Quick Answer
There are 15 calories in 1 tablespoon (15g) of Daisy Sour Cream.
Detailed Answer
Sour cream is a dairy product made by fermenting regular cream with certain kinds of lactic acid bacteria. The bacteria sours and thickens the cream, resulting in a tangy, rich and creamy product.
Daisy is a popular brand of sour cream in the United States. Their sour cream is cultured from real cream and milk and contains live and active cultures.
One tablespoon (15g) of Daisy Sour Cream contains:
| Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | 15 |
| Total Fat | 1.5g |
| Saturated Fat | 1g |
| Cholesterol | 5mg |
| Sodium | 10mg |
| Total Carbohydrate | 1g |
| Protein | 0g |
So in summary, there are 15 calories in 1 tablespoon (15g) of Daisy Sour Cream. The calories come mostly from fat, with a small amount from carbohydrates. There is no protein in Daisy sour cream.
Calories and Macronutrients Explained
To understand how many calories are in Daisy sour cream, it helps to understand what calories and macronutrients are.
Calories are a measurement of the energy content in foods. The calories listed for foods represents the amount of energy your body could potentially extract from eating that food.
The number of calories in a food comes from its macronutrients – carbohydrates, proteins and fats. Different macronutrients provide different amounts of energy per gram:
- Carbohydrates: 4 calories per gram
- Protein: 4 calories per gram
- Fat: 9 calories per gram
So for Daisy sour cream, the 15 calories per tablespoon comes mostly from fat, with a small amount from carbohydrates.
Let’s take a closer look at the macronutrients in a tablespoon of Daisy sour cream:
| Macronutrient | Grams | Calories |
|---|---|---|
| Total Fat | 1.5g | 13.5 calories |
| Total Carbohydrate | 1g | 4 calories |
| Protein | 0g | 0 calories |
As you can see, the 1.5 grams of fat accounts for the majority of calories (13.5 calories), while the 1 gram of carbohydrates accounts for 4 calories. There is no protein in Daisy sour cream, so 0 calories from protein.
Calorie Density of Daisy Sour Cream
Understanding the calorie density of a food can also provide perspective on its calorie content. Calorie density looks at the number of calories in a food relative to its weight.
Daisy sour cream has a calorie density of 1 calorie per gram. This means that for every gram of sour cream, there is approximately 1 calorie.
Foods with higher calorie densities like oils, butter, nuts and seeds have more calories packed into a smaller amount of food. Foods with lower calorie densities like fruits, vegetables and lean proteins have fewer calories per gram.
So while Daisy sour cream is high in calories relative to its small serving size, it is not extremely high in calorie density compared to some other foods. Oils for example can have almost 10 calories per gram.
How Daisy Sour Cream Compares to Other Sour Cream Brands
Daisy is not the only brand of sour cream on the market. How does it compare calorie-wise to some other popular brands?
Here is a calorie comparison of some common sour cream brands for a 1 tablespoon (15g) serving:
| Brand | Calories |
|---|---|
| Daisy | 15 |
| Breakstone’s | 20 |
| Knudsen | 20 |
| Dannon | 25 |
As you can see, Daisy has slightly fewer calories than some other popular national brands of sour cream. But all sour creams have relatively similar calorie values, ranging from 15-25 calories per tablespoon.
The minor differences come down to the ingredients, serving sizes, and manufacturing processes used by each brand. But no matter what brand you choose, sour cream is a high fat, high calorie dairy product.
How Much Fat is in Daisy Sour Cream?
Now that we’ve covered calories, let’s specifically look at the fat content of Daisy sour cream.
Each 1 tablespoon (15g) serving of Daisy sour cream contains 1.5 grams of total fat. This fat is mostly saturated fat (1 gram saturated fat per tablespoon).
Dietary fat is an essential macronutrient, but consuming too much saturated fat can negatively impact health and increase risk for heart disease.
The American Heart Association recommends limiting saturated fat intake to no more than 6% of total daily calories. For a 2,000 calorie diet, this would equal about 13 grams of saturated fat per day.
So while 1 tablespoon of Daisy sour cream only provides 15 calories and 1 gram saturated fat, this can add up quickly if consuming larger portions or multiple servings per day.Moderate sour cream consumption or choosing lower fat substitutions are ways to limit saturated fat intake.
Carbohydrates in Daisy Sour Cream
In addition to fat, Daisy sour cream contains 1 gram of carbohydrate per tablespoon.
The types of carbohydrates are:
- Sugar: under 1g
- Added sugar: 0g
- Fiber: 0g
As you can see, Daisy sour cream contains minimal sugars and added sugars. There is also no fiber in sour cream.
The small amount of carbohydrates come from the lactose, or milk sugar, that is naturally present in dairy. Lactose gives dairy products a slightly sweet taste.
Overall, the carbohydrate content of Daisy sour cream is low and not a significant contributor to its calorie content. The majority of calories come from fat.
Proteins in Daisy Sour Cream
Daisy sour cream contains no protein per 1 tablespoon serving.
Some dairy products like milk, cheese and yogurt contain high quality proteins. But the process of making sour cream removes the proteins that were originally present in the cream.
For this reason, sour cream should not be considered a significant source of protein in the diet. Consuming sour cream provides calories and fat more so than any other nutrients.
Vitamins and Minerals in Daisy Sour Cream
Sour cream is not a significant source of vitamins and minerals. However, here are some of the micronutrients provided in a 1 tablespoon serving of Daisy sour cream:
- Calcium: 2% DV
- Vitamin A: 2% DV
- Vitamin D: 0% DV
As you can see, a single tablespoon provides under 3% of the recommended daily intakes for calcium, vitamin A and vitamin D.
