Ice cream is one of the most beloved sweet treats in America. It’s simply the best. You already know this though, that’s why you’re here. You’ve already figured out that ice cream is the way to go, and now you’re browsing the options to find the absolute best one.
Ice cream is indeed the sweetest treat of all, treat being the keyword. Unfortunately, we can’t have ice cream all the time – for obvious reasons – so when we do indulge, it better be worth our while, right? If we’re going to have a scoop (or two or three), we should be getting the most bang for our buck.
So, what is the best, creamiest, tastiest, most amazing ice cream? (Hint: it’s vegan – shocker, we know).
I scream, you scream, we all scream for… vegan ice cream! Don’t underestimate this non-dairy frozen dessert; it’s the underdog and about to be your new favorite. We love ice cream as much as the next guy, so we take our ice cream evaluations seriously.
We know it’s February, but we also know ice cream is more than suitable for any season. During hot summer days, ice cream is the cool, creamy treat on top of a crunchy, salty, cinnamon-y waffle cone. (Or in a dainty little paper cup; to each their own). The chimes from an ice cream truck are music to everyone’s ears, filling our minds with nostalgic memories from childhood. And everyone knows a walk along the boardwalk (waterfront, of course) wouldn’t be complete without stopping at an ice cream cart somewhere along the way.
And for the chilly days of winter and fall? A warm slice of apple pie, gingerbread, banana bread, you name, is made that much better with an accompanying scoop of cool, creamy ice cream. We haven’t even gotten into milkshakes, ice cream cake, sundaes, the list goes on. But we don’t need to; we’ve already made our point.
But Why Vegan Ice Cream?
Great question. Because vegan ice cream is the best. (How many times do you think we’ll say “best” in this article? We’ll switch it up, don’t worry).
In case you didn’t know yet, vegan ice cream is quite the hot (or cool – haha) topic these days.
Along with plant-based diets on the rise in North America, non-dairy delights are now the fastest-growing segment in the frozen dessert category. Over the last two years, plant-based ice creams have experienced an almost 70% increase in sales. There’s power in numbers, and these numbers don’t lie. But why the shift toward non-dairy? Here are a few reasons:
It’s better for the planet. Choosing plant-based options may be the single, easiest way to reduce your environmental impact. Dairy-free ice cream requires less water, less land, and emits fewer greenhouse gases into our atmosphere. Using paper straws, walking instead of driving, and recycling are great things to incorporate into daily life, but choosing vegan alternatives over “regular” products makes a much more significant difference. Delicious ice cream and save the plant? Talk about having your cake and eating it too.
It’s better for your health. This is a sweeping statement, of course, but research gives us plenty of reasons to believe that removing or reducing our intake of animal products is beneficial for our health. Fun fact: about 36% of Americans have some degree of lactose intolerance. This shouldn’t be too surprising, though; we’re humans, not baby calves. We weren’t intended to be drinking cow’s milk in the first place. Let’s go ahead and say good-bye to dairy and digestive problems all at once.
Your skin will probably be happier. It takes about two seconds to do a search and see just how many studies link dairy consumption to acne. More dairy seems to result in more acne, both more of it and worse severity. Maybe it’s the added hormones or lactose, but whatever it is, it’s almost as bad as pizza face.
We could go on about more reasons to switch to vegan ice cream, but that’s not what we’re here for. If you’re interested in learning more about making the switch to vegan ice cream (vegan all things, really), we wrote a whole article about it here.
What Is Vegan Ice Cream Made From?
Vegan ice cream can be made from anything except animal milk.
If we want to be technical about it, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) defines ice cream as containing “dairy ingredients.” With this in mind, unless the ice cream is labeled “non-dairy frozen dessert,” it will have at least some dairy in it.
Vegan ice cream usually substitutes regular milk with plant-based milk like almond, coconut, soy, oat, etc. The type of milk used is what makes all the difference. Milk is the star ingredient and what literally puts the “cream” in “ice cream.”
Almond milk-based ice cream is one of the most popular types of vegan ice cream you’ll see on the shelves. This is mostly because almond milk was one of the first plant-based types of milk widely available. We have nothing bad to say about almond milk… it’s just… it doesn’t make the best ice cream.
The content of almond milk, and most other dairy-free milk, is mostly water. While this makes it much lower in calories (which is used as the main selling point), it also lacks richness and tastiness. Using milk like almond milk creates an ice cream base that is bland and often has a chalky texture. To compensate for this, brands will add artificial sweeteners and other additives in an attempt to make their ice cream more flavorful. But it’s 2021, don’t they know that anything and everything artificial is out?
Other vegan ice creams made from milk, such as coconut and soy, are a bit creamier thanks to the higher fat content, but something’s still off. Maybe it’s the unavoidable lingering taste of coconut and soy that protrude into the final product. Or perhaps it’s still just not creamy enough. Whatever it is, this is still doing vegan ice cream all wrong. If we’re having ice cream, it should be the best of the best, right?
Eclipse Is the Best Vegan Ice Cream
We’re so excited to introduce you to Eclipse ice cream.
With more and more consumers switching to plant-based products, more and more brands are stepping up and creating their own offers and variations. We think we’ve done it best.
Eclipse was created by two top chefs, but not just any two top chefs; we’re talking top chef meets food scientist, meets product developer, meets entrepreneurial expert, and more. We took a different approach to vegan ice cream and decided to recreate it from the ground up using nothing but plants. We made our own milk (our secret sauce, if you will) and used it to create ice cream that’s indistinguishable from dairy ice cream.
Our plant-based ice cream requires no sacrifice to taste, texture, or functionality. It’s also free from all common allergens – no soy, nuts, wheat, or lactose. AKA no acne, upset stomach, or any other nonsense. It’s just the good stuff.
We’re also proud to be creating products that work toward a better future. The industrial food system is broken, and our climate is hurting. We’ve motivated not just to make delicious ice cream but to help create a more sustainable, responsible, and humane food system. We can do it together – we create the delicious products, you enjoy and help save the world.
Eclipse ice cream is made from just six simple ingredients, all from Mother Nature herself; oat, corn, potato, cassava, organic cane sugar, and non-GMO canola oil. This lovely little mixture is our base from which we’ve gone on to create so many wonderful flavors.
We started with our Classics Collection featuring Vanilla, Chocolate, and Cookie Butter. Our classics are all tried and true, and you should definitely check them out. But we didn’t stop there; our next venture has been our Chef’s Collection.
The Chef’s Collection features exclusive collaborations with top chefs from around the world. We searched the globe for other like-minded creators who share our love and passion for food, the environment, and sustainability. These flavors are made from our secret sauce ice cream base and then infused with culture, history, and a magic touch by the co-chef. Coffee Halvah Chocolate Chunk, Mango Coconut Sticky Rice, and Cookie with Calvados Caramel are just a few of the superstars that make tastebuds do their happy dance. Oh! And proceeds go to the charity of chef’s choice – that’s 100% goodness if you ask us.
The best vegan ice cream is also just the best ice cream of all – Eclipse. Eclipse ice cream is good by design. It’s not a dairy alternative; it’s a dairy sequel.
External Sources
The Age of Veganism: Vegan Statistics for 2020 (Infographic) | Health Careers