Where does cream come from?

Cream comes from cows.  When cows produce milk, all the milk contains some cream.  Cream is made of fat droplets and these float to the surface, if the milk is left to stand.  The milk you buy from the shop has been homogenised to spread the fat droplets throughout the milk.  With cream, the fat is separated from the rest of the milk by spinning it very fast. This process is called ‘centrifugation’.

 

What to look for

If you can support Scotland’s dairy farmers when you buy milk, this helps ensure we continue producing the milk and cream we currently do. Look out for the Scottish flag on your milk bottle.

Is cream good for us?

Cream consists of mainly fat and water in varying proportions depending on the type of cream. It is energy-dense and contains small quantities of other nutrients. So, cream can be enjoyed in small quantities as part of your Christmas meal. If you can, try to get organic milk and cream – research has shown that it can contain around 50% more beneficial omega-3 fatty acids than non-organic milk and cream.

How sustainable is milk production?

Cows chew the cud, which means they regurgitate the grass and re-chew it to help them digest it. This process produces methane, which is a greenhouse gas.  Find out more about methane and greenhouse gases here.  There is a lot of on-going research looking at how methane emissions can be reduced.

Buy only the milk and cream you need and as cream freezes well, you can pour it into an ice cube tray and use it later.

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