Looking for a few healthy ice cream options? Well, you’ve reached the right article. Ice cream is one of the most popular desserts on the planet. Its creamy, sweet, and frozen feel make it a delectable treat at any time of the day, yearlong. Unfortunately, just like other sugary treats, ice cream is often loaded with fat, sugar, and calories. As a result of this, many people grudgingly stay away from this scrumptious treat.
Thankfully, many healthy options of ice cream are coming into the market. This means that you can indulge in your favorite flavor without any feeling of guilt or worry about adding weight. Although many brands promote their products as healthy, a lot of these brands are not as healthy as they try to make consumers believe. So, what makes a healthy ice cream healthy?
3 Key Things to Look Out for in Healthy Ice Cream
The first thing to understand is that ice cream can be packed with nutrients when done right. Do not get deceived by seemingly premium brands. Of course, they are creamier and richer in taste but that just shows the level of processing that has gone into it. Most premium ice cream brands are higher in calories, fat, and sugar compared to the regular brands.
Therefore, instead of looking at the ‘premium-ness’ of a brand, you should look out for the ingredients in the ice cream. Healthy ice cream has fewer ingredients and they are mostly raw and organic. Let us look at some important features that make a healthy ice cream indeed healthy.
1. Healthy Ice Cream is Made of Natural Ingredients
Too many additives remove from the healthiness of any meal. When you see an ice cream brand that promotes itself as healthy produce but has lots of additives, you should stay away from it. The rule of thumb is this – brands with a long list of ingredients mostly have lots of additives.
Check the ingredients list to see what your brand of ice cream contains. Stick with brands that use natural ingredients, such as cocoa, vanilla beans, and natural cream, among others. If you find a product with a list of ingredients that is difficult to read, there is a high chance that the product is not healthy.
2. Healthy Ice Cream is Low in Calories
When you pick up a brand of ice cream at the supermarket, check the nutritional chart. If the calorie content is on the heavy side, it is not healthy for you. Low-calorie ice creams are made with natural ingredients with little to no additive and artificial sweeteners.
Some are also dairy-free, which makes them a great choice for individuals that are vegan and dairy-intolerant. Ensure you read the labels when you are shopping for ice cream to be sure that your preferred brand is a low-calorie product.
3. Healthy Ice Cream is Free of Added Sugar and Saturated Fat
It is a fact that the consumption of too much added sugar has been linked to various diseases. Therefore, you should avoid ice creams that have over 16g of added sugar per serving. Additionally, saturated fats have also been connected to the risk of developing heart disease. Ice creams with more than three to five grams of saturated fat cannot be rated as healthy products.
It is critical to check the nutritional facts of your ice cream with the serving size. Do not look at the nutritional information at face value. Check it in comparison with the serving size. For instance, if a tiny cup of ice cream contains 400 calories, it means that if you take three of those, you would have consumed 1200 calories. Now, that is huge if you are trying to prune down your weight.
Conclusion
No doubt, you can find healthy ice creams that are made of natural ingredients. They are low in calories and artificial sweeteners. They also contain little to no saturated fats. When next you plan to shop for ice cream, check out for those.
