An obesity coach warns shoppers to avoid a few common ingredients in cream cheese, claiming it could disrupt gut health.
In a video with over 108,000 views, TikToker and weight loss coach The Obesity Movement (@batwingbootcamp) stands in front of a refrigerated shelf holding several brands of cream cheese.
“Every single one of these cream cheeses are filled with stabilizers and gum,” she says. She flips over several containers, showing ingredients like carrageenan, guar gum, xanthan gum, and “natural flavors.”
She says she only buys one brand, Tillamook. This is due to its short and simple ingredient list. She flips the package over, showing it contains just three ingredients: pasteurized milk and cream, skim milk, and salt.
“There are no stabilizers in here. Yes, it’s a dollar more. This tastes so much better,” she says.
Are the stabilizers in cream cheese actually bad for you?
In the caption, the weight loss coach claims that stabilizers in cream cheese can “wreck your gut lining, feed the wrong bacteria, trigger inflammation & bloating, and worsen IBS and leaky gut symptoms.”
In a direct message to The Mary Sue, she writes, “I feel amazing now eating whole foods and have done amazing with my gut health and skin. I feel so much better.”
Stabilizers are ingredients like plant-based gums, which can make the cheese easily spreadable, prevent separation of the product, and extend the shelf life, according to the Journal of Dairy Science.
While the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recognizes these stabilizers as safe for human consumption, some people may experience an upset stomach if they are sensitive to the ingredients.
According to a paper in the Archives of Medical Science, these stabilizers may lead to gut inflammation. However, more research is needed to figure out exactly how stabilizers may be impacting the gut.
Will shoppers switch to Tillamook?
In the comments, viewers thank the weight loss coach for the PSA. They say they’ll pick up Tillamook cream cheese the next time they shop.
“Thanks for this, I love Tillamook products, didn’t know they had cream cheese – I’ll be shopping for that!” one writes.
“The gums and stabilizers kill my stomach. Good to know there’s a clean cream cheese out there,” another says.
“I will be looking for that brand. I react to some of the gum additives,” a third adds.
However, others say they aren’t freaked out by additives in cream cheese.
“It’s rare to find because the purpose of them is to keep it from separating, and to stay smooth. BUT guar gum is made from…a plant. So is xathan gum, it’s made from polysaccharides in a fermentation broth, which is dried, impurities removed, and then ground to a powder. So it’s a modern thing but not evil,” a commenter says.
@batwingbootcamp ? What’s REALLY in your cream cheese? Most store-bought cream cheese isn’t just dairy—it’s a chemical cocktail. ? ? Look at the label and you’ll likely see: • Carrageenan • Guar gum • Xanthan gum • Locust bean gum • “Natural flavors” (? what even are those?) These stabilizers and emulsifiers are used to give cream cheese that perfect spread… but at what cost? ? Gut disruption. These additives can: ? Wreck your gut lining ? Feed the wrong bacteria ? Trigger inflammation & bloating ? Worsen IBS and leaky gut symptoms But here’s the good news: Tillamook Cream Cheese doesn’t play that game. ? ✔️ No gums ✔️ No fillers ✔️ No junk Just simple, real ingredients your gut actually recognizes. ? Creamy. Clean. Gut-approved. ✅ Check your label. Choose better. Feel better. #GutHealthMatters #ReadYourLabels #TillamookTruth #RealCreamCheese #NoMoreGums #CleanEating #WholeFoodFuel #DitchTheChemicals #CreamyWithoutCompromise @Tillamook ♬ original sound – The Obesity Movement
The Mary Sue reached out to Tillamook for further comment.
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