Some ice creams claim to be every bit as tasty as traditional makes, with fewer calories, low or no added sugar, and a fraction of the fat.
But are they any healthier and how do they taste? Dietitian Helen Bond assessed a selection. We then rated them…
Halo Top Vanilla Bean
Not too much! In large amounts, this product’s ingredients can cause diarrhoea
473ml, £5, Tesco and ocado.com. Per 100ml (two small scoops): calories, 59; saturated fat, 0.8g; sugar, 4.9g; protein, 3.9g
CLAIM: Guilt-free ice cream with 280 calories in a tub.
VERDICT: Added fibre (8 per cent of daily needs) gives this low-calorie dessert a creamy feel.
Sweetened with stevia and erythritol, considered healthier than sugar, with less impact on blood glucose, fewer calories and tooth-friendly. In large amounts, they can cause diarrhoea, but you’d need to eat at least two tubs to suffer. 4/5
Taste: Rich and custardy vanilla flavour. 4/5
Overall rating: 8/10
Yoomoo Strawberry Frozen Yogurt
Sweet tooth: This is low-fat, but has nearly four teaspoons of sugar per two-scoops
500ml, £2.50, most supermarkets. Per 100ml: calories, 95; saturated fat, 0.5g; sugar, 15.6g; protein, 1.8g
CLAIM: Guilt-free, low in fat.
VERDICT: Made with yoghurt, this is low-fat, but has nearly four teaspoons of sugar per two-scoop serving. On the plus side, you’ll get 7 per cent of your daily calcium and 8 per cent of your fibre. 2/5
Taste: Slightly artificial, but it is refreshing. 3/5
Overall rating: 5/10
Frill Smoothie Intense Chocolate
Healthy: The type of fibre in this frozen smoothie can boost beneficial gut bacteria
500ml, £4.99, ocado.com. Per 100ml: calories, 70; saturated fat, 0.9g; sugar, 8.2g; protein, 1.6g
CLAIM: Low in sugar and fat, gluten-free and with more than a quarter of your daily fibre per two scoops.
VERDICT: The type of fibre in this frozen smoothie can boost beneficial gut bacteria. It’s also 9 per cent cocoa, which provides heart-healthy flavanols (antioxidant plant chemicals). 4/5
Taste: Intensely chocolatey, surprisingly creamy. 3/5
Overall rating: 7/10
Breyers Cookies And Cream
Hmm: This product has a dense and creamy texture, but there’s a slightly odd aftertaste
500ml, £4.99, most supermarkets. Per 100ml: calories, 70; saturated fat, 1.2g; sugar, 5.5g; protein, 3.9g
CLAIM: Lower calories, higher protein, lower sugar.
VERDICT: Has added maltodextrin (a starch), rather than fibre used in many low-fat ice creams for creaminess. The saturated fat is kept lower by using skimmed dairy, plus some cream. The sugar is largely replaced with erythritol and stevia. 3/5
Taste: Dense and creamy texture, but there’s a slightly odd aftertaste. 3/5
Overall rating: 6/10
Ben & Jerry’s Caramel Cookie Fix
Fat chance: This full tub is equivalent to 2½ Mars Bars in terms of calories
500ml, £4.60, Sainsbury’s. Per 100ml: calories, 128; saturated fat, 2.7g; sugar, 14g; protein, 2.2g
CLAIM: Light on fat, heavy on flavour.
VERDICT: A lower-fat version of their cookie dough ice cream, less cream and a higher proportion of skimmed milk make this healthier, with two-thirds less saturated fat and a third fewer calories than the original version.
There are still more than three teaspoons of sugar per two-scoop serving — the full tub is equivalent to 2½ Mars Bars in terms of calories. 1/5
Taste: Not quite as creamy as the full-fat version. 3/5
Overall rating: 4/10
Perfect World Double Choc Chip
500ml, £4.49, ocado.com.
Animal-friendly: This vegan ice cream is made with gut-friendly fibre from maize
Per 100ml: calories, 79; saturated fat, 1.9g; sugar, 0.72g, protein, 2.1g
CLAIM: High in vitamins and minerals (12 altogether), no added sugar, high in fibre, reduced calories.
VERDICT: This vegan ice cream is made with gut-friendly fibre (two scoops supply 15 per cent of your daily needs) from maize. A serving has around a tenth of your daily limit of saturated fat, from coconut milk. Erythritol, xylitol and stevia make this nearly sugar-free. 4/5
Taste: A rich chocolate flavour, with generous dark chocolate pieces. 3/5
Overall rating: 7/10