12 Low-Calorie Ice Creams That Get a Registered Dietitian's Seal of Approval
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Whether you're watching your calorie intake or not, there's certainly nothing wrong with enjoying ice cream. It's not meant to provide a ton of nutritional value and that's okay. Ice cream is delicious and that's reason enough to have it. But if having a bowl of ice cream leaves you feeling wracked with guilt for the rest of the night, the enjoyment is completely stolen away. That's when having a good low-calorie ice cream can come in handy: You're still able to satisfy your craving for something sweet without obsessing over your calorie intake later.
All it takes is a casual stroll down the frozen food section at the grocery store to see that there are a lot of options to choose from too. In fact, there are so many that it can be hard to figure out which one to add to your cart. In terms of some general buying tips, registered dietitian Toby Amidor, RD, CDN, says it's still important to read the ingredients and nutrition panel; an ice-cream that proclaims it's low-calorie on the packaging isn't enough to warrant a purchase.
"Some low-calorie ice creams have sugar alcohols that many people are sensitive to and can cause digestive distress," she says. As with any food, Amidor says simplistic ingredients lists with foods you actually recognize are better than lengthy ones with long chemical names you're unfamiliar with.
Amidor also says it's important to consider your own individual health goals when choosing the best low-calorie ice cream. "For example, there are some ice creams created for people on the ketogenic diet that are low in sugar but not as low calorie as some of the other options out there," she says. This comes down to deciding if your primary health goal is minimizing sugar or going for the lowest calorie option. Or you may decide to land somewhere in the middle with a whole other option all together.
With these guidelines in mind, let's get to the best low-calorie ice cream to choose from.
Related: 30 Low-Calorie Foods That Will Actually Keep You Full
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Best low-calorie ice cream:
1. Yasso Mint Chocolate Chip Sandwiches, $8.99
Nutrition facts:
Calories: 120
Total fat: 2 g
Carbohydrates: 21 g
Fiber: 1 g
Sugar: 12 g (9 g from added sugar)
Protein: 4 g
These ice-cream sandwiches are hands-down Amidor's favorite on the list. "Since it's in sandwich form, it has built-in portion control versus a pint where it's easier to eat more than one serving," she says. She also likes that the ice cream is made with Greek yogurt, which is what provides the dessert with the four grams of protein. "It also has more calcium [100 mg] than most low-calorie ice creams," she says.
2. So Delicious Dairy-Free Ice-Cream Sandwiches, $5
Nutrition facts:
Calories: 100
Total fat: 4 g
Carbohydrates: 14 g
Sugar: 7 g (all from added sugar)
Protein: 1 g
If you don't eat dairy, that doesn't mean a life devoid of ice cream sandwiches; this one by So Delicious is made with coconut milk instead of cow's milk. Again, Amidor likes that the sandwich form offers built-in portion control. She does wish, though, that it was made with almond milk instead of coconut milk. "Coconut milk is higher in saturated fat and we want to keep saturated fat intake under 10 percent of total calories per day," she says. But in general, she says this pick is a good choice for a one-in-a-while indulgence.
3. Halo Top Mango fruit pop, $6.99
Nutrition facts (serving size is for 2 pops):
Calories: 90
Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 23 g
Fiber: 13 g
Sugar: 13 g (10 g from added sugar)
While not technically ice cream, these pops are a refreshing, cold treat and they're one of the lowest calorie options on the list as well as the highest in fiber. "I like that they're made with real mango and that it's the first ingredient listed," Amidor says, adding that it's yet another great option for someone who struggles with portion control.
4. Nick's S?lta Karamell, $9.99
Nutrition facts (for 1/2 cup):
Calories: 60
Total fat: 2.5 g
Carbohydrates: 16 g
Fiber: 5 g
Sugar: 3 g
Protein: 3 g
"This brand has really fun flavors," Amidor says, adding that while there are lower calorie options, she chose the salted caramel to highlight because she loves the taste. The ice cream is made primarily with skimmed milk and it has whey protein added in, contributing to the three grams of protein per serving. It's also one of the lowest sugar options on the list, with only three grams per serving, as well as the lowest in calories.
5. Skinny Cow Salted Caramel Pretzel Ice Cream Sandwiches, $4.62
Nutrition facts:
Calories: 90
Total fat: 6 g
Carbohydrates: 9 g
Sugar: 7 g (5 g from added sugar)
Protein: 1 g
The flavor is what drew Amidor to this one; it proves you don't have to stick with just plain vanilla to enjoy a low-calorie ice cream treat. Like many low-calorie options, it's made primarily with skim milk. "It does contain a little coconut oil, which has saturated fat, but overall this is another portion-controlled win," Amidor says.
