Our health is the greatest gift any of us have, yet so few of us treat it with the respect it deserves. However, it can be hard to constantly eat foods that are healthy without giving in to temptation every now and then. We know that we should stay away from sweets, fats, carbs and so many other things that just taste so good. With that being said, the vast majority does choose just to gorge themselves on food that’s undeniably tasty but also not so great for your overall health and longevity. Sure it tastes amazing as it enters your mouth but the effects of eating poorly will catch up to you eventually. That is something that no one can deny!
As someone once said, man cannot live on cheeseburgers alone (even though you may want to!). The balance of eating well and eating the foods you crave is a tricky one that many people just never seem to get right. YOu have a tempting food in front of you (in fact you have tempting foods around you all the time) so what do you do? Pick the carrot sticks over the cookies? The broccoli over the bowl of chips? Never give in to that homemade slice of cake? Of course not! You have to be able to satisfy your food cravings while also keeping your healthy lifestyle. As you may well know, that is easier said than done.
However, what if there was another way? A better way to maintain your healthy eating routine that will surely benefit you in the long run while also satisfying your immediate unhealthy cravings? What if you could have the desserts you really want while keeping all the health benefits of something that’s actually good for you? What if you could have ice cream that was actually healthy? Wouldn’t that be a dream come true?! Well, as it turns out, you can and here’s how.
WHen you start a new diet or a healthy eating regimen, you will most likely begin to ready labels of foods all the time. Once you start to do this, you will be one of the people who begin to seriously diet and are shocked when they discover what’s really in their food. What are half o those long ingredient names? What are you really ingesting? It can be scary, shocking and certainly eye opening.
When you take the time to actually read your food labels and analyze the ingredients, your first emotion may be happiness as you are on your new diet and not eating that junk any longer. However, label shock includes people who are taking the low-carb approach too and, if this is you, you may have been very sad when you checked that ice cream label and saw how many carbs really are in each serving. Maybe you just realized just how many carbs in ice cream there truly are. It is shocking and sad and puts ice cream out of the reach of your diet. What to do now?! Don’t cry just yet! There is a solution!
Thanks to modern innovations in food science, low-carb ice cream has become increasingly popular and many new types are popping up all the time. That’s right, low carb ice cream- it’s like they made it especially for you! And, we won’t save the best part any longer, there are tons of flavors available for you to try! So you can have ice cream, eat low carb and have a wide variety of options! Dreams do come true…
Low carb ice cream is perfect for anyone looking to satiate their sweet tooth and tame their waistlines at the same time. Of course, it is also perfect for those ice cream fanatics that just can’t survive without a bowl every night and also great for people who just need a quick scoop of ice cream every now and then and aren’t willing to give that up. Whoever invented low carb ice cream was a genius for sure! Such a tasty low-carb food allow you to eliminate temptation, curb cravings, and even teach yourself a bit of cooking if you make your ice cream from scratch (we’ll get into that later!)
What is especially interesting about these low carb, gourmet ice creams is all of the interesting additives that can go into it in addition to the typical ice cream ingredients. While we already mentioned how many flavors of low carb ice cream there are and how many choices you may have at the grocery store (everything from vanilla to strawberry to caramel!), there are also many way to add vitamins and nutrients to ice cream as well.
While not many people are tossing lettuce into their ice cream, they are adding vitamin pre portioned packets to the mix which means ice cream is now a good source of these nutrients. So, not only is the ice cream low carb and therefore sticking to your diet but they are also beneficial to your health! Simply amazing. Thank goodness as this will make sticking to your low carb diet infinitely easier! It will also help you reach that long term goal of overall healthy and longevity.
Related: 50 Paleo Ice Cream Recipes to Die For
Low-Carb Ice Cream: A Healthy Option?
Your first response when hearing about low carb ice cream may be “prove it”. After all, anyone can make a claim, but extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence, especially when it comes to the intersection of science, taste and one’s health. This is a hard one to prove for sure! NOt everyone would believe that such a rare, healthy, tasty food could exist! Happily, the benefits of low-carb ice cream are easy to verify for anyone who’s willing to put spoon to mouth- you will instantly taste the amazing flavors and be sold on the low carb ice cream.
As mentioned previously, you really just need to read the label on the back of any low carb pint to see the goodness right there in black and white. The carbs are lower, there may actually be vitamins and the ingredients are probably ones that you recognize and aren’t some foreign chemical that you are ingesting. Read it, taste it and you will love it!
In addition, an ever-growing plethora of scientific and medical studies is linking low-carb dieting regimens to an increase of “good cholesterol” and a decrease in obesity. These metrics excel those reported by those who adopt a solely low-fat diet. The evidence is there so, contrary to traditional belief, low carb is better for you than low fat. Look it up, do your research and realize how great this diet really will be for your health and overall well being.
