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I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream! We are a society of ice cream lovers, with the average American licking her way through almost 5 gallons of the creamy confection each year, according to the Canadian Dairy Info Centre. (Only New Zealanders, at 6 gallons a year, eat more!) With their bright packaging, catchy names and convenient pint-size containers, premium (full fat) brands are readily available in your grocer’s freezer. However there are plenty of reduced-fat and even dairy-free selections to satisfy your cravings. These diet-friendly varieties make it easier to enjoy the occasional scoop while still watching your waistline.
An Ice Cream Primer
Before we figure out which brands are best, let's get the scoop on ice cream, fro-yo and all those other icy treats you know and love.
Frozen yogurt is yogurt that is frozen using a technique similar to soft serve. While lower in calories and fat than ice cream, not all frozen yogurt is made with live and active cultures the way that standard yogurt is. To make sure that a frozen yogurt contains "yogurt" and a significant amount of live and active cultures, look for the National Yogurt Association (NYA) Live & Active Cultures seal. Without that seal, frozen yogurt does not contain any probiotics.
Gelato. This Italian ice cream doesn't have as much air as traditional ice cream, so it has a much denser texture.
Ice cream. As if you needed an explanation, this frozen treat is made from milk or cream, sugar and flavorings. The FDA requires that ice creams with solid additions (nuts, chocolate, fruit, etc.) contain at least 8 percent milk fat, while plain ice creams are required to have at least 10 percent milk fat. "French" ice cream is usually made with a cooked egg custard base.
Ice milk is made with lower-fat milk than ice cream, making it less creamy. However, it does contain fewer calories than ice cream.
Italian ice (also called Granita) is a mix of juice (or other liquid like coffee), water and sugar, usually in a 4:1 ratio of liquid to sugar. The ices are stirred frequently during freezing to give it a flaky texture. These are almost always fat-free, contain minimal additives and are the lowest in calories of all frozen desserts.
Sherbet has a fruit juice base but often contains some milk, egg whites or gelatin to thicken and richen it. It's a creamy version of sorbet (see below).
Slow-churned (double churned) ice cream is made through low-temperature extrusion, to make light ice cream taste richer, creamier, and more like the full-fat variety. Look for the terms "cold churned," "slow churned" or "double churned" on the label, which refers to the extrusion’s churning process. Extrusion distributes the milk fat evenly throughout the product for added richness and texture without adding extra calories. By law, "light" ice cream must contain at least 50% less fat or 33% fewer calories than regular full-fat varieties.
Soft-serve is a soft "ice cream" that contains double the amount of air as standard ice cream, which stretches the ingredients and creates a lighter texture. It's lower in fat and calories, but it often contains fillers and additives.
Sorbet, softer in consistency than a sherbet, is usually fruit and sugar that has been frozen. Its texture more "solid" and less flaky than Italian ice.
Nutrition Facts
A little research (and label reading) is in order if you want to keep ice cream as a regular part of your diet. Here's what you need to know.
While ice cream does contain bone-building calcium, you're better off getting calcium from other food sources since ice cream contains about half the calcium as an equal serving of milk, which is lower in fat and calories. Don't fool yourself into thinking you're eating healthy by getting calcium from Haagen-Dazs or Ben and Jerry’s—both of which can pack more fat per serving than a fast food hamburger!
Some ice creams, especially "light" varieties are sweetened with artificial sweeteners instead. Using artificial sweetener in place of some or all of the traditional sugar can reduce calories, but these sweeteners aren't for everyone and may cause stomach upset when eaten in high quantities.
In general, regular (full-fat) ice cream contains about 140 calories and 6 grams of fat per 1/2 cup serving. Besides the fat content, premium brands pack more ice cream into each serving because they contain less air—they are denser and harder to scoop than regular brands—meaning more calories, fat and sugar per serving. Low fat or "light" ice creams weigh in at about half the fat of premium brands but they still contain their fair share of calories thanks to the extra sugar added to make them more palatable.
Toppings such as chocolate chips, candies and sprinkles send the calorie count even higher, and don't offer any nutritional benefits. Choose vitamin-packed fruit purée (not fruit "syrup"), fresh fruit, or nuts, which contain healthy fat, protein and fiber. While chocolate does have some health benefits, most choices like chips and syrup are usually full of fillers with very little actual chocolate. If you want extra chocolate, use a vegetable peeler to shave dark chocolate over the top of your serving.
