Keto Ice Cream: Understanding The Low-Carb, High-Fat Treat

The ketogenic (keto) diet is high in fat, moderate in protein, and low in carbohydrates. Ice cream is not usually considered keto-friendly, but several ice cream brands have created keto-friendly varieties by removing added sugar and using sugar substitutes. These include Halo Top, Edy's, Enlightened, So Delicious, and Rebel. Keto ice cream is designed to help people stay in ketosis, where the body uses ketones, which burn fat, for energy instead of carbohydrates.

Keto ice cream brands

Keto ice cream is a low-carb, high-fat, and moderate-protein frozen dessert. It is suitable for people on the ketogenic diet, which aims to shift the body's metabolism into ketosis, using fat for energy instead of carbohydrates.

There are several keto-friendly ice cream brands available, and here is a list of some of the top options:

Halo Top

Halo Top offers a Keto Series with a variety of flavours, including Mint Chocolate Cookie and Banana Cream Pie. Their ice cream has a low carb count, with about 4-10 grams of net carbs per pint.

Edy's

Edy's Slow Churned No Sugar Added ice cream is another option. They have replaced sugar in their popular flavours, such as Fudge Tracks and Vanilla Bean, with sugar substitutes like sorbitol and maltitol syrup. A serving of their Vanilla Bean flavour has 14 grams of net carbs.

Enlightened

Enlightened provides a range of keto ice cream options, as well as low-calorie, non-keto choices. Their keto options typically have 2-3 grams of net carbs per serving. They use allulose, a sugar substitute recognised by the FDA, along with sugar alcohol and monk fruit extract, to sweeten their ice cream.

So Delicious

So Delicious offers a dairy-free, No Sugar Added ice cream made from full-fat coconut milk. Their keto options are sweetened with erythritol and monk fruit extract, and have 9-10 grams of net carbs per serving.

Rebel

Rebel is an ice cream brand specifically designed for those on the keto diet. Their pints are made with high-fat ingredients, cream being the main one, along with erythritol and monk fruit. Rebel ice cream has 4-8 grams of net carbs per pint.

Keto Pint

Keto Pint ice cream is made with zero added sugar and only natural sweeteners. Their ice cream is also gluten-free and soft straight out of the freezer. They offer flavours like Triple Chocolate Brownie and Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough.

These brands provide a delicious way to satisfy your sweet tooth while adhering to the keto diet.

Sugar substitutes

Keto ice cream is a low-carb, high-fat, and moderate-protein dessert option for those following a ketogenic diet. Regular ice cream is loaded with sugar and is not suitable for a keto diet. However, keto ice cream uses sugar substitutes and alternative ingredients to create a delicious treat that aligns with the keto diet's requirements.

Sugar Alcohols

Sugar alcohols, such as xylitol and erythritol, are popular sugar substitutes in keto ice cream. They have about half the calories of sugar and are often found in "sugar-free" or "no sugar added" products. Erythritol is especially important in keto ice cream because the body doesn't process it, allowing it to be subtracted from the total carbohydrate count, thus lowering the net carb content.

Natural Sweeteners

Stevia and monk fruit are natural sweeteners that are commonly used in keto ice cream. Stevia is derived from plant leaves, while monk fruit comes from a small round fruit native to China. These sweeteners provide a similar level of sweetness to sugar without affecting the body's state of ketosis.

Chicory Root, Guar Gum, and Acacia Gum

These ingredients are added to create a creamy texture and mouthfeel in keto ice cream. Chicory root, derived from the chicory plant, increases the fiber content and helps regulate blood sugar. Guar gum and acacia gum, derived from guar beans and the acacia tree, contain soluble fiber that thickens the ice cream and also aids in lowering cholesterol and blood sugar.

Allulose

Allulose is a sugar substitute recognized by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The body metabolizes allulose differently than other sugars, providing only 0.4 calories per gram compared to 4 calories per gram for sugar. Allulose is often used in keto ice cream to create a soft and scoopable texture, and it is not considered a sugar alcohol or added to carb counts.

By using these sugar substitutes and alternative ingredients, keto ice cream brands can create delicious and creamy treats that satisfy the sweet tooth of those following a ketogenic diet.

Natural sweeteners

Some popular natural sweeteners used in keto ice cream include:

• Stevia: A sweetener derived from plant leaves that has a similar taste to sugar.
• Monk fruit: A small round fruit native to China that is used as a natural sweetener.
• Allulose: A low-carb sweetener that behaves like sugar but does not raise blood sugar levels. It is often used in combination with other sweeteners to balance softness and scoopability.
• Erythritol: A sugar alcohol sweetener that has about half the calories of sugar and is commonly used in "sugar-free" or "no sugar added" products.

