Philadelphia is the most popular cream cheese brand in the US, and is available at many major retailers. Because of its popularity, many consumers are curious about its healthiness.

But what's actually in Philadelphia cream cheese other than dairy? Does it contain any unhealthy ingredients? Does its packaging make it less healthy? And are there healthier options?

In this article we'll answer all of these questions and more, as we analyze the ingredients in Philadelphia cream cheese to give our take on whether or not it's healthy.

We'll also discuss why the packaging makes it a worse choice, and whether or not there are healthier options available.

Key takeaways:

• Unclear if dairy sourced from conventionally-raised animals
• Plastic packaging is a minor health negative
• We consider Philadelphia relatively healthy but don't currently recommend it

Ingredient Analysis 

The ingredients in the Original version of Philadephia Cream Cheese are shown below:

Milk and cream are unsurprisingly the main ingredients.

While these ingredients are nutritious and rich in calcium, it's not clear whether or not they're sourced from conventionally-raised animals.

An extensive scientific review proved that grass-fed milk is healthier than conventional milk for two main reasons:

1. It provides a more optimal ratio of fatty acids such as omega-3 fatty acids
2.  It's higher in conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), which may have cardiovascular benefits.

Salt is included, and we consider sea salt to be a healthier choice.

As we documented in our is Skinnypop healthy review article, sea salt is clinically shown to have more favorable effects on blood pressure than table salt.

Overall, we consider Philadelphia cream cheese to be relatively healthy, but we do not currently recommend it.

Is the Packaging Unhealthy?

Philadelphia cream cheese, like many American food items, is packaged in single-use plastic:

image source: kraftheinz.com

It's been clinically shown that plastic-bottled products leach harmful contaminants, and we consider this an even greater risk for acidic products.

While it's true that solid products like cream cheese are likely to be less risky in this regard than liquid products, we consider non-toxic alternatives like glass to always be a healthier option.

We consider it to be a (minor) health negative that this product is packaged in plastic, and purchasing a cream cheese packaged in materials other than plastic may be healthier.

Are There Healthier Options?

There are many cream cheese brands that source from grass-fed animals, but no major ones that also utilize plastic-free packaging.

For example, Organic Valley sells cream cheese that's certified organic and sourced from grass-fed animals, and also free of the preservative in Philadephia:

image source: organicvalley.coop

We've seen this brand in many large retailers like Whole Foods and Stop & Shop.

Local coops and farmer's markets also can have yogurt sourced from grass-fed animals and in glass packaging, but we haven't seen any major retailers selling this type of product.

Conclusion

Philadelphia cream cheese is relatively healthy because dairy is rich in nutrition, but there are healthier options on the market.

This cream cheese brand fails to clarify whether their dairy is sourced from grass-fed or conventionally-raised animals, so we assume the latter.

Grass-fed dairy is clinically shown to have a more favorable nutritional profile.

Philadelphia is also packaged in single-use plastic, and while that is certainly commonplace, we consider it to be less healthy than glass-bottled food products.

Organic Valley cream cheese is the healthiest cream cheese brand we've come across, because it's certified organic, free of any preservatives, and sourced from grass-fed animals.