If animal-based products aren’t part of your diet or you can't stomach dairy, you can choose from a wide variety of non-dairy frozen desserts such as soy, coconut or rice "cream." These desserts cut the saturated fat because they don’t contain milk or cream, but can derive around 50% of their calories from fat (usually by adding oil to the product for smoothness or “mouth feel”).
Indulge in a Better Ice Cream
So what should you look for when you want to indulge in a creamy dessert but not go overboard? SparkPeople dietitian, Becky Hand, recommends checking the nutrition label and choosing a frozen dessert that meets these guidelines per 1/2 cup serving:
120 calories or less
4g of total fat or less
3g of saturated fat or less (sorbet, sherbet and low-fat ice cream usually fit the bill)
10mg of cholesterol or less
15g of sugar or less (this is equal to about 3 teaspoons of actual table sugar)
Remember to keep portions small. A pint of ice cream is not a single serving; it's FOUR servings. If you eat an entire pint, you have to multiply the number of calories, fat grams, etc. listed on the label by four. Stick to portions the size of half a tennis ball, and always scoop your ice cream into a small bowl instead of eating it directly from the container to prevent overeating. And use a teaspoon rather than a tablespoon to take smaller bites.
If you want total control over what goes into your ice cream, consider buying your own ice cream maker. Experiment with the recipes that come in the package, adding your own fresh fruit to create a treat that tastes good and is good for you at the same time.
SparkPeople's Picks
The following frozen desserts make good choices; they most closely meet the guidelines above, but several other brands and varieties might also fit the bill, even if not listed here.
Ice cream is by no means a health food or a vital component of a healthy diet. But it is a simple pleasure most people wouldn't want to give up. Remember these tips next time you plan to indulge to keep yourself in check.
This article has been reviewed and approved by Licensed and Registered Dietitian, Becky Hand.
Stepfanie Romine
A former newspaper reporter, Stepfanie now writes about nutrition, health, fitness and cooking. She is a certified Ashtanga yoga teacher who enjoys running, international travel and all kinds of vegetables. See all of Stepfanie's articles.
Polar treats brand ice cream - best low fat ever! A must try, low cost too!
Hi I wanted to add another great tasting and one of cheapest if not cheapest ice creams I've found and it's at walmart. They have vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry. I don't eat ice cream too often, but when I have a craving I've gotten the strawberry. With strawberry it's only 100 calories per 1/2 cup and only 20 fat calories with the total fat being 2.5 grams and its 1.75 Qt. container it's in. It's low fat ice cream and doesn't even taste low fat, best tasting strawberry I've ever had. All 3 flavors are around the same in calorie wise too. - 4/17/2013 9:25:06 PM
3 people already mentioned Arctic Zero, but I'd like to repeat that suggestion. It's quite amazing, and I think of it as a frozen protein shake (not a huge amount of protein, though).
The chocolate is not very tasty without some additional chocolate sauce and/or fruit, but the Chocolate and Peanut Butter is delicious. I tried the Strawberry one day and accidentally ate the entire pint in one sitting.... Oops for the mindless eating, but the ENTIRE pint is only 150 calories!!! That's essentially the same # of calories in a 1/2 cup of regular ice cream!
Their new flavor, Vanilla Maple is great sprinkled with some cinnamon. I also frequently add fruit, like raspberries or blueberries, to give it some extra sweetness.
I'm such an ice cream lover, so I'm very glad that I found this frozen treat (which is also lactose-intoleran t friendly)!!!!
- 4/17/2013 6:31:25 PM
I LOVE ice cream! I make my own so I can have all natural ingredients with real vanilla bean. I make really great coconut sorbet too! YUM
- 4/17/2013 1:19:53 PM
I would suggest investing in a "Yonanas" machine which makes delicious ice cream out of just a banana. You can add a little fruit or cocoa powder or chopped nuts. My favorite kind of ice cream now.
- 4/17/2013 11:36:00 AM
I use to eat Ice Cream when ever I felt like it. Since being here I don't even crave it. I thought I would even want sherbet brought it have not touched it still in the freezer. I watch my calories like crazy. Hard now since I dropped to even less now. WOOOO HOOOO!!!!!! I found these at my Dollar Tree they are from Fla-Vor-Ice. They come in what's called FUDGE POPS & her's the best they are made with HERSHEY'S COCOA. The other one is SUNNY D. Either of them 1 serving is 3 pops at 90 calories. Maybe I will want somethimg sweet soon. lol
- 4/17/2013 11:19:58 AM
Swiss Miss fudge bars fit the bill and taste great! Fudgier tasting than some listed imho.