Foods that are naturally low in carbs are what gives this diet it’s super powerful kick start. Low-carb foods like low-carb ice cream tend to encourage an eating style which wards off diabetes, gout, the various kinds of bodily stones, cardiovascular issues, and other such health problems found in those who continue to pursue a standard diet. The act of watching carbs and counting carbs helps you get into a rhythm when eating and you will make better choices when deciding what to eat.
Even when you make little changes in your diet like choosing low carb ice cream over traditional ice cream, you will reap the benefits of the low carb diet. If you aren’t ready yet to commit fully to the low-carb lifestyle, try making little changes to begin with. Low carb ice cream is the perfect place to begin! It is still ice cream so you will get that craving for a cold sweet treat satisfied but by switching to a low carb version, you are making a much healthier and more nutritious choice. So, to twist this around, ice cream can make you healthy. Now I’m sold! What about you?
Making Ice Cream
While you can, of course, simply buy low carb ice cream at your local store (and there are so many options available! ), to make an ice cream that you truly can control every ingredient of, you must make yourself. NOw, this can seem like a daunting task. Not only do you need to make sure that our ice cream is low carb but you also need to learn how to spin ice cream (spinning is a term used that describes the process when the ice cream is spun around in a cold, frozen bowl in order to freeze it while incorporating air to make it creamy and smooth).
Freezing and spinning ice cream is actually the easy step once you have the equipment. You will need to find an ice cream machine, an attachment for your stand mixer or some rock salt and ice cubes to help you make your new favorite low carb ice cream. Once you have the equipment needed, it’s time to make your ice cream base (a base is the term used to describe the ice cream in its most basic, liquid state.
Most ice creams are made by boiling milk, tempering in eggs and then adding some flavors. This is what most recipes will tell you to do, even the low carb recipes. This process is pretty simple but may take you a few times to master. You want to temper the eggs properly or they will cook and curdle, making your ice cream texture undesirable. You need to learn how to properly cook the milk in order to have enough water evaporate and, therefore, make your ice cream creamy. You also need to learn when the optimal time is to add your flavorings. Things like extracts or fruit purees can be added right into the ice cream base and the beginning while things like candy bar pieces or a swirl of sauce needs to be added after you spin the ice cream.
Yet, ice cream making is it’s own little world that you will need to learn However, it is so much fun to discover the art of ice cream making especially when your result is a low carb ice cream that you get to enjoy! The first bite you take, you will be sold on making ice cream from scratch. It is just that good!
Low Carb Ingredients
Ingredients were talked about briefly but let us take a look at some of the things you will be using when making low carb ice cream. As you may well know, fats are okay on the low carb diet plan and are actually prized. Thanks to this, you can add a lot of fat to your ice cream which tends to be the most delicious way to make ice cream anyway!
Fruits are a great natural sweetener to use in your homemade ice cream but they should always be used sparingly- you don’t’ want to be adding too many carbs! Low sugar or sugar free ingredients are also key. Luckily there are plenty of sugar free sweetener options out there that you can try to make your ice cream just the way you like it. Maybe you are a big fan of stevia as your favorite diet sugar? Or perhaps you like the taste of Equal better. No matter what your low carb sugar of choice, you can use it in this ice cream! Adding protein powder or vitamins is also something you can put in your ice cream but it is a good idea to just stick to the recipes below (some of which have added protein powder or vitamin packs added into the base!)
Be Aware…Be Very Aware
Now, you can see how amazing low carb ice cream is and you are probably dying to go grab some and try it out. Maybe you are already sitting on your couch, reading this article while you munch away at your own low carb ice cream. No matter what, you should never eat a whole pint of ice cream which so many of these ice cream containers claim is okay to do. (Seriously, have you seen the marketing on some of these ice creams? Most actually recommend eating a whole pink to “make you feel better”. Again, it is good to reiterate, you probably don’t want to eat the whole pint.
While of course the calorie count is lower on these gourmet, after beach ready ice creams, other things may be on the high levels meaning you should slow it down when you start eating aways with a spoon. As a general rule, eating a whole package of a food that is not meant to be eaten by one person is not the best way to begin your day. We also can’t stress enough the important of reading the label. Read read, read and make good choices!
To help you take advantage of all the benefits bundled in this undercover healthy dessert (who knew so much goodness could be packed into an ice cream pint?!), we’ve compiled 50 of the best low-carb ice cream recipes available anywhere. We searched high and low to bring these recipes to you and you are going to be obsessed! There’s everything from fruit flavors to chocolate to try, so time is of the essence! To learn more (and to start sampling all the tasty offerings on the list!), just keep reading.
