October 5, 2024

We chose these keto ice creams based on the following criteria:

  • Vetting. All the products included have been vetted to ensure that they meet Healthline’s medical and business standards.
  • Consumer popularity. We looked for keto ice creams with rave reviews from customers who rated these ice creams on their flavor and texture.
  • Accessibility online and in stores. Ice cream is something that doesn’t necessarily ship well. We looked for ice cream that you can find in stores near you so when the craving strikes, your sweet treat won’t be too far away.
  • Nutritional value in keeping with a keto diet. We looked for products that were between 10 and 20 grams of carbs per serving.

Here are the top 7 store-bought and homemade keto ice creams.

Net carbs is a term used by food manufacturers to describe the carbohydrates left after you subtract sugar alcohols and fiber from total carbohydrates. However, the term isn’t regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

A lack of regulation on product labels may lead to consumer confusion based on how net carbohydrates are calculated and the potential differences between brands and labels (1).

Both net carbs and total carbohydrates are listed for each variety of ice cream so that you can make the best decision for your diet.

Best keto ice cream made with real cream

Rebel Butter Pecan Flavor

Rebel Creamery

  • Price: $5.99 per pint
  • Ingredients (Butter Pecan flavor): cream, water, roasted pecans (pecans, butter, coconut oil, salt), erythritol, vegetable glycerin, egg yolks, chicory root fiber, milk protein isolate, natural vanilla flavor, salt, Peruvian carob gum, guar gum, monk fruit
  • Other flavors (Rebel offers 23 flavor varieties, 10 are listed below):
    • Vanilla
    • Chocolate
    • Cookie Dough
    • Peanut Butter Fudge
    • Mint Chip
    • Strawberry
    • Coffee Chip
    • Black Raspberry
    • Cherry Chip
    • Triple Chocolate

Rebel uses cream instead of skim milk in its ice cream. This shows in the nutrients, with many flavors topping 20 grams of total fat and over 200 calories per serving.

When reviewing Rebel’s nutrition facts, you may also notice that the brand doesn’t follow conventional rounding rules for nutrients when calculating net carbs. Sugar alcohol content, carbohydrates, and fiber are listed with the decimal point versus rounded.

As with all keto-friendly ice creams, the varieties are low in net carbs, but Rebel also emphasizes using low glycemic index ingredients to set itself apart from other keto-friendly ice creams on the market.

Low glycemic index ingredients may be beneficial for blood sugar management in certain populations (2).

Most people on a keto diet need to eat fewer than 50 grams of carbohydrates per day to achieve ketosis, but some people need to reduce carbs even more (3).

With 2 grams of net carbs and 13 grams of total carbohydrates per serving, Rebel’s Butter Pecan is a tasty treat that can fit into the keto diet.

However, it’s important to note that compared with regular ice cream, Rebel contains more calories per serving. This is to be expected with some keto-friendly ice creams due to their higher fat content.

Pints are available for purchase online and at several major grocery stores.

Nutrition facts

Per 2/3 cup (89 grams) Butter Pecan flavor (4):

  • Calories: 230
  • Fat: 24 grams
  • Carbs: 13 grams
  • Fiber: 3 