Sugar Free Ice Cream: The Bitter Truth About Sugar-Free Ice Cream (2024)

FAQs

Is sugar free ice cream really sugar free? ›

SUGAR SUBSTITUTES USED IN MAKING SUGAR-FREE ICE CREAM: The sweet taste in this ice cream comes from sugar alcohols. These are used in most foods that are labelled as sugar-free, like ice-cream, gum and sweet treats. Sugar alcohol contains a fair amount of carbohydrate, which can be dangerous for diabetics.

Is sugar-free ice cream a good choice for people with diabetes? Low sugar and sugar-free ice cream are good options for people with diabetes who are looking to enjoy a sweet treat that will not affect their blood sugar levels as much as regular ice creams would.

A sugar-free ice cream has high-calorie ingredients such as full-fat milk or heavy cream. They also may contain fatty fruits like bananas and mango. Hence, if you are looking to cut down on calories, you may have to review the dessert selection.

Edy's: This manufacturer produces several varieties of their slow-churned ice creams, which contain around 20 g carbohydrates or less per ½-cup serving. The Neopolitan flavor of Edy's contains only 14 g. Halo Top: Halo provides ice cream flavors with additional protein and low carbohydrates.

Sugar substitutes taste sweet but don't contain sugar. They have fewer calories than sugar, and some have no calories at all. Foods labeled “sugar-free,” “keto,” “low carb” or “diet” often contain sugar substitutes, which fall into three categories: artificial sweeteners, sugar alcohols and novel sweeteners.

You limit dairy products, red meat, sweets, added sugars, sodium (salt), and highly processed foods. Some additional guidelines include focusing on seasonal produce and reading food labels to help you avoid added sodium and sugar.

Many people look at sherbet and see a good alternative to ice cream. The reality? Sherbet typically has almost double the carbohydrates of ice cream, states Cotey. If you're looking for a frozen treat from time to time, search out a product lower in sugar, carbs and saturated fats.

Is no-sugar ice cream really healthier? Probably not in most cases. Many low-carb or no-sugar products still contain large amounts of saturated fat, which can raise bad cholesterol and increase your risk of heart disease.

Does sugar free ice cream have aspartame in it? ›

Aspartame is used in diet co*ke, ice cream, chewing gum, diet soda, sugar-free soda, cereals, low-calorie coffee sweeteners, puddings, sugar-free desserts, sugar-free jams, and various other low-sugar or sugar-free packaged foods.

A person with diabetes should include a variety of fresh, whole foods in their diet, such as nutrient-dense fruits and vegetables. Bananas are a safe and nutritious fruit for people with diabetes to eat in moderation as part of a balanced, individualized eating plan.

While there are some extra things to consider, ice cream can be included in a healthy meal pattern even if you have diabetes. It's best to eat ice cream in moderation and to choose an option with lower saturated fat, lower carbs and no or low added sugar.

However, eating ice cream in moderate amounts may not necessarily cause a spike in blood sugar levels. One small scoop of ice cream once every 3 weeks should be a good treat for anyone managing diabetes. Ice creams with aspartame, mannitol, or sorbitol are less likely to raise blood sugar levels than other sweeteners.

In this post, I'll be looking at the artificial sweeteners that are used in sugar-free ice cream production. These will include aspartame, neotame, saccharin, acesulfame potassium, sucralose, and, cyclamate.

It Doesn't Mean Unsweetened or Sugar-Free

No-added-sugar products can be sweetened with artificial and other calorie-free sweeteners, collectively known in the nutrition world as non-nutritive sweeteners. You might also think that “no added sugar” means the food is completely sugar-free.

No, if something is sugar-free it doesn't mean that you can eat as much as you want. Because the artificial sweeteners makes you crave more sugars and also increases your appetite.

Sugar-free candies use artificial sweeteners or sugar substitutes to create a sweet taste while foregoing real sugar. Most of these sweeteners have fewer calories and carbohydrates than sugar, but not all of them are calorie-free or carb-free. Some sugar substitutes you'll see on labels include: Saccharin.