Related: The 16 Best Low-Calorie Wines
6. Nadamoo! Cookies & Crème Frozen Dessert, $7.99
Nutrition facts (for a 2/3 cup serving):
Calories: 180
Total fat: 9 g
Total carbohydrates: 22 g
Fiber: 6 g
Total sugar: 13 g (5 g from added sugar)
Protein: 1 g
Amidor doesn't love that this one is made with coconut milk (again, because it has saturated fat) and calls out that it's a bit high in sugar, but it does have six grams of fiber per serving, which is rare in ice cream. "It also has sorghum flour, which is a nice whole grain," she says, adding that it contributes to the fiber content.
7. Cado Simply Lemon Frozen Dessert, $9.01
Nutrition facts (for a 1/2 cup serving):
Calories: 170
Total fat: 12 g
Carbohydrates: 18 g
Fiber: 1 g
Sugar: 13 g
Protein: 1 g
While Cado is slightly higher in calories than some of the others on the list, Amidor likes this one because of the ingredients: It's made primarily with pureed avocado. "This means it has healthy fats, which will make it truly satiating," she says. In fact, she says it can even work as a healthy snack, paired with some fruit on top. She also likes that it's made with avocado oil instead of coconut oil, which tips the fat content more on the unsaturated side than the saturated side.
Related: 10 Health Benefits of Avocados
8. Daily Harvest Berry Compote, $8.99
Nutrition facts (for a 2/3 cup serving):
Calories: 270
Fat: 18 g
Carbohydrates: 23 g
Fiber: 2 g
Sugar: 19 g
Protein: 2 g
Similar to Cado, this Daily Harvest ice cream isn't the lowest calorie one on the list, but Amidor likes it because of the ingredients, which include strawberry puree, dragon fruit puree, organic raspberries, dried citrus pulp and organic maple syrup. "The ingredients are really high quality, which is why it's a little more expensive," she says. There are also probiotics added into it, which is beneficial for gut health. It is made with coconut cream (which as you know by now, Amidor isn't into because of the saturated fat content) and it's also quite high in sugar, but overall she likes the ingredients even though it's a bit higher in calories.
9. Enlightened Glazed Donut Ice Cream, $7.69
Nutrition facts (for a 1/4 cup serving):
Calories: 80
Total fat: 2 g
Carbohydrates: 18 g
Fiber: 6 g
Sugar: 6 g
Protein: 6 g
You wouldn't expect a dessert that has both "ice cream" and "glazed donut" in the name to be low-cal, but this one by Enlightened actually is with just 80 calories per serving. The serving, however, is only a few spoonfuls, so keep that in mind. Also noteworthy about this pick is that it has six grams of fiber, six grams of protein and only six grams of sugar. "Enlightened has keto options as well, which tend to be lower in sugar but they are higher in calories," Amidor says. "This is when it's important to think about your individual health goals when choosing an ice cream."
10. Rebel Vanilla Ice Cream, $4.97
Nutrition facts (for a 2/3 cup serving):
Calories: 190
Fat: 19 g
Carbohydrates: 13 g
Fiber: 2 g
Sugar: 0 g
Sugar alcohol: 9 g
Protein: 2 g
If you're a ketogenic diet devotee, Rebel ice cream just may be the one for you. "Keto options aren't going to be as low calorie, but they will be low sugar," Amidor says. "This one has no sugar but the sweetness is coming from sugar alcohol, specifically erythritol." Again, she says this is where your individual health goals come into play. If you are looking for an ice cream that won't kick you out of ketosis, this one may be your perfect match.
11. Oatly Vegan Oat Ice Cream, $10.99
Nutrition facts (for a 2/3 cup serving):
Calories: 220
Fat: 13 g
Carbohydrates: 24 g
Fiber: 1 g
Sugar: 18 g (all added sugar)
Protein: 1 g
This ice cream from beloved oat milk brand Oatly comes near the end of Amidor's list because it's one of the higher calorie ones and is also pretty high in sugar. But if you are dairy-free, it's still a good option—particularly because it's made with oat milk instead of coconut milk. "If you're trying to watch your calorie intake, just stick to a smaller serving and top it off with fruit or a sprinkle of nuts to make it more filling," Amidor says.
12. Talenti Belgian Milk Chocolate Gelato, $8.09
Nutrition facts (for a 2/3 cup serving):
Calories: 220
Fat: 9 g
Carbohydrates: 30 g
Sugar: 29 g
Protein: 4 g
Going for an Italian gelato may be fancy, but it isn't exactly the lowest calorie option and Amidor also points out that it's high in sugar. Here's what it has going for it though: the ingredients, which are all traditional, recognizable ice cream ingredients. "It is very tasty," Amidor says. She adds that satiating ice creams that truly satisfy a craving mean you're more likely to be happy with a small amount; if your lower calorie ice cream doesn't taste as good and isn't as filling, you may eat more than you would otherwise trying to satisfy that craving. It raises an important point to keep in mind no matter what ice cream from the list you choose: It's important to like it. Otherwise, what's really the point?
Next up, here are 21 healthy frozen dessert ideas—yogurt bark included!
Sources:
Toby Amidor, RD, CDN, registered dietitian, certified nutritionist, and author