When it comes to frosty treats, ice cream reigns supreme and remains one of America’s favorite desserts, whether as a cool ending to a sultry summer day or the perfect topping for a slice of apple pie. And with unrelenting heat waves being the summer norm, certainly a bowl of ice cream is more appetizing than chocolate cake. But like most sweets, it can be downright indulgent, with high amounts of saturated fat and added sugar that means an extra scoop or two can derail your healthy eating goals.
But manufacturers have been experimenting with fresh takes on our favorite creamy treat. It’s now easier to find options that slash the calories, sugar and fat making a brain freeze less painful. And don’t forget that traditional dairy-based ice cream can provide some beneficial nutrients along with the fat and sugar. It’s got bone-building calcium and some energy-supporting B vitamins. So chilling out with a scoop once in a while isn’t all nutritional doom and gloom. And no longer are healthier choices about eating something that tastes like cardboard stuffed into a pint container. Can’t stomach dairy? You now have more non-dairy ice cream options than ever that taste good enough you won’t feel like you are missing out.
How To Choose The Healthiest Ice Creams
Any way you scoop it, the best ice cream for you depends on your personal health goals and needs. And there’s nothing wrong with occasionally eating traditional full-fat, higher sugar ice cream. But if ice cream is more of a summer habit for you than a rare occurrence, it’s a good idea to pay attention to the nutrition numbers and try to choose those that aren’t so naughty. Ideally, you want something with reasonably low amounts of calories, fat, and sugar per serving. Here’s what to keep an eye out for.
Serving Size
The serving size of any ice cream or frozen dessert is 2/3 cup, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). For the most part, consider this the serving size you should stick to. A pint usually contains around three servings, so it’s a good idea not to spoon ice cream mindlessly directly from the container because it’s easy to overeat the stuff.
Calories
If you aren’t careful with your selection and plough through a pint in one go it’s easy for ice cream to take a big chunk out of your daily calorie allotment. Ideally, you want a serving to ring in at no more than 250 calories. Once you push past the 300-calorie mark you better follow up that bowful of cookies & cream with a trip to the gym. Just be careful that you don’t end up gorging on a lower-calorie ice cream just because it’s, well, lower in calories. Doing so can negate any calorie savings.
Sugar
Many ice cream options are sugar bombs with upwards of 30 grams of the sweet stuff in a serving, so it’s good to keep in mind that research keeps piling up that going overboard on added sugar is bad news. Case in point: A review of 73 meta-analyses, published in The BMJ, found that a diet high in added sugar was linked to more than three dozen poor health outcomes, including diabetes, cancer, gout, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, asthma, depression and early mortality. It’s now easier than ever to find pints and ice cream bars with fewer than 15 grams of added sugar in a serving.
Saturated Fat
There is no need to eschew saturated fat from your diet and scoop up a frosty dessert that doesn’t include any, but for the benefit of your ticker aim for an ice cream that limits saturated fat to under 10 grams in a serving.
Protein
While some brands and now jacking up the protein numbers, at the end of the day it’s not important to rely on ice cream for a good dose of the muscle-making macro. Especially if you are already eating plenty of high-protein whole foods. Ice cream doesn’t compare to the nutritional benefits of other higher protein foods, such as fish, yogurt, cottage cheese, tofu, or eggs.
Dairy-Free
Ice cream made minus the moo milk can be a boon to those who are following a plant-based lifestyle or who can’t tolerate dairy. But they can benefit from a health halo, yet aren’t necessarily healthier for you. They can still be loaded with sugar, and in some cases plenty of saturated fat from coconut oil. As with regular ice cream, label reading is a must so you end up scooping up a more waistline-friendly option.
9 Healthiest Ice Creams You Can Buy
Whether you prefer classic vanilla or something that seems a little more indulgent (hello, butter pecan), the ice picks below are sure to satisfy your sweet tooth and keep you in line with your health goals.
Halo Top Chocolate Ice Cream Cake
Per Serving (2/3 cup): 120 calories, 3.5 g fat (2 g saturated) , 23 g carbs ( 6g fiber, 6g added sugar), 6g protein, 100mg sodium
The perfect lower-calorie ice cream for the chocolate lover. The use of skim milk keeps the calories and saturated fat on the down-low. Heck, even if you ended up demolishing a whole pint in one go it still would only set you back 360 calories, which is hardly a diet breaker. Just keep in mind that the addition of sugar alcohol (erythritol) and soluble corn fiber can cause tummy issues in some people if eaten too liberally.
