These are the scoops they swing for.
Let’s get something straight right now: Ice cream is the best, but it’s not healthy. I love ice cream as much as humanly possible, but I’ve come to terms with the fact that it’s not essential to a well-rounded diet. Is it the stuff that dreams are made of? Yes. Fine for a once-in-awhile treat? Yes. But nutritious? No. I mean, how could it be? It’s all cream and sugar!
That hasn’t stopped many, many, many so-called “healthy” ice creams from turning up all over the country. Heck, Halo Top just announced seven new flavors, and it's officially the best-selling ice cream brand in America. Take a look at the freezer section at your grocery store and there are hundreds of pints that promise lots of protein, hardly any calories, and superfood ingredients all the time. Every time, I wonder the same thing: Do any of these ice creams actually taste good? And are they actually so much healthier than the real deal?
According to registered dietitians, not always. Lindsey Pine, M.S., R.D., owner of Tasty Balance Nutrition, tells SELF that a lot of diet ice creams manage to slash calories and sugar by adding mysterious extra ingredients like stabilizers, thickeners, and artificial sweeteners. If you're trying to avoid these things, know that you should always read ingredient labels carefully. Others manage to lower calorie counts, cut sugar, and add protein by instead relying on alternative milks, yogurt, and fruit, so there's a lighter choice out there for everyone. These are the eight brands that Pine and other R.D.s recommend.
Gorin says that these are a great alternative to something like a frappuccino, because they’re similarly sweet and icy, but have way less added sugar and calories.
Amy Gorin, M.S., R.D.N., owner of Amy Gorin Nutrition in Jersey City, New Jersey, is a big fan of single-serve frozen treats like these because they help her avoid overdoing it. “I like this one a lot because it’s made with Greek yogurt, which is an excellent source of both protein and calcium,” she says. Plus, each bar contains only 80 calories.
“While I’m skeptical of diet ice creams, I was shocked by Enlightened’s Bananas Foster flavor because it was super tasty,” says Pine. Plus, she says that each serving contains 7 grams of protein and only 6 grams of sugar. The catch there is that it does use an artificial sweetener—erythritol. Something to keep in mind if you’re trying to avoid that.
Pine says that this ice cream is naturally a little lower in calories than normal ice cream thanks to its patented slow-churning process. “[The process] creates a rich and creamy product at only 100 calories per one-half cup serving,” she explains.
“This is my favorite slimmed down ice cream because the main ingredients are milk, cream, and eggs,” Brigitte Zeitlin, M.P.H., R.D., C.D.N., tells SELF. “It tastes exactly the way ice cream should, but has fewer calories and extra protein.” Her favorite flavor is chocolate mocha chip.
“Nadamoo is organic, dairy-free, and definitely delicious,” says Zeitlin. Even though it’s made with coconut milk, it doesn’t taste too coconutty (which happens more often than you’d think). “It’s a great product for anyone who wants ice cream, but can’t eat dairy,” she says.
“Although not technically ice cream, these frozen dark chocolate-covered banana slices do a great job of satisfying my sweet tooth,” Gorin explains.