Let’s start by saying that a sugar free ice cream is virtually non-existent. Ice cream is made from milk and cream. Both of these dairy products contain a natural sugar known as lactose. Essentially, if you make ice cream with milk or cream and do not add sugar, there will still be sugar in the form of natural lactose sugar. If you examine a nutrition label of a no sugar added ice cream, there will still be about 3-5 grams of sugar per 1/2 cup serving size. This sugar represents the lactose sugar and is not added sugar. I know many people seek out sugar free ice cream, but it just isn’t available.
As we have been moving toward healthier eating habits (or at least in theory), the market for no sugar added ice cream has increased. Additionally, we have also seen the emergence of low-carb ice cream marketed adjacent to no sugar added ice cream. While the addition of these products adds to the overwhelming aspect of the already crowded ice cream aisle, no sugar added and/or low carb ice cream provides a means for many to enjoy ice cream without as much guilt.
Below we have provided a list of no sugar added ice cream brands and flavors. We included the nutrition facts for these products so that hopefully you can find suitable products that fit your needs. Although there are not 100% sugar free ice cream products for the reasons mentioned above, there are several low sugar options below.
Beware that no sugar added products often have to replace the loss of sugar with a different ingredient to mimic the sweetness. In ice cream, this is often sugar alcohols which are a type of low-calorie sweetener (about 2 – 4 calories per gram). The names of sugar alcohols might include sorbitol, mannitol, xylitol, and isomalt. The benefit to using sugar alcohols is that they reduce the amount of real sugar required and thus reduce the calories. The disadvantage of sugar alcohols are that they can cause stomach or digestive problems because the body can have difficulty breaking them down. This may result in diarrhea, bloating and gas, especially when consumed in large amounts.
Let us know of your favorite no sugar added ice cream in the comments below.