These natural sweeteners are combined with ingredients like cream, milk, eggs, and flavourings to create a delicious and indulgent keto-friendly ice cream.

It is worth noting that some people find that ice cream made with non-sugar sweeteners can freeze harder than traditional ice cream, so manufacturers may add ingredients like guar gum, xanthan gum, or vodka to improve scoopability.

Ingredients

Keto ice cream is a low-carbohydrate, high-fat, and moderate-protein frozen dessert. It is designed to fit within the parameters of a ketogenic diet, which aims to shift the body's metabolism into ketosis, using ketones to burn fat instead of carbohydrates for energy.

Keto ice cream is made with specific ingredients to achieve the desired nutritional profile while still providing a creamy texture and delicious flavour. Here are the common ingredients used:

Cream and Dairy: The primary ingredient in keto ice cream is often cream, which gives it a rich, creamy texture. Some brands use full-fat dairy, such as milk and cream, to provide a creamy mouthfeel and contribute to the high-fat content.

Natural Sweeteners: Instead of sugar, keto ice cream uses natural sweeteners like allulose, erythritol, monk fruit, and stevia. These sweeteners have a lower calorie count than sugar and do not impact blood sugar levels in the same way. Monk fruit, for example, is a small round fruit native to China, while stevia is derived from plant leaves.

Sugar Alcohols: Sugar alcohols, such as xylitol, sorbitol, and maltitol syrup, are used as sugar substitutes in keto ice cream. They have about half the calories of sugar and are often found in "sugar-free" or "no sugar added" products. However, some people, especially diabetics, may find that xylitol spikes their blood sugar levels.

Thickening Agents: To achieve the desired creamy consistency, keto ice cream manufacturers add ingredients like chicory root, guar gum, and acacia gum. These ingredients provide soluble fibre, which helps to thicken the ice cream and slow the digestion and absorption of carbohydrates, thereby regulating blood sugar levels.

Flavourings: Keto ice cream comes in a variety of flavours, including Chocolate Caramel Lava Cake, Mint Chocolate Cookie, Banana Cream Pie, Peanut Butter Chocolate, and Butter Pecan. These flavours are achieved through the addition of various flavourings, extracts, and mix-ins like cookie dough, chocolate chips, and swirls.

Other Ingredients: Some keto ice cream brands may also include ingredients like skim milk, cornstarch, wheat, or corn syrup. However, it is important to read labels carefully, as some of these ingredients may be less desirable for those following a strict ketogenic diet.

Carb count

The keto diet is high in fat, moderate in protein, and low in carbohydrates. A single cup of regular ice cream contains about 37 grams of carbohydrates, which is almost the total amount of carbs a person on the keto diet can consume in a day. This is why keto ice cream is formulated with sugar substitutes and sugar alcohols, which have about half the calories of sugar.

The carb count of keto ice cream varies by brand and flavour. Here is a list of popular keto-friendly ice cream brands and their carb counts:

• Halo Top's Keto Series: This brand offers a range of flavours, including Chocolate Caramel Lava Cake, Mint Chocolate Cookie, and Banana Cream Pie. A serving size of two-thirds of a cup of Chocolate Caramel Lava Cake flavour has 3 grams of net carbs. Their ice cream generally has about 4-10 grams of net carbs per pint.
• Edy's Slow Churned No Sugar Added: Edy's offers sugar-free versions of their popular flavours, including Vanilla Bean, Fudge Tracks, Triple Chocolate, and Neapolitan. A two-thirds-cup serving of Vanilla Bean contains 14 grams of net carbs.
• Enlightened: This brand offers both keto and non-keto options. The keto options typically have 2-3 grams of net carbs per serving, while the non-keto options have 7-12 grams of net carbs. Enlightened's ice cream also has 120-140 calories per two-thirds-cup serving.
• So Delicious No Sugar Added (Dairy-Free): This brand uses full-fat coconut milk as a base for their dairy-free ice cream. A serving size of two-thirds of a cup typically has 9-10 grams of net carbs and 2 grams of protein.
• Rebel: This brand is specifically designed for people on the keto diet and uses cream as the main ingredient, resulting in a higher fat and calorie content. A pint of Rebel ice cream typically has 4-8 grams of net carbs, and a two-thirds-cup serving has less than 3 grams of net carbs.
• Keto Pint: This brand offers ice cream pints with zero added sugar and only 3 grams of net carbs per serving. Each pint contains three servings.

It is important to note that the term "net carbs" refers to the total grams of carbohydrates in a food minus its grams of fibre and sugar alcohol. The calculation is: Total Carbohydrates - Fibre - Sugar Alcohols = Net Carbohydrates. Additionally, it is always a good idea to read the ingredient labels and consult with a healthcare provider before starting any new diet.

Frequently asked questions