Peanut Butter vs Cream Cheese: Difference and Comparison

They are applied to crackers, bread, and similar foods. Spread aims to enhance the texture or flavour of the food because, without spread, it may consider bland.  

Peanut butter and cream cheese come with differences in their nutritional values, contents, and other things. 

Key Takeaways

1. Peanut butter consists of ground peanuts, while cream cheese is a dairy product made from milk and cream.
2. Cream cheese has a smooth, creamy texture and a mild flavor, whereas peanut butter has a thick, sticky consistency and a nutty taste.
3. Peanut butter is high in protein and healthy fats, while cream cheese is higher in saturated fats and lower in nutrients.

Peanut Butter vs Cream Cheese 

Peanut butter is a sandwich spread made from roasted ground peanuts and mixed with sugar and oil. It is a sweet and salty spread that is rich in protein. Cream cheese is a cheese spread made from cream and unskimmed milk. It is used for sandwiches, cakes and pastries to give a mild, creamy taste.

Peanut butter is made from ground and dry roasted peanuts. This butter is consumed in many countries.

It is similar to cottage cheese, but its fat content is higher in amount. In the United States, it is a popular filling in sandwiches and used as a spread. 

Comparison Table

Parameters of Comparison	Peanut Butter	Cream Cheese
Interpretation	It is a paste of ground peanuts that are roasted.	Cheese is made from cream and unskimmed milk.
Origin	The 1884s	The 1650s
Calories	More	Less
Cholesterol	Less	More
Taste	Sweet, salty, earthy, and nutly	Mild and sweet with slight tang

What is Peanut Butter? 

Peanut butter is a paste of ground peanuts that is roasted. It contains additional ingredients to modify the texture or taste of it, such as sweeteners, emulsifiers, or salt.  

Peanut butter is also used in making several desserts and breakfast dishes, such as peanut-flavoured smoothies, cookies, croissants, granola, crepes, or brownies.  

When it comes to the introduction of peanut butter, it can be traced to 1884. A man, namely Marcellus Gilmore Edson, who belonged from Montreal, Quebec, got a patent for roasted peanuts in the “fluid or semi-fluid state”.

In 2013, the book was written on peanut butter by Jon Krampner’s highlighted that the per capita consumption of peanut butter in the Netherlands and Canada exceeded that in the United States. 

What is Cream Cheese? 

Cream cheese tastes like mild fresh cheese. In industrial production, stabilizers are added, such as carrageenan and carob bean gum. Cream cheese is meant for fresh consumption because it is not naturally matured.

Cream cheese is used as a spread, filling for sandwiches, and for baking cheesecake, and it is also a component of some frosting and pastries.  

There are references in England to cream cheese, at least from 1754. In 1872, a food processing company, namely Kraft Foods, came out with cream cheese in America.   

Similarly, Canadian and Drug Regulations consider that cream cheese must contain a maximum of 55% moisture with at least 30% milk fat. It varies among other countries with a considerably high amount of fat. 

Main Differences Between Peanut Butter and Cream Cheese 

1. In terms of iron, peanut butter has notably more iron compared to cream cheese. Peanut butter has 1.9mg per 100 grams, while cream cheese has 0.11mg of iron.  
2. When it comes to macronutrient ratios, peanut butter has more protein, carbs, and less fat compared to cheese cream per calorie.   

References

1. http://grasasyaceites.revistas.csic.es/index.php/grasasyaceites/article/view/270
2. https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-dairy-research/article/odourimpact-compounds-of-gorgonzola-cheese/DA75FD56398A931E3A3AFE6DF32191FB