Milk and cream have been used from a very long time. Milk is a part and parcel of everyday food. It is used in various ways and is a source of great nutrition for all ages. Cream is also used often but it adds flavor and taste to food.

Fact 1 What Is Cream

Cream is obtained from milk. It is essentially a dairy product that contains butter fat and is churned out from milk before it is processed and homogenized for use. It is dense and creamy. The milk that is not homogenized, rises to the top and forms the upper layer of milk and this cream is less dense. When cream is produced for commercial purposes, industries hasten the process of making cream by using centrifuges known as separators.

Fact 2 What Is Milk

Every person is used to drinking milk in various forms. Although there are different fluids that are termed as milk, that fluid which is obtained from cattle like cows and goats is called milk. It is often white in color. Sometimes a yellowish tinge is visible on the upper layer of milk. It denotes the fats present in milk. Milk is full of nutrients that help in growth and maintenance of health. All products obtained from milk are useful in different ways and are used in innumerable forms. We get yoghurt, cottage cheese, kefir, cream and others. Milk is also of different kinds. Some are high in fat contents while others are skimmed to make them low-fat or fat-free milk. When milk is left overnight, a layer of think cream forms on the top of the milk. It shows that the milk is of good quality and this layer is known as cream. This product is fresh and pure.

Fact 3 Difference Between Cream And Milk

Cream and milk are dairy products. But there are various technical differences that we are not so aware of. Here are some of the differences between the two products.

1. Milk is a fluid and is obtained in liquid form. Cream is semi-solid and is thicker as compared to milk.
2. Milk is white in color. But the color of cream varies according to the fat contents present in cream.
3. Cream is the upper-most layer of milk that is either naturally formed or is churned from milk. The cream is separated from the milk that makes milk fat-free.
4. Milk is available in different varieties like skimmed milk, low-fat milk or full cream milk.
5. Cream is also available in various grades. It depends on the butterfat present in cream. It has high levels of saturated fats that should be avoided by obese people.
6. Milk of all animals like cows, goats, camels, etc. are liquids but cream is semi-solid as well as dried and made into powder for easy transportation.
7. We drink milk but not cream.
8. Milk has lesser fat as compared to cream. Creams obtained from cattle that graze on pasture lands are more nutritious. They contain nutrients called carotenoid which is a natural pigment derived from plants. This gives the cream a yellowish-white color. Butter obtained from milk is hence yellow. However, milk mulched from cows and goats that are reared indoors and are fed on pellets and grains is of white color.
9. We drink milk in its natural form. Sometimes chocolates and other flavors are added to enhance taste. But cream is rarely consumed as cream itself. It is used in combination with other foods like desserts as well as salty foods to make the food taste creamier and richer.
10. The most vital difference between cream and milk is that cream is obtained from milk but milk is not derived from cream. Milk is totally an independent drink.