Should you make the switch to low-calorie ice cream?
On a hot summer’s day, there can be nothing better than a creamy, airy scoop of ice cream. It’s something beloved by both adults and children alike, and for many good reasons.
Chocolate lovers and fruit lovers can come together to enjoy the rich, decadent, creamy texture of ice cream and the variety of flavours it comes in. Whether you lick it from a bowl, whirl it in your milkshakes, or scoop it onto a warm, oozy brownie, there’s no doubt that ice cream is an addictive concoction.
However, there is a downside to this otherwise seemingly magical dessert. Ice cream may taste divine, but its nutritional value doesn’t compare.
The truth is, ice cream is quite a guilty pleasure. It is packed full of sugars and calories, which do you more harm than good.
However, eating healthy doesn’t mean you have to stop having ice cream altogether. Instead, you can make the switch to a healthier option.
Low calorie ice cream takes all the guilt away from enjoying your favourite dessert. Keep reading below to learn all about it.
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What is Low-Cal Ice Cream?
Low-calorie ice cream has healthier ingredients than your regular scoop, giving it fewer calories and better nutritional content. Low-calorie ice cream tastes the same as regular ice cream, minus the guilt.
Healthy ice cream typically has skim milk instead of full-fat cream, lessening the calorie count. It also has more protein than a standard scoop.
How is low-Calorie Ice Cream made?
There are several ways that low calorie ice cream uk cuts down on the extra calories. Milk alternatives are an excellent way of cutting down the calories that come with cow’s milk.
Furthermore, artificial sweeteners can help keep the calories low, too, as white sugar and sugar alternative often have a high level of calories.
Once you have the right ingredients, you can make low-calorie ice cream like regular ice cream. After some churning and patience, you’ll have a delicious bowl of creamy, decadent goodness.
How it's different from normal ice cream
The main difference between low-calorie ice cream and regular ice cream comes from the ingredients used. Using healthier alternatives helps make low-calorie ice cream incredibly healthy and delicious simultaneously.
Low-calorie ice cream is also less processed than regular ice cream and has shorter ingredient lists.
A closer look at the ingredients
Many alternatives make healthy ice cream. Below, we discuss the most important.
Milk alternatives
Traditional ice cream uses milk and cream alternatives instead of full-fat milk and cream, which have higher calories. Instead, it uses many alternatives.
Coconut milk, cream, or oat milk, or almond milk are the most popular picks. Each option has low calories and fat and makes low-calorie ice cream incredibly nutritious.
Sugar alternatives
Sugar is one of the most significant reasons why traditional ice cream is high in calories and low in nutrition. However, low-calorie ice cream ditches the white sugar and opts for a healthier alternative.
Artificial sweeteners are common in healthy ice creams. These sweeteners have no calories and make the ice cream enjoyable.
Some low-calorie ice creams contain sugar alcohols, which are a healthy way to sweeten desserts. These sugar alcohols help make low sugar ice cream uk.
Top 4 Low-Calorie Ice Creams
Halo Top
Halo Top is one of the most popular healthy ice cream brands for many reasons. It comes in some of the most delicious ice cream flavours imaginable, ranging from oatmeal to pancakes, waffles, and cookies.
It is also pretty healthy, with just 70 calories and high protein. It can help you stick to a diet while enjoying the desserts you love.
Oatly Strawberry Ice Cream
Oatly is a hip, Swedish brand known for its healthy drinks. However, they’ve branched out and added this nourishing, classic strawberry ice cream to their menu.
It is a low-calorie vegan strawberry ice cream that tastes just as rich and creamy as the real deal.
Jude's Mini Chocolate, Almond & White Lower Calorie Ice Cream
If you don’t trust yourself when you have a whole tub of ice cream in front of you, you can opt for Jude’s Minis instead.
Each bar has less than 95 calories and is the perfect way to fix your chocolate cravings. They are rich and decadent while having low calories and being very healthy.
You can enjoy rich Belgian chocolate filled with a creamy vanilla bean centre without worrying about your weight.
