Everyone wants to look and feel their best – duh. Warmer weather is encouraging more morning walks, evening strolls, and for some of you out there, even going on runs, but it’s not all about exercise. As we’ve all heard before, beach bods are made in the kitchen, not the gym.
With Christmas and Valentine’s Day out of the way, there won’t be any more upcoming fruit cake surprises or chocolate boxes showing up on our doorstep. However, ice cream season is upon us. There are a few non-negotiables in life, and ice cream is one of them.
Are you searching for the healthiest ice cream? Are you wondering if that’s possible or even makes sense? We get it – you’re just trying to have your cake and eat it too. The good news is if there was ever a time for “healthy” ice cream, it’s now. It’s 2021, and along with all the other weirdness in the world, there are now things like cheese-less cheese, meat-less meat, and yes, healthy ice cream too. What a time to be alive, right?
Oh, and don’t worry, we know the taste, texture, and creaminess for which love ice cream so dearly is a non-negotiable, too. We wouldn’t dare lead you towards chalky or flavorless ice cream.
First, We Must Define “Healthy”
Healthy looks and feels different for everyone. What one person deems “healthy” may not cut it for another person’s definition or standards. First, we have to get clear on what exactly we mean by healthy and what our goals are.
We love ourselves, we love you, and we hope you love you. We take what we like to call the “holistic-self-love” approach to this situation and define health as the state of physical, mental, and social well-being. Yep, sorry to go all “it’s all about balance” on you, but it really is. Ice cream feeds not only the stomach, but the soul, too, right? Right.
We felt it was important to throw in that little reminder, but now let’s find the healthiest ice cream. Let’s have our cake and eat it too.
Ingredients
Our bodies are temples. Food is fuel for the body, mind, and soul, and we want to be putting good things into our tanks.
Reading labels is the first place to start – both the big label on the front and the ingredient list on the back.
First of all, shorter is always better. Short ingredient lists with words we can actually pronounce will always be a better choice.
Ice creams spotlighting “low-fat” or “low-sugar” may seem appealing at first, but this doesn’t mean they’re the best choice (or even a good choice). These products may indeed be low in fat or sugar, but this usually comes with the caveat of being full of artificial additives or sweeteners.
The first problem with “fat-free” or “low-fat” is that fat equals fulfilling. As humans, we’re genetically wired to particularly enjoy fat because evolutionarily, it was a potentially-scarce and dense energy source for our ancestors. Fat is satisfying and, on a deeper level, more fulfilling. It can be hard to trust sometimes, but often a single serving of a full-fat treat will leave us more satisfied than a single serving of something “low-fat.” For example, froyo is commonly chosen over ice cream because of a lower-fat content, but people often end up going back for round two or three. The other problem is that fat equals flavor – do we even need to expand on that?
Sugar-wise, we all know sugar isn’t great for us – not our waistline, arteries, nor our skin. This can make low-sugar ice cream particularly appealing, but they’re likely packed with artificial sweeteners, like sugar alcohols.
What Even Are Sugar Alcohols?
This is an excellent question not enough people are asking. Sorbitol and erythritol are some of the most common sugar alcohols you likely see around, but those are some awfully scientific-y words for an ice cream ingredient, aren’t they?
Sugar alcohols have a different chemical structure than regular sugar or carbohydrates, which allows them to be about half the calories while still having the sweetness factor to them. Except, they’re not as efficiently absorbed by the body.
One of the worst things about sugar alcohols (other than they’re chemicals made in a laboratory) is how they affect digestion. As sugar alcohols pass through the large intestine, they mix with our gut bacteria and begin to ferment. With higher intake levels, such as two or three bowls of ice cream, this fermentation can lead to bloating, gas, and discomfort. This would be the wrong type of “screaming for ice cream.”
Small amounts of sugar alcohol can be ok, but they’re not the perfect solution. Some people take the approach that anything in its natural form is the most “healthy,” in which case, small amounts of real, natural sugar would be preferable.
To Dairy or Not to Dairy
Surely we’re all familiar with the recent craze of all things “dairy-free” – seriously, just about every dairy product now has at least a few non-dairy alternatives. But is non-dairy ice cream better for you?
For any of the 30-50 million Americans with lactose-intolerance, non-dairy ice cream is definitely healthier. Lactose is a type of sugar naturally occurring in dairy products that requires an enzyme called “lactase” to be broken down. Between the ages of two and five, 40% of people stop producing enough lactase to digest lactose properly. This results in lactose triggering unpleasant symptoms such as gas, bloating, cramps, and diarrhea.
But even for those without lactose-sensitivity, non-dairy ice cream is probably still the healthier choice. Dairy products are infamous for poor skin conditions. Have you heard of pizza face? Pizza face refers to a face covered in acne after enjoying a cheesy pizza (lots of dairy) the night before.
There’s also the environmental aspect of dairy, which we think deserves more attention than it gets. Dairy-free ice cream requires less water, less land, and emits fewer greenhouse gases into our atmosphere. If we’re trying to have our cake and eat it too, Mother Nature should get a (non-dairy) slice, too.
The Healthiest Ice Cream is Eclipse
Bold statement, we know.
We evaluated “health” using the criteria of quality of ingredients, common allergens, presence of artificial additives, and taste.
Eclipse ice cream is plant-based (free of dairy and egg), non-GMO, free of most common allergens, and does not contain any preservatives or artificial colors, or flavors. So far, so good, right?
The base of Eclipse ice cream consists of just six simple plant-based ingredients: oats, corn, potato, cassava, organic cane sugar, and non-GMO canola oil. These ingredients aren’t just mixed together in a laboratory; they’re specially crafted together in a kitchen by Michelin star chefs to ensure perfect ice-cream taste, texture, and functionality. America’s favorite flavors of chocolate and vanilla are free of nuts, soy, wheat, or lactose, as well as being certified Kosher (through Earth Kosher).
Nutritionally, Eclipse ice cream is on par with traditional ice creams in fat, sugar, calories, protein, and calcium. This is where we’d like to chime in with a friendly reminder that ice cream isn’t supposed to be about calorie counting and that the quality of ingredients plays into the health equation, too.
Eclipse ice cream also supports a bigger cause – working towards a happier planet. Eclipse is on a mission to help create a more sustainable, responsible, and humane food system. Choosing dairy-free supports not only happier stomachs and clear sin, but happier animals and a clean atmosphere, too.
You Don’t Have to Give up Ice Cream
We all want to look and feel our best, and this is totally possible without having to part ways with ice cream.
For everyone trying to have the best of both worlds, Eclipse ice cream is the best choice. We’ve done the research – now you can sit back, relax, and enjoy your favorite flavor.
Sources
Don’t Be Fooled by Low-Fat Foods | houstonmethodist.org
Humans are genetically hard-wired to prefer fat and sugar: Fighting Fat | Cleveland