Best Low-Carb Ice Creams
I Tried 7 Different Low-Carb Ice Cream Flavours, and Here's My Official Ranking
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Following a low-carb diet doesn't mean ditching sweets entirely — at least, not with low-carb ice creams on the market. These treats have fewer calories and less sugar than traditional varieties, and they often have more muscle-building protein, too. If that weren't enough, some brands are plant-based, and some are allergy-friendly — because nobody should miss out on the chance to enjoy a cool treat on a hot day (or any day, really).
Not sure which brand is best? I took on the arduous task of sampling all the low-carb ice creams I could find to determine which ones are best and which are better left in the freezer at the grocery store. Read on to find your new favourite.
7 Wink Strawberry Cheesecake
The flavour and texture of Wink Strawberry Cheesecake ($8) fell short compared to some of the others I tried. That said, if you typically have to swear off ice cream due to allergies, you'll love that this frozen dessert is free of the most common allergens and is vegan-friendly to boot.
6 Arctic Zero Non-Dairy Cookie Dough Chunk
Arctic Zero Non-Dairy Cookie Dough Chunk ($48 for six pints) is a bit icy and not quite as flavourful as the cookie dough ice cream of my childhood, but it's a solid choice if you are vegan, vegetarian, or dairy-free. A serving of this vanilla ice cream with chunks of cookie dough and chocolate has only 80 calories, 9 grams of sugar, and less than 2 grams of fat.
5 Blue Bell No Sugar Added Country Vanilla
I couldn't leave a classic vanilla off this list. Blue Bell No Sugar Added Country Vanilla ($8) is sweetened with stevia, so it has only 6 grams of sugar and 90 calories per serving. It lost a few points for not quite meeting the standards set by traditional vanilla ice cream, but it is light, creamy, and a good stand-in for an old favourite.
4 Talenti Less Sugar Mint Cookie Crunch
If I didn't know better, I would have easily believed this Talenti Less Sugar Mint Cookie Crunch ($6) to be the real deal. It is creamy, minty, and has just the right amount of cookie crunch. A serving contains 13 grams of sugar (compared to 35 grams in the brand's Mediterranean Mint), so it's not the lowest carb count on the list, but the taste and quality made it worth it.
3 Halo Top Caramel Macchiato
If you crave coffee-flavoured everything, Halo Top Caramel Macchiato ($58 for eight pints) will be your new favourite treat. Through some type of witchcraft, this low-carb, high-protein ice cream has only 6 grams of sugar and 70 calories per serving (yes, 70). I've tried other Halo Top flavours I just couldn't get into them, but this one was legit. It can be difficult to spoon out when it's frozen, so let it sit out for 10-15 minutes before digging in.
2 Ben & Jerry’s Chocolate Milk and Cookies Moo-Phoria
Probably the most reminiscent of good old-fashioned ice cream is Ben & Jerry's Chocolate Milk and Cookies Moo-Phoria ($59 for eight pints). This blend of chocolate and vanilla ice cream is packed with the big cookie chunks you'd expect from Ben & Jerry's, but with fewer calories and less sugar than the brand's regular pints. It does come at a price, though, which is why it didn't take the top spot — a serving contains 15 grams of sugar, more than many low-carb ice creams.
1 Enlightened Movie Night
If sweet and salty is your thing, look no further than Enlightened Movie Night ($45 for four pints). This popcorn-flavoured ice cream is finished off with chocolate bits and a caramel swirl. It has only 6 grams of added sugars and 7 grams of protein, and clocks in at 90 calories per serving. I wasn't sure how I would feel about popcorn-flavoured ice cream, but this one was definitely my favourite.
