Refreshing, frozen treats can be especially satisfying during the summer months, providing some sweet relief during the hottest days of the year. While these treats can occasionally run a little high in extra fat and sugar, many may be healthier for you than you think.
The good news is that options for health-friendly ice cream at the grocery store are steadily on the rise, as consumers have started to shy away from high-fat ice cream bars. Single-serve individually wrapped treats also mean the portion control is done for you, leading to less over-indulging.
While making your own popsicles may still be the best way to avoid extra sugars and artificial flavors, here are a few of our favorite (and not so favorite) store-bought ice cream alternatives that we highlighted in one of our recent “Love it, Like It, Hate it” segments:
LOVE IT!
ProYo Protein Push-Up Pops
- Push-up pop meets protein shake with these high protein frozen “smoothie” tubes
- Chocolate, Vanilla Bean, Blueberry Pomegranate and Banana Vanilla, found locally at The Fresh Market
- Ingredients include: skim milk, whole milk, whey protein concentrate, stevia and cane sugar
- 140 calories, 1 gram sat fat, 17 grams carb, 14 grams sugar (milk sugar + added sugar), 20 grams protein
Mad Minis Ice Cream Cookie Sandwiches
- Ingredients include: milk, cream, sugar, wheat flour, milk powder, which make up a relatively simple ingredient list
- 60 calories, 1 gram saturated fat, 8 grams carb, 5 grams sugar, 1 gram protein
LIKE IT!
Whole Foods Greek Yogurt Bars
- Ingredients include: organic nonfat milk, cultured Greek yogurt, cane sugar, fruit, cream
- 90 calories, 0 saturated fat, 15 grams carbs, 12 grams sugar, 4 grams protein
Weight Watcher’s Snack Size Chocolate Fudge Bars
- Ingredients include: skim milk, milk, sugar, corn syrup
- 45 calories, 0 saturated fat, 11 grams carb, 7 grams sugar, 2 grams protein
HATE IT!
Skinny Cow Ice Cream Sandwiches | Regular + No Sugar Added
- “Regular” ingredients include: milk, corn syrup, sugar, cream, wheat flour, cane sugar, palm oil
- 170 calories, 2.5 grams saturated fat, 29 grams carb, 15 grams sugar, 4 grams protein
- “No Sugar Added” Ingredients: milk, sorbitol, sucralose, acesulfame potassium, wheat flour, maltitol
- 150 calories, 1 gram saturated fat, 28 grams carb, 5 grams sugar, 4 grams protein
- “No sugar added” version only shaves 20 calories, but adds a blend of two artificial sweeteners plus sorbitol and maltitol, two sugar alcohols with potential for GI upset
Dove Ice Cream Bars|Haagen-Dazs Ice Cream Bars
- Ingredients include: cream, milk, sugar, egg yolks, with a “chocolate and vegetable oil coating”
- As much as 310 calories – 13 grams saturated fat – 21 grams carbs – 18 grams sugar
- More calories than a McDonald’s Cheeseburger and nearly 3x the saturated fat
For more details on this topic, see Molly’s full Get the Skinny Segment on WGNO’s Good Morning New Orleans.
