Is Babybel Real Cheese? Babybel vs Laughing Cow Labels

Yes, both are sold as real cheese: Babybel's page calls Babybel Original a '100% real cheese snack' made from pasteurized cultured milk, salt and microbial enzymes, and The Laughing Cow page says its Creamy Original wedges are 'Made with real cheese'. The difference is the rest of the list: The Laughing Cow adds whey, milk protein concentrate, butter and sodium polyphosphate.

TL;DR: Neither label shows that one product is healthier. Babybel Original (1 piece, 20 g) lists 150 mg sodium, 4 g protein and 140 mg calcium, while The Laughing Cow Creamy Original (1 wedge, 19 g) lists 160 mg sodium, 2 g protein and 130 mg calcium. The main ingredient difference is that The Laughing Cow lists sodium polyphosphate, a phosphate salt, while the Babybel list does not include a phosphate.

Key takeaways

• Babybel Original lists three ingredients: pasteurized cultured milk, salt and microbial enzymes. No phosphate salt appears in that list.
• The Laughing Cow Creamy Original lists seven main ingredients plus five at less than 2% each. Sodium polyphosphate is in the main list, and tricalcium phosphate is in the less-than-2% group.
• Per serving, sodium is 150 mg for the Babybel piece (20 g) and 160 mg for the Laughing Cow wedge (19 g).
• The Babybel page uses the phrase '100% real cheese snack' and The Laughing Cow page says 'Made with real cheese'. These are label wording, not legal status.
• Neither product page names a standardized process cheese name, so this article does not place either product under 21 CFR 133.169 or 133.179. Those rules list sodium phosphates among permitted emulsifying agents for standardized products.

Is Mini Babybel Original Healthier Than The Laughing Cow Creamy Original Wedges?

Neither label shows one product is healthier. Babybel Original lists 150 mg sodium and 4 g protein per 20 g piece, and The Laughing Cow Creamy Original lists 160 mg sodium and 2 g protein per 19 g wedge. The panels also differ on calories, fat and calcium, and how those numbers fit a diet depends on the rest of what a person eats.

Per serving	Mini Babybel Original (1 piece, 20 g)	The Laughing Cow Creamy Original (1 wedge, 19 g)
Calories	70	45
Total fat	5 g (6% DV)	3.5 g (4% DV)
Saturated fat	3.5 g (18% DV)	2 g (10% DV)
Cholesterol	15 mg (5% DV)	10 mg (3% DV)
Sodium	150 mg (7% DV)	160 mg (7% DV)
Total carbohydrate	0 g (0% DV)	1 g (0% DV)
Total sugars	0 g	1 g
Protein	4 g (8% DV)	2 g (4% DV)
Calcium	140 mg (10% DV)	130 mg (10% DV)
Vitamin D	0 mcg (0% DV)	2 mcg (10% DV)
Vitamin A	Not listed	90 mcg (10% DV)
Potassium	10 mg (0% DV)	30 mg (0% DV)
Ingredients listed	3	7 main plus 5 at less than 2% each

The Babybel piece is higher in calories, total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol and protein. The Laughing Cow wedge is higher in vitamin D, vitamin A and potassium. For sodium and calcium, the two products are close, so the protein and fat differences are the clearest contrast on these panels.

What Are the Ingredients in Mini Babybel Original vs The Laughing Cow Creamy Original?

Babybel Original's listed ingredients are pasteurized cultured milk, salt and microbial enzymes, with milk declared as the allergen. The Laughing Cow Creamy Original lists cheddar and semisoft cheese, whey, milk protein concentrate, butter, water, skim milk and sodium polyphosphate, followed by five ingredients at less than 2% each.

The Laughing Cow ingredient list reads, verbatim: 'Cheddar and Semisoft Cheese (Pasteurized Cultured Milk and Part-Skim Milk, Salt, Enzymes), Whey, Milk Protein Concentrate, Butter (Cream), Water, Skim Milk, Sodium Polyphosphate, Less Than 2% of Each: Tricalcium Phosphate, Citric Acid, Milk Fat, Salt, Vitamins (Cholecalciferol [Vitamin D] and Vitamin A Acetate). CONTAINS: Milk'.

The Babybel list reads, verbatim: 'Pasteurized cultured milk, salt, microbial enzymes. Contains: Milk.'

• Babybel names three ingredients and no phosphate salt.
• The Laughing Cow list names two phosphate salts: sodium polyphosphate in the main ingredient list and tricalcium phosphate in the less-than-2% group.
• Both packs declare milk.
• The composition of the Babybel wax coating is not disclosed on the product page.

Ingredient counts show how many items are listed, not how a product was made. Readers can compare the full lists side by side.

