, reduced fat, fluid, 2% milkfat, with added vitamin A and vitamin D) and Sour Cream (Cream, sour, cultured) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.


Image of Milk src
Image of Sour Cream src

Here's an infographic summarizing the nutritional differences between milk and sour cream. marks particularly rich nutrients.


Calories and Carbs

calories

Sour cream is high in calories and milk has 75% less calories than sour cream - sour cream has 198 calories per 100 grams and milk has 50 calories.

For macronutrient ratios, milk is much heavier in protein, much heavier in carbs and much lighter in fat compared to sour cream per calorie. Milk has a macronutrient ratio of 26:38:36 and for sour cream, 5:9:86 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.

Macro Ratios from Calories:

Milk Sour Cream
Protein 26% 5%
Carbohydrates 38% 9%
Fat 36% 86%
Alcohol ~ ~

carbohydrates

Both sour cream and milk are low in carbohydrates - sour cream has 4.6g of total carbs per 100 grams and milk has 4.8g of carbohydrates.

sugar

Sour cream and milk contain similar amounts of sugar - sour cream has 3.4g of sugar per 100 grams and milk has 5.1g of sugar.

Protein

protein

Sour cream and milk contain similar amounts of protein - sour cream has 2.4g of protein per 100 grams and milk has 3.3g of protein.

Fat

saturated fat

Sour cream is high in saturated fat and milk has 88% less saturated fat than sour cream - sour cream has 10.1g of saturated fat per 100 grams and milk has 1.3g of saturated fat.

trans fat

Both sour cream and milk are low in trans fat - sour cream has 0.8g of trans fat per 100 grams and milk has 0.09g of trans fat.

cholesterol

Milk has 6.3 times less cholesterol than sour cream - sour cream has 59mg of cholesterol per 100 grams and milk has 8mg of cholesterol.

Vitamins

Vitamin C

Sour cream and milk contain similar amounts of Vitamin C - sour cream has 0.9mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and milk has 0.2mg of Vitamin C.

Vitamin A

Sour cream is a great source of Vitamin A and it has 125% more Vitamin A than milk - sour cream has 124ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and milk has 55ug of Vitamin A.

Vitamin D

Milk has more Vitamin D than sour cream - milk has 49iu of Vitamin D per 100 grams and sour cream does not contain significant amounts.

Vitamin E

Sour cream and milk contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - sour cream has 0.38mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and milk has 0.03mg of Vitamin E.

Vitamin K

Sour cream and milk contain similar amounts of Vitamin K - sour cream has 1.5ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and milk has 0.2ug of Vitamin K.

The B Vitamins

Milk has more Vitamin B12. Both milk and sour cream contain significant amounts of thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, Vitamin B6 and folate.

Milk Sour Cream
Thiamin 0.039 MG 0.02 MG
Riboflavin 0.185 MG 0.168 MG
Niacin 0.092 MG 0.093 MG
Pantothenic acid 0.356 MG 0.472 MG
Vitamin B6 0.038 MG 0.041 MG
Folate 5 UG 6 UG
Vitamin B12 0.53 UG 0.21 UG

Minerals

calcium

Both sour cream and milk are high in calcium. Milk has 19% more calcium than sour cream - sour cream has 101mg of calcium per 100 grams and milk has 120mg of calcium.

iron

Sour cream and milk contain similar amounts of iron - sour cream has 0.07mg of iron per 100 grams and milk has 0.02mg of iron.

potassium

Sour cream and milk contain similar amounts of potassium - sour cream has 125mg of potassium per 100 grams and milk has 140mg of potassium.

Antioxidants and Phytonutrients

carotenoids

Carotenoids are micronutrients commonly found in plants and some animal products. An example is beta-carotene, the notable carotenoid which is a popular source of Vitamin A.[4][5]

For specific types of carotenoids,

Milk Sour Cream
beta-carotene 4 UG 25 UG
lutein + zeaxanthin ~ 4 UG

Omega-3 and Omega-6

omega 3s

For omega-3 fatty acids, sour cream has more alpha linoleic acid (ALA) and DPA than milk per 100 grams.

Milk Sour Cream
alpha linoleic acid 0.008 G 0.074 G
DHA ~ 0.001 G
EPA ~ 0.006 G
DPA ~ 0.011 G
Total 0.008 G 0.092 G

omega 6s

Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, sour cream has more linoleic acid than milk per 100 grams.

Milk Sour Cream
other omega 6 ~ 0.018 G
linoleic acid 0.062 G 0.648 G
Total 0.062 G 0.666 G



Customize your serving size


The comparison below is by weight, but sometimes 100g isn't that intuitive of a measurement for food. View a custom portion comparison (e.g. cups, oz, package).

You can try adding or subtracting the amount of either Milk or Sour Cream .

Note: The specific food items compared are: Milk (Milk, reduced fat, fluid, 2% milkfat, with added vitamin A and vitamin D) and Sour Cream (Cream, sour, cultured) .

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G Water G
G Starch G
G Alcohol G


FAQ

Does sour cream or milk contain more calories in 100 grams?
Sour cream is high in calories and milk has 80% less calories than sour cream - sour cream has 198 calories in 100g and milk has 50 calories.

Does sour cream or milk have more carbohydrates?
By weight, both sour cream and milk are low in carbohydrates - sour cream has 4.6g of carbs for 100g and milk has 4.8g of carbohydrates.

Does sour cream or milk contain more calcium?
Both sour cream and milk are high in calcium. Milk has 20% more calcium than sour cream - sour cream has 101mg of calcium in 100 grams and milk has 120mg of calcium.