Personally I indulge once in a while, make room for it in my tracker by having a little less of other things... why deprive oneself.. it only makes this quest of ours all the tougher!
- 4/17/2013 10:27:05 AM
I found Healthy Choice Greek Frozen Yogurt at WalMart last weekend. It's 3 containers to a box at 100 calories each Fat 1.5g Carb 19G. It is yummy when I really want a dessert.
I like dairy free ice creams and water ice but only in small portions. A pint usually makes for about 6 servings for me (despite the 1/2 cup serving size on the label). It is nice to see So Delicious on your list, although I choose their almond or coconut varieties to avoid soy. Coconut Bliss brand is also wonderful, but that one is best in small portions; it has lots of fat from the coconut (no added oils) but is low in sugar.
Homemade is often a good solution! I make my own sorbets, including this peach sorbet:
Unless I have a taste for Blue Bunny's Red Velvet Cake Ice Cream, I usually stick to Breyers Original Vanilla or Strawberry. I have an intolerance to corn, and while Breyers tends to be fazing out its real ice cream, I like it because there is no corn syrup or stuff I can't pronounce. Plus the vanilla is one of the best vanilla ice creams I've tasted so far.
- 3/12/2013 4:57:58 PM
Great article! Thank you! Very informative. I like the break down of "definitions". Now I know what gelato is. lol I especially appreciate the list of name brands with the calorie and fat content listed. Saves me the trouble! I love ice cream and can easily binge on it, so I try to limit myself to having it once or twice a month. When I do indulge, I slice a banana up with it. It makes me feel like I'm getting more, adds some nutrients, and just plain tastes good.
- 3/12/2013 12:58:25 PM
In the Canadian market, try Chapman's Frozen Yogurt. It is sooooo creamy and rich tasting. The yogurt on a stick is 90 calories, the varieties of frozen yogurt in the tub starts at 100 calories, and the 'Yogurt n Juicy' (think creamsicles) are only 80 calories.
- 3/12/2013 12:18:43 PM
I swear, idk why I read the comments. Some people on here are RIDICULOUS. People whine over everything. "The picture looks like it's 3-4 servings. Not helpful." And people complaining over SP using the word guilt vs. regret. Guess what! Its because most people say, "I feel so GUILTY about eating _____." People need to quit being so sensitive and get over themselves. Read the article or don't. Eat ice cream it don't. It doesn't matter!
- 3/12/2013 11:13:56 AM
Summer produce is overflowing--and cheap! Whether you grow it or buy it, it's easy to preserve your food so that you can save money and eat better long after the harvest is over.
Stepfanie Romine
Member Comments
Hi I wanted to add another great tasting and one of cheapest if not cheapest ice creams I've found and it's at walmart. They have vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry. I don't eat ice cream too often, but when I have a craving I've gotten the strawberry. With strawberry it's only 100 calories per 1/2 cup and only 20 fat calories with the total fat being 2.5 grams and its 1.75 Qt. container it's in. It's low fat ice cream and doesn't even taste low fat, best tasting strawberry I've ever had. All 3 flavors are around the same in calorie wise too.
- 4/17/2013 9:25:06 PM
The chocolate is not very tasty without some additional chocolate sauce and/or fruit, but the Chocolate and Peanut Butter is delicious. I tried the Strawberry one day and accidentally ate the entire pint in one sitting.... Oops for the mindless eating, but the ENTIRE pint is only 150 calories!!! That's essentially the same # of calories in a 1/2 cup of regular ice cream!
Their new flavor, Vanilla Maple is great sprinkled with some cinnamon. I also frequently add fruit, like raspberries or blueberries, to give it some extra sweetness.
I'm such an ice cream lover, so I'm very glad that I found this frozen treat (which is also lactose-intoleran
t friendly)!!!! - 4/17/2013 6:31:25 PM
Personally I indulge once in a while, make room for it in my tracker by having a little less of other things... why deprive oneself.. it only makes this quest of ours all the tougher! - 4/17/2013 10:27:05 AM
Susan - 3/12/2013 7:30:04 PM
Homemade is often a good solution! I make my own sorbets, including this peach sorbet:
http://thevegan
kitchenblog.b
logspot.com/2
011/02/peach-sorbet.html - 3/12/2013 6:17:57 PM