While dairy products can be excellent sources of these nutrients, the processing and culturing of cream to make sour cream significantly reduces their vitamin and mineral content.
For those looking to get more calcium, vitamin A and vitamin D from dairy products, yogurt, milk and cheese are all better choices than sour cream.
Portion Size and Serving Recommendations
Now that we know the calorie, fat, carb and protein content of Daisy sour cream, what is a reasonable portion size to consume?
The standard serving size of sour cream is 1 tablespoon (15 grams). This contains:
- 15 calories
- 1.5g fat
- 1g carbs
Two tablespoons would double this, providing 30 calories and 3g fat.
Using 2 tablespoons (30g) as a max per serving is a good benchmark for limiting calories, fat and saturated fat intake from sour cream.
Here are some examples meals using 2 tablespoons (30g) sour cream portions:
- Baked potato: 2 tbsp sour cream
- Chili: 2 tbsp sour cream
- Taco: 2 tbsp sour cream
If having sour cream with multiple meals or snacks in a day, reduce portion sizes to 1 tablespoon (15g) to keep calories in check.
Also consider substituting plain Greek yogurt for half or all of the sour cream as a lower calorie option.
Low Fat and Light Sour Creams
For those looking to reduce calories, fat and saturated fat from sour cream, low fat and light varieties are available.
Here is how light Daisy sour cream compares to regular:
| Type | Calories | Fat |
|---|---|---|
| Regular | 15 | 1.5g |
| Light | 12.5 | 1g |
As you can see, the light version has slightly fewer calories and less fat compared to regular Daisy sour cream.
Other brands like Breakstone’s and Knudsen also offer low fat and non-fat sour cream options with 30-50% less fat than regular sour cream.
Just keep in mind that for the lowest fat options like non-fat, stabilizers and thickeners are added to mimic the texture of sour cream.
Sour Cream Substitutes
In addition to low fat sour cream varieties, some alternatives provide a lower calorie substitution for sour cream. Options include:
- Plain Greek yogurt
- Low fat cottage cheese
- Buttermilk
- Skyr
- Cream cheese
- Silken tofu
Greek yogurt is one of the most popular subs because it mimics the texture well. Skyr is an Icelandic yogurt that is a bit thicker than Greek. Cottage cheese and cream cheese can also add richness.
Buttermilk has a tangy flavor like sour cream. Silken tofu is a versatile plant-based option for those avoiding dairy.
When swapping sour cream for any of these alternatives, you can achieve a calorie reduction of 20-60 calories per serving.
Ways to Use Daisy Sour Cream
Now that we understand the calorie, fat and nutrient content of Daisy sour cream, let’s discuss the many ways it can be used to add flavor and texture to recipes:
- Baked potatoes: Top russet or sweet potatoes with 2 tbsp (30g) sour cream, green onions and bacon.
- Chili or soups: Finish off a warm bowl of chili, stew or creamy soup with a dollop of cool sour cream.
- Enchiladas: Spoon some sour cream over cheese enchiladas before serving.
- Tacos: Top hard shell or soft corn tortilla tacos with lettuce, tomato, shredded cheese and a spoonful of sour cream.
- Nachos: Drizzle melted cheese nachos with sour cream for a creamy tang.
- Potatoes au gratin: Mix some sour cream into sliced potatoes before baking au gratin.
- Creamy dips: Sour cream thickens up dips like ranch, onion, French onion and chip dips.
- Fruit salad dressing: Mix sour cream with brown sugar, vanilla and cinnamon to top fresh fruit salads.
- Pasta salads: Toss some sour cream into pasta salads for a cool, creamy finish.
As you can see sour cream has wide versatility beyond just topping baked potatoes. Just be mindful of portion sizes, and opt for low fat varieties when possible to keep calories in check.
Storing and Handling Daisy Sour Cream
To maintain safety and freshness, be sure to store and handle Daisy sour cream properly:
- Keep refrigerated below 40°F at all times.
- Use within 10-14 days of opening.
- To extend shelf life, stir and repack into an airtight container.
- Avoid temperature fluctuations. Don’t leave out on counter for extended periods.
- Look for signs of spoilage like mold, separation, or abnormal smell or taste.
- Discard if expiration date printed on package has passed.
When stored properly and consumed within a couple weeks of opening, Daisy sour cream will maintain its freshness, flavor and texture.
Homemade Sour Cream
It’s also possible to easily make fresh sour cream at home with just two ingredients:
- Heavy cream
- Lemon juice or white vinegar
To make:
- Warm 1 cup heavy cream to room temperature.
- Stir in 1-2 tbsp lemon juice or white vinegar.
- Let mixture sit at room temperature 8-12 hours until thickened.
- Stir well, then refrigerate until completely chilled.
The end result will be thick, tangy homemade sour cream!
Nutritionwise, homemade sour cream contains slightly fewer calories and fat compared to Daisy since it’s made from pure heavy cream without any thickeners. But overall, the calorie and fat content remains similar.
Conclusion
In summary, one tablespoon (15g) of Daisy sour cream contains approximately:
- 15 calories
- 1.5g fat
- 1g carbs
- Minimal protein and nutrients
The calories come mainly from fat, with a small amount from the naturally-present lactose sugar.
When consuming sour cream, a 1-2 tablespoon portion is reasonable for limiting calories and saturated fat intake. Opt for low fat varieties and substitutes like Greek yogurt when possible.
Sour cream adds a cool, creamy and tangy flavor when used to top baked potatoes, nachos, chili, tacos and more. Just be mindful of portions to keep calories in check. Store refrigerated and consume within 1-2 weeks for freshness.
Overall, sour cream can be enjoyed in moderation as part of healthy, balanced diet.