Oppo Simply the Zest
With Oppo Simply, the Zest ice cream, eating clean doesn’t have to be boring anymore. This is a zingy, bright flavour that has the added benefit of being super healthy.
The lemon panna cotta flavour is mouth-watering and will tingle all your taste buds. It’s made with the best coconut milk and has added fibre.
Health Benefits of Low Calorie Ice Cream
There are many health benefits of switching over to healthy ice cream. We’ve listed some of the most prominent.
Less sugar, meaning fewer health drawbacks
High sugar consumption is one of the biggest causes of various health drawbacks globally. Extra sugars in your diet can lead to obesity, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, and diabetes, to name a few.
A regular ice cream scoop can contain up to 14 grams of added sugar, making it incredibly unhealthy. Low sugar ice cream often has half the amount of sugar, making it exceptionally healthy.
Furthermore, regular ice cream has white sugar, which is much more dangerous than sugar alternatives. Healthy ice cream often has no white sugar but alternative sweeteners.
Helps build muscle
One of the most significant benefits of switching to healthy ice cream is its high protein level. If you’re trying to lose weight and build muscle, you need all the protein you can get.
You can get up to 7-8 grams of protein from the most renowned brands of healthy ice cream, making it an excellent way to bulk up. Regular ice cream, in comparison, carries only 2-3 grams of protein.
Aids digestion
Apart from having high protein levels, low-calorie ice cream also has a high level of fibre. It can help you have better digestion and help you stay full for longer.
Added fibre also keeps you from having a sugar rush, as it slows down the absorption rate. In contrast, you won’t find fibre in any regular ice cream brand.
Many healthy ice cream brands contain corn fibre, which helps slow down digestion and keep your diet on track.
Less saturated fat
Consuming a high level of saturated fats means that you put yourself at risk for many diseases. Heart disease and cancers are common in people who consume too many saturated fats.
Regular ice cream gives you a high level of saturated fat and is also incredibly easy to overeat. However, low-calorie ice cream has none of these drawbacks.
By having skim milk instead of full-fat dairy, you can save yourself from consuming extra fat and calories with fat-free ice cream.
FAQs
What is the best low-calorie ice cream?
Halo Top is the best low-calorie ice cream because it has a mere 70 calories and comes in over 25 flavours, letting you satisfy all your cravings.
It also has lower fat content than other brands and has more protein too. Halo Top is so healthy you won’t ever need to feel guilty about having dessert again!
What ice cream has the least calories?
Arctic Zero is an ice cream brand with the lowest calorie count, ranging from 40-90 calories, depending on the size you pick.
It also has no sugar alcohols and is lactose-free, non-dairy, and a light, fresh option.
Is low-calorie ice cream bad for you?
While regular ice cream may be bad for you, low-calorie ice cream certainly isn’t. Low-calorie ice cream has many essential nutrients which make it incredibly healthy.
The low-calorie count makes it perfect if you’re weight-watching or looking to cut back on fat and sugar.
Is low-calorie ice cream good for weight loss?
Yes. The high protein level and low carbs make it suitable for weight loss. Low-calorie ice cream is also much lower in fat than regular ice cream.
If you’re looking to drop those pounds, a serving of low-calorie ice cream will only help you on your journey.
Conclusion
With a pint of low-calorie ice cream in your freezer, you never need to feel guilty about having a scoop again. The cherry on top of the cake is that low-calorie ice cream is just as delicious – if not more – than your regular scoop.
Health fads come and go, and rarely do they ever deliver on what they promise. However, low-calorie ice cream gives you just what it claims to, and more.
Various health benefits come with switching to low-calorie ice cream, so there’s no reason why you shouldn’t. These light, airy scoops are sure to become a constant in your dessert stash and for all the right reasons.
Andy
Ever since I started cooking I’ve been fascinated by how different people’s techniques are and how they best utilise the ingredients around them. Even the person living next door will have their own unique way of frying an egg or cooking a salmon fillet.
This fascination led me on a journey across the globe to discover the countless practices and traditions the world of cooking has to offer. I thought you’d enjoy and find value in sharing that journey with me so I created Cooked Best!