1. Mock Moose Tracks Ice Cream
Moose Tracks is one of the perennial top choices when it comes to ice cream flavors – there’s just something about that “gotta have it” mix of chocolate and peanut butter, and this low-carb recipe has it in spades. Every single ingredient, from eggs to cocoa powder, is super low-carb, with things like almond milk replacing dairy alternatives.
2. Death by Chocolate Ice Cream
If you’re a chocolate fan who thought your one true love was gone forever thanks to your low-carb lifestyle, get ready to do a happy dance, because you’re about to be reunited. Death by Chocolate – and really, is there a better way to go? – is an almost no carb ice cream that seems like it should be anything but. For instance, when’s the last time you had “normal” ice cream with vodka in it? Well, this has some, but it need not if you’ve got kids / those who don’t partake in the house. Other things that make this decadent treat perfect for any low-carb diet are the use of cashew milk rather than dairy, Stevia, and heavy cream. Of course the rich chocolate is what makes it irresistible and the recipe you need to try first.
Related: Easy to make chocolate brownies that are sugar-free.
3. Butter Pecan Ice Cream
Butter Pecan is a classic ice cream flavor given a low-carb makeover by the folks over at A Girl Worth Saving. Made with (among other things) ghee rather than butter, sea salt, honey, and of course, pecans, this is honestly one of the simplest low calorie ice cream options out there. The traditional flavor just makes is something everyone wants even more.
4. Sugar-Free Peanut Butter Cheesecake Ice Cream
The first truly sugar-free ice cream on our list, this peanut butter cheesecake ice cream will sorely tempt anyone with a functioning palate. Plus, it’s totally versatile. Not only do you get the great taste of peanut butter cheesecake, but given the pour-and-stir nature of the ingredients, this is a low calorie ice cream kids can make on their own- seriously and they will have a blast doing so!. Oh, and there’s one more thing: You can make this dessert 100 percent vegan by swapping out the cream cheese for a non-dairy substitute.
Related: The best low carb cheesecake recipe
5. Low-Carb Chocolate Bacon Toffee Ice Cream
If the flavor alone isn’t enough to make you start drooling, you may want to see a physician for a checkup – your humanity might be on the fritz. Honestly, what more could you ask for beyond a genuinely healthy dessert that combines chocolate, toffee, quality bacon (this is important; substandard bacon will ruin the dish), and whips it all together with some low-carb magic (and a few other things) to make a sweet, smoky indulgence? The fact that it’s good for you to boot is almost too much to believe. You may just need to have a second bowl…
6. Avocado Sorbet
People love guacamole. People love ice cream. What would happen, though, if you smashed those two things together? Well, this yummy avocado sorbet is about as close as you’re gonna get to answering that question, and as it turns out, what happens is fantastic. At roughly 1/8 the carb content of regular sorbet, this isn’t just a slimming alternative to your run of the mill dessert. It’s also mega-simple and a delicious vegan treat as well. If you have never had avocado ice cream, you need to try this now!
7. Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars
Ok, Popsicle fans, this one’s for you. While none of the things on this list are truly “zero-carb”, these chocolate/peanut butter ice cream pops come pretty close to being carb free ice cream. Tasty peanut butter ice cream wrapped in low-carb chocolate makes for an experience that’s almost like eating a frozen Reese’s cup. It is also so convenient to carry around a healthy pop- everyone will want one!
Related: Impress your children with a Star Wars peanut butter fudge dessert
8. Creamy Coconut “Get Some!” Ice Cream
It’s a suggestion, an innuendo, and an imperative all wrapped up in one icy, creamy ball of nearly carb free ice cream. A part of the highly popular yet somewhat perplexingly high-fat, low-carb “Bulletproof Diet”, many people swear by its results. Oh, and the name? Apparently, that comes from the fertility boosting effect. Yep, you heard right. The mere act of preparing and enjoying “Get Some!” Ice Cream is a natural aphrodisiac (or maybe it has something to do with one of the ingredients – who’s to say?). You’ll want to make this one all the time…
9. Black Forest Ice Cream
Even though it’s named and modeled after cake, this next flavor is actually 100 percent vegan (and a sugar-free ice cream to boot, if you’re into the zero-sugar scene). In short, don’t let the name or the fact that it’s full of chocolate & cherry goodness fool you – this low-carb Black Forest ice cream manages to be delicious and diet-friendly. Check it out and see the magic.
10. Peanut Butter Ice Cream
Another of the classic flavors, this sugar-free ice cream takes ingredients like all-natural peanut butter, sea salt, cottage cheese, and heavy cream, and turns them into a peanut buttery delight for your mouth (and your waistline). You will never know that it is low carb and much bet`ter than your regular old peanut butter ice cream.