We’re back with another one of January’s healthy food roundups, and this time we’re talking about ice cream. A favorite snack of many, especially when the temperatures soar, but is ice cream healthy — or can it at least be “healthier?” We’ll explore the healthiest ice cream options, comparing your favorites against each other so you can make the best choice possible for your health goals. We’ll also look at whether gelato or sorbet could be a healthier option to consider. 

So grab a scoop, and let’s dive in.

As always, to determine the healthiest ice cream options, we’re using the free January app. The app allows you to search for different types of ice cream and provides you with calorie and macro information. It even shows you your predicted blood sugar spike. The app is completely free to download and use and you can try it yourself with your favorite ice cream. 

Download the free January app here.

Key takeaways

• Not all ice cream is inherently bad, but you need to read the labels as things like calorie content can differ wildly
• Focus on ice creams with a lower calorie count, higher protein content, and lower sugar, while avoiding artificial additives
• Simple flavors are likely to be healthier. Beware of flavors like cookie dough or fudge which will likely be high in fat and sugar. Specialty flavors are also worth avoiding due to the likelihood of additional additives
• Be wary of terms like “rich” or “extra creamy,” which could be a sign of high fat and calories 
• Halo Top ice cream is our preferred choice for low-calorie, blood sugar-friendly ice cream options
• Use the free January app to look up macro and calorie information, as well as see the predicted blood sugar impact of any ice cream or food

Is ice cream healthy? 

As much as we’d love it to be so, ice cream is generally not considered healthy. However, how unhealthy it is can vary based on several factors, including portion size, how often you eat it, and the specific type of ice cream. Here are some considerations:

Potential health benefits

1. Calcium: Ice cream made from dairy contains calcium, which is important for bone health.
2. Protein: Dairy-based ice creams provide some protein, important for muscle repair and overall body function.
3. Vitamins: Some ice creams contain vitamins A, B2 (riboflavin), and B12.

Potential health drawbacks

1. High sugar content: Most ice creams are high in sugar, which can contribute to weight gain, tooth decay, and increased risk of type 2 diabetes if consumed in excess.
2. High-fat content: Many ice creams are high in saturated fat, which can raise cholesterol levels and increase the risk of heart disease.
3. Calories: Ice cream can be calorie-dense, leading to weight gain if consumed in large quantities.
4. Additives: Some ice creams contain artificial flavors, colors, and preservatives that some people prefer to avoid.

So let’s now dive into the January app and see if we can find some healthier ice cream options. 

What is the healthiest ice cream?

To determine what we class as the healthiest ice cream options, we focused on brands that generally were lighter on calories, had lower sugar, and higher protein content, while avoiding artificial additives. Here are some popular choices:

1. Halo Top: Known for its low-calorie count, high protein content, and a variety of flavors. It's made with natural ingredients and sweetened with stevia.
2. Nick’s Ice Cream: Has tons of low-calorie options, and while the macros might not be quite on par with Halo Top (especially when it comes to protein) buyers love the new and improved flavors
3. Arctic Zero: Offers dairy-free, lactose-free, and low-calorie options. It's sweetened with monk fruit and cane sugar and is available in a variety of flavors.
4. Enlightened: Similar to Halo Top, it offers low-calorie, high-protein ice cream made with natural ingredients and sweeteners like erythritol.
5. So Delicious Dairy Free: Provides a range of dairy-free ice creams made from coconut milk, cashew milk, or almond milk. They offer lower sugar options and have a variety of flavors.
6. Breyers Delights: A lower-calorie, higher-protein option from a well-known brand, using natural ingredients and sweeteners like erythritol.

Here’s where it gets tricky. All of these ice cream makers have solid options, but depending on your ice cream flavor of choice will determine which ice cream is healthier. Let’s take Halo Top, for example, which (spoiler alert) is our top overall choice for the healthiest ice cream. If you look at 1 cup of its light cookies and cream ice cream, and compare it to Enlightened’s cookies and cream, you’ll see that Enlightened’s option will provide less of a glucose spike in the January app (see image below). That’s why it’s so important to look up the ice creams for yourself in the app and compare options so you can pick the right choice for you. Despite a higher blood sugar spike, we still loved the Halo Top option because it is less than 150 calories and contains 9g of protein and 9g of fiber. Those macros are hard to beat!

In general, Halo Top has a ton of low-calorie options, all with high protein and natural ingredients (see below). So our choice for the overall healthiest ice cream brand goes to Halo Top. 

What flavor of ice cream is the healthiest?

When it comes to flavors, the answer is — it’s complicated! There’s no one size fits all as every ice cream maker is different. Take the example we show in the below image using the January app to compare Velvet’s vanilla ice cream vs Halo Top’s vanilla ice cream. In this example, we’re using 1.7 scoops of ice cream, and you’ll note that Velvet’s vanilla ice cream will clearly spike your blood sugar out of range (the black line). The green line, however, is Halo Top’s version, and you’ll note that the spike is minimal. With this in mind, it’s clear that Halo Top’s vanilla ice cream is the healthier option, and it goes to show that not all ice creams are created equally.