Clio Strawberry Greek Yogurt Bars
Per Serving (1 bar): 140 calories, 6 g fat (5 g saturated) , 14 g carbs ( 1g fiber, 10g added sugar), 9g protein, 30mg sodium
These bars are crafted from Greek yogurt, which gives them a nice creamy texture, solid amounts of muscle-building protein and some gut-friendly probiotics while keeping calories and fat in check. And, like other bars, they come with built-in portion control. Bonus points for the refreshing fruity flavor that comes from using real strawberries.
Edy’s Slow Churned French Vanilla
Per Serving (2/3 cup): 140 calories, 4.5 g fat (2.5 g saturated) , 23 g carbs ( 2g fiber, 13g added sugar), 3g protein, 50mg sodium
The slow churned line-up of ice creams from this frozen dessert stalwart contain half the amount of fat and a third fewer calories than their regular options. But you would be hard-pressed to tell the difference when it comes to flavor and creamy texture. No artificial sweeteners or flavoring agents are included in the tub.
Oatly Chocolate Mini Cup
Per Serving (1 cup): 130 calories, 7 g fat (4.5 g saturated) , 17 g carbs ( 0g fiber, 12g added sugar), 1g protein, 30mg sodium
From it’s name, you are correct to suspect that this plant-only ice cream is made from oats. It has a crave-satisfying deep chocolate flavor and the individual cups are perfect for portion control or for those who hate to share. It’s also beefed up with some important nutrients including vitamin D and vitamin B12. The dairy-free dessert will also appeal to those who prefer not to consume sugar alternatives like artificial sweeteners or sugar alcohols.
Keto Pint Vanilla Bean
Per Serving (2/3 cup): 170 calories, 16 g fat (9 g saturated) , 12 g carbs ( 2g fiber, 0g added sugar), 4g protein, 105mg sodium
A frosty treat for those who are trying to scale back their added sugar intake to almost nothing. Each spoonful is still full of classic vanilla ice cream flavor and the use of egg yolks helps produce a creamy mouth feel. Much of the sweetness hails from allulose, a seemingly less risky sugar alternative.
Breyer’s CarbSmart Mint Fudge Cookie
Per Serving (2/3 cup): 130 calories, 7g fat (5 g saturated) , 20 g carbs ( 4g fiber, 2g added sugar), 2g protein, 60mg sodium
The ice cream giant has no shortage of options that are generous with calories and sugar, but they also have a few tasty cold, creamy treats that won’t sucker punch your diet. In particular, their CarbSmart line-up of ice creams are made with less added sugar and skim milk to keep fat calories lower than normal. This one has a solid minty flavor with those chocolate chunks we all lust over.
KIND Frozen Chocolate Cherry Almond & Nut
Per Serving (1 bar): 180 calories, 13g fat (4.5 g saturated) , 16g carbs (7g fiber, 7g added sugar), 3g protein, 65mg sodium
Creamy and crunchy at once, these frozen bars are plant-based and lead with the nutrient-dense ingredient almonds. That means you get more healthy unsaturated fats and less added sugar than most of the other subzero bars out there. There is also enough fiber here to give the bars some staying power.
Enlightened Caramel Double Dough
Per Serving (2/3 cup): 180 calories, 15g fat (8g saturated) , 23g carbs (13g fiber, 0g added sugar), 4g protein, 260mg sodium
This tastes as decadent as anything that Ben & Jerry’s will toss your way but with nutritional numbers that are much less problematic. It’s sweetened with allulose so there is no added caloric sugar and a serving has a bit more protein than most other ice cream options on the market. But be careful if you are not used to eating a lot of fiber at once as the amount added to this frozen treat could lead to digestive woes.
Cado Chocolate Mud Pie
Per Serving (2/3 cup): 230 calories, 15g fat (2 g saturated) , 26g carbs (2g fiber, 15g added sugar), 2g protein, 100mg sodium
Cado frozen dessert is a unique option in the world of ice cream in that it’s made with avocado puree. Hence, the brand name “Cado.” This stealth ingredient adds nutritional heft and a creamy fat source that’s often lacking in plant-based ice creams. But worry not that this will taste like a bowl of guac.
DIY Dessert: Peachy Nice Cream
No ice cream maker? No problem. Whipping up frozen bananas into an ice cream consistency is a tasty way to keep your cool this summer. Simply freeze chunks of ripe banana on a baking sheet and then store in an airtight container until ready to blend. Like ice cream but with zero guilt.
Makes 3 Servings
- 3 frozen chopped bananas
- 2 peaches, chopped
- 1/4 cup almond butter
- 1/4 cup fresh mint
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- Pinch of salt
Place frozen banana pieces in a food processor or high powered blender container. Turn the machine on and let it run until banana is reduced to the size of small pebbles. Scrape down sides of container and add peaches, almond butter, mint, vanilla, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt. Continue blending just until the point where the mixture is creamy. Serve your portion immediately and store the rest in an air-tight container in the freezer.