Question: Is sour cream dairy?
Answer: We love sour cream for things like baked potatoes, nachos, and dips. While many people enjoy the tangy and creamy flavors of sour cream, some aren’t quite sure of its exact ingredients. Specifically, many people wonder if sour cream contains dairy.
Yes, sour cream is a dairy product. Sour cream is made from only cultured cream in its simplest form. A light sour cream is often made from a combination of cultured cream and milk. Additionally, several brands contain thickeners, preservatives, and additives like carrageenan, guar gum, locust bean gum, and food starch.
There are a few dairy-free “sour cream” products on the market. These products provide a dairy alternative for those looking to avoid dairy. They also do not contain lactose because they are dairy-free. Some brands are:
- Vegan Gourmet
- Tofutti Better Than Sour Cream
- WayFare
Additionally, there are also a couple lactose-free sour cream products. These products contain dairy but do not have lactose (milk sugar) which is commonly found in milk:
- Green Valley Organic
- Gay Lea