Here’s our guiding principles when looking at the healthiest ice cream flavors. Keep it simple and avoid thick, creamy, or overly specialized flavors. These likely contain high calories, fat, and sugar content. You really do want to avoid those big glucose spikes, too, as you’ll feel lethargic and sluggish after, given the large rise and then crash of your blood sugar levels. 

Here are a few additional tips when choosing healthier ice cream flavors:

1. Fruit-based flavors: Flavors like strawberry, mango, or blueberry often contain real fruit, which can add natural sweetness and vitamins without excessive added sugars.
2. Simple flavors: Vanilla or plain flavors typically have fewer ingredients and additives compared to more complex or dessert-based flavors like cookie dough or brownie.
3. Low-sugar or no-sugar-added flavors: Many brands offer versions of classic flavors with reduced sugar or sweetened with natural alternatives like stevia or erythritol.
4. Low-fat or non-fat options: Some flavors are specifically formulated to be lower in fat, such as non-fat vanilla or chocolate.
5. Protein-enriched flavors: Some brands offer ice creams that are higher in protein, which can be a better option for those looking to increase their protein intake. Flavors like chocolate chip cookie dough or mint chip from protein-focused brands like Halo Top or Enlightened can be good choices.
6. Dairy-free flavors: Flavors made from almond milk, coconut milk, or cashew milk can be lower in calories and fat compared to traditional dairy ice creams. Examples include dairy-free chocolate or coconut flavors.

What ice cream flavors should you avoid?

Again, the devil is in the details, so be sure to look up each ice cream in the January app to see how unhealthy it really is. Here are some tips to help you determine what to avoid:

1. Dessert-inspired flavors: Flavors like cookie dough, brownie batter, and cake batter often contain chunks of cookies, brownies, or cake pieces, adding extra sugar, fat, and calories
2. Caramel and fudge swirls: Flavors with caramel swirls, fudge ribbons, or other syrupy add-ins tend to have higher sugar content.
3. Candy bar flavors: Ice creams that mimic popular candy bars (like Snickers, Reese's, or Butterfinger) often contain pieces of the candy bars, which add extra sugar, fat, and calories.
4. Nut-based flavors: While nuts themselves can be healthy, nut-based ice creams like peanut butter cup or almond joy often contain added sugars and fats from the candy pieces or swirls.
5. High-fat flavors: Premium ice cream brands that focus on richness and creaminess often have higher fat content. Flavors like triple chocolate, double fudge, or anything labeled as "rich" or "creamy" may be higher in fat and calories.
6. Artificially colored or flavored ice creams: Brightly colored or uniquely flavored ice creams may contain artificial colors and flavors, which some people prefer to avoid.

The image above provides a clear example of how unhealthy a triple chocolate ice cream can be. Again, we’ve chosen a serving size of 1.7 scoops. In our example, we chose a triple chocolate ice cream from Zanzibar, and it had a whopping 787 calories. Because of the high calorie and sugar content, you can see that the blood sugar impact is immense (the black line is clearly out of range). Once again, we compared it to the Halo Top chocolate protein option and you can clearly see the vast difference in blood sugar impact (the green line). The main takeaway? Read the nutritional labels. 

Gelato vs ice cream: Which is healthier?

Gelato can be a slightly healthier option than ice cream due to its lower fat content and potentially lower sugar content. However, the differences are not substantial, and the healthiness of either treat depends on portion size, frequency of consumption, and the specific product chosen.

Case in point is the above image: In this example of a strawberry coconut gelato from Gelato Boy (the black line), we can see that the strawberry cheesecake ice cream option from Enlightened (the green line) is the healthier option, even though on paper you might think you’d be better off with gelato. It’s important to look at each option you’re considering on a case-by-case, macro-by-macro basis to determine which is actually healthier.

Sorbet vs ice cream: Which is healthier?

Sorbet is generally thought to be healthier than ice cream due to its lower calorie and fat content, making it a good option for those seeking a lighter treat. It’s dairy-free, making it suitable for vegans and those with lactose intolerance. However, sorbet can be high in sugar, so it's important to check nutritional information and consume it in moderation, as you might be surprised at how big of a blood sugar spike a sorbet can provide.

Again, let’s dive into the January app in the screenshot above. We compared a mango sorbet from Open Nature against a chocolate peanut butter ice cream from Artic Zero. Based on the flavor alone, you’d likely be willing to bet on the sorbet coming out on top. But when we look at the blood sugar impact, the mango sorbet (the black line) shoots out of range at an alarming rate. The predicted blood sugar impact here is extremely unhealthy. The Artic Zero ice cream (the green line), however, barely makes a dent on our blood sugar due to the lower sugar content and higher protein. And so while on paper we might think sorbets are healthier than ice cream, this proves how much the individual ingredients and macros matter. As mentioned earlier, there is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to the healthiest frozen treats. 

Conclusion

If there’s one main takeaway from this article, we believe it’s the importance of checking the label. Don’t just assume that because it’s a plain vanilla ice cream it’s healthier. Don’t assume a sorbet is better than an ice cream, either, just because you read online that in general they can be. Check the labels, do your own research. Not all ice cream is unhealthy, if you know where to look. Our recommendation is to give Halo Top a try as they routinely showed up in the January app as the healthiest ice cream.

If you’d like to try it yourself, you can download and use the app for free here.

Co-authored by Millo Skhiri