Do Both Products Use the Words "Real Cheese" on Their Packs?

Babybel's brand page calls the product a '100% real cheese snack,' and The Laughing Cow page says it is 'Made with real cheese.' Neither page uses a standardized process cheese name.

Is Babybel Real Cheese?

Yes, in the brand's own words: the Babybel Original page calls it a '100% real cheese snack' (per 20 g piece). The same page says the product has no artificial growth hormones, artificial colors, flavors or preservatives. It footnotes the growth hormone claim, noting that no significant difference has been shown between milk from rBST-treated and non-rBST-treated cows. The page does not name a legal standard of identity for the product.

Does Babybel Have Preservatives?

The brand page says Babybel Original has no artificial preservatives, colors or flavors. The ingredient list shows three items: pasteurized cultured milk, salt and microbial enzymes, so no preservative is named as a separate ingredient.

Is Laughing Cow Real Cheese?

Yes, the Laughing Cow Creamy Original page says the product is 'Made with real cheese' and describes it as 'creamy spreadable cheese.' The page does not use the standardized names in 21 CFR 133.169 or 21 CFR 133.179, and the reason for that choice was not disclosed.

What Is Sodium Polyphosphate in The Laughing Cow Wedges and Is It Absent From Babybel?

Sodium polyphosphate is a phosphate salt listed in The Laughing Cow Creamy Original ingredients, and it does not appear in the Babybel Original ingredient list. Federal standards for some processed cheese products name sodium phosphates among the emulsifying agents they permit.

Under 21 CFR 133.179, pasteurized process cheese spread is made by comminuting cheese and mixing it with the aid of heat "with one or more of the emulsifying agents" such as sodium phosphates, sodium metaphosphate (sodium hexametaphosphate) or sodium citrate, into a homogeneous plastic mass that is spreadable at 70 °F. The standard limits emulsifier solids to not more than 3 percent. That limit describes the standard itself, not the content of any one product. Section 133.169 defines pasteurized process cheese with the same list of emulsifying agents.

The Laughing Cow page does not state that its product falls under either standard, so this article does not classify it that way. The label also does not explain the role of sodium polyphosphate in this specific product.

How Much Sodium Is in Mini Babybel Original vs The Laughing Cow Creamy Original Wedges?

Mini Babybel Original lists 150 mg sodium per 20 g piece, which is 7% DV, while The Laughing Cow Creamy Original lists 160 mg per 19 g wedge, also 7% DV. The FDA Daily Value for sodium used on labels is 2300 mg.

The milligram amounts differ by 10 mg per serving, but both panels round to the same percentage of the daily value. Because the Laughing Cow serving is one wedge and the Babybel serving is one piece, the per-serving figures are the fairest comparison on these panels.

People who track sodium for medical reasons may want to discuss their targets with a clinician, especially if they eat several servings a day.

How Much Protein and Calcium Is in Each Mini Babybel and Laughing Cow Wedge?

Mini Babybel Original lists 4 g protein (8% DV) and 140 mg calcium (10% DV) per 20 g piece. The Laughing Cow Creamy Original lists 2 g protein (4% DV) and 130 mg calcium (10% DV) per 19 g wedge.

The Babybel piece shows double the protein of the Laughing Cow wedge on these panels, and its calcium figure is 10 mg higher. Both calcium percentages are based on the 1300 mg FDA daily value. The Laughing Cow ingredient list includes milk protein concentrate and tricalcium phosphate, but the panel figures are the ones to compare.

These panel values may not match every package or every current formulation. The Nutrition Facts panel on the pack you hold is the reference point for your own tally.

How Can Shoppers Spot Phosphate Additives and Sodium on These Cheese Labels?

Look for phosphate or citrate names in the ingredient list, then read the sodium line on the Nutrition Facts panel per serving.

• Scan for names containing 'phosphate', such as sodium polyphosphate and tricalcium phosphate, and for 'citrate', such as sodium citrate.
• Note the product name. 'Spreadable cheese' and 'cheese snack' are descriptive wording; a standardized name such as 'pasteurized process cheese spread' refers to a federal standard of identity.
• Compare sodium and calcium per serving, and check the serving size, since the Babybel serving is 20 g and the Laughing Cow serving is 19 g.
• Check %DV against the FDA daily values: 2300 mg sodium and 1300 mg calcium.
• Read the allergen line, which says Contains: Milk on both packs.

For another lunchbox cheese label, see Is Frigo Healthier Than Sargento? 80 vs 90 Cal per Stick. For two cheese products sold under process-cheese names, see Kraft Singles vs Velveeta Slices: 230 mg vs 260 mg Sodium.