Keto And Ice Cream: What's The Verdict?

The ketogenic diet is high in fat, moderate in protein, and low in carbohydrates. While ice cream is traditionally high in carbs, there are keto-friendly ice cream brands available at the grocery store, such as Halo Top, Edy's, Enlightened, So Delicious, and Rebel. It is also possible to make keto ice cream at home using a combination of fat and sugar substitutes.

Keto ice cream can be made at home using a combination of fat and sugar substitutes

Keto Ice Cream: A Sweet Treat for the Health-Conscious

The ketogenic diet, or keto for short, is a high-fat, moderate-protein, and low-carb eating plan. While it may seem restrictive, there are creative ways to satisfy your sweet tooth while adhering to this diet. One such treat is keto ice cream, which can be made at home using a combination of healthy fats and sugar substitutes. Here's a simple guide to making your own keto-friendly ice cream.

Ingredients

To make keto ice cream, you'll need the following ingredients:

• Heavy Cream: This provides a rich, creamy texture and contributes to the high-fat content suitable for the keto diet.
• Sweeteners: Sugar substitutes are essential for keeping the carb count low. Popular options include erythritol, xylitol, stevia, monk fruit, and sugar alcohols like xylitol and erythritol.
• Flavorings: Vanilla extract is a classic choice, but feel free to experiment with other extracts like peppermint or almond. Cocoa powder can be added for chocolate ice cream, or you can mix in chopped nuts, shredded coconut, or sugar-free chocolate chips.
• Thickeners: Xanthan gum is often used to add thickness and prevent iciness. You can also use guar gum or acacia gum, which contain soluble fiber that helps thicken the mixture.
• Alcohol: A small amount of vodka or other liquor can be added to lower the freezing point and create a softer, more scoopable ice cream.

Preparation

Here's a basic process for making keto ice cream at home:

• Combine the heavy cream, sweetener, flavorings, and any additional thickeners in a blender or food processor.
• Blend until the mixture is smooth and well-combined.
• If using an ice cream maker, follow the manufacturer's instructions to churn the mixture. Otherwise, pour the mixture into ice cube trays and freeze until solid.
• If you froze the mixture in ice cube trays, blend the frozen cubes in a high-speed blender until smooth.
• Transfer the blended mixture to an airtight container and freeze until firm.

Tips and Tricks

• Use full-fat canned coconut milk instead of regular milk to keep the carb count low.
• If using an ice cream maker, make sure to chill the canister thoroughly before churning.
• For a dairy-free version, substitute full-fat coconut cream for the heavy cream.
• Experiment with different flavor combinations to find your favorite keto ice cream!

Now you're equipped with the knowledge to create your own delicious keto ice cream at home. Enjoy your sweet treat, and remember to share your creations with your fellow keto enthusiasts!

The keto diet involves drastically reducing your carb intake while eating the majority of your calories from fat and a moderate amount of calories from protein

The keto diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet that involves drastically reducing your carbohydrate intake and replacing it with fat. This reduction in carbs puts your body into a metabolic state called ketosis, where it becomes incredibly efficient at burning fat for energy. On the keto diet, the majority of your calories should come from fat, with a moderate amount coming from protein.

When following the keto diet, it's important to limit your consumption of high-carb foods such as sugary foods, grains or starches, fruit (except small portions of berries), beans or legumes, root vegetables and tubers, low-fat or diet products, certain condiments or sauces, unhealthy fats, alcohol, and sugar-free diet foods. Instead, base the majority of your meals around foods such as meat, fatty fish, eggs, butter and cream, cheese, nuts and seeds, healthy oils, avocados, and low-carb vegetables.

There are several versions of the keto diet, including the standard ketogenic diet (SKD), cyclical ketogenic diet (CKD), targeted ketogenic diet (TKD), and high protein ketogenic diet. The standard version is the most researched and most recommended.

To enter ketosis, it's important to limit your carb consumption to around 20-50 grams per day and fill up on fats. Practicing intermittent fasting can also help you enter ketosis faster. Certain tests and symptoms can help determine whether you've entered ketosis, including increased thirst, dry mouth, frequent urination, and decreased hunger or appetite.

The keto diet has been shown to offer many health benefits, including weight loss, improved insulin sensitivity, and reduced risk for certain diseases such as diabetes, cancer, epilepsy, and Alzheimer's disease. However, it's important to consult with a healthcare provider before starting this type of diet, as it may have some side effects and is not suitable for everyone.

There are plenty of keto-friendly ice creams at the grocery stores (hello, Halo Top, Rebel, and Enlightened)

There are plenty of keto-friendly ice cream options available at the grocery store. Halo Top, Rebel, and Enlightened are some of the most popular brands.

Halo Top's Keto Series is a good choice for ice cream with low carbs. One serving (two-thirds of a cup) of Chocolate Caramel Lava Cake, for example, has 190 calories, 6 g of protein, 6 g of fiber, and 3 g of net carbs. This keto ice cream comes in a variety of flavors, in pints and pops, from Mint Chocolate Cookie to Banana Cream Pie. These options have about 4–10 grams of net carbs per pint, so you can enjoy them and stay in ketosis.

Rebel is an ice cream brand designed for people on the keto diet. Pints are made with cream, other high-fat ingredients, erythritol, and monk fruit. The main ingredient is cream, so a pint of Rebel is higher in fat and calories than the other brands. This option has negligible amounts of sugar, with just 4–8 g of net carbs per pint. Rebel also has less than 3 g of net carbs per two-thirds-cup serving.

Enlightened offers keto ice cream options, as well as low-calorie, non-keto options. The keto options contain 2–3 g net carbs for most flavors. The low-calorie options contain 7–12 g net carbs and 120–140 calories per two-thirds-cup serving.

Enlightened uses allulose, along with sugar alcohol and monk fruit extract, to replace sugar. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recognizes allulose as a "sugar substitute." The body metabolizes allulose differently than other sugars. Allulose provides only 0.4 calories per g as compared to sugar, which provides 4 calories per g. The FDA has exempted allulose from being included in total sugar and added sugars on the nutrition label. Allulose is not a sugar alcohol and is not added to carbs.

The key component in keto ice cream is the sugar-free sweetened condensed milk

The most important component of homemade low-carb condensed milk is the sweetener. Besti Powdered Monk Fruit Allulose Blend is the best choice for this recipe because, unlike other sugar substitutes, it dissolves easily and completely, and won't crystallise when it cools. It also tastes just like sugar, with no aftertaste, and has zero net carbs.

To make sugar-free sweetened condensed milk, place butter into a large skillet over medium heat and let it melt. Add the heavy cream and powdered sweetener. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 30-45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is thick, coats the back of a spoon, and the volume is reduced by half.

The sweetener you use is very important, as most sugar substitutes have a higher freezing point than that of sugar, resulting in rock-hard ice cream

The sweetener you use is very important when making keto ice cream. Most sugar substitutes have a higher freezing point than sugar, which results in rock-hard ice cream. Sugar substitutes also don't dissolve well.

Powdered sweeteners are best for keto ice cream, as they dissolve effortlessly for a smooth texture. Powdered sweeteners also keep your ice cream soft and scoopable, just like ice cream made with sugar.

The best sweetener to use for keto ice cream is powdered Besti Monk Fruit Allulose Blend. This sweetener will keep your ice cream soft and scoopable, and it will also avoid a gritty texture and cooling aftertaste that sugar alcohols (like erythritol) can impart.

If you don't have powdered Besti Monk Fruit Allulose Blend, you can use straight powdered allulose, but you'll need 33% more sweetener. You can also use the crystallized version of Besti Monk Fruit Allulose Blend if that's what you have on hand.

If you're making chocolate keto ice cream, simply whisk in 1/4 cup of cocoa powder. If it doesn't dissolve, heat the mixture slightly.

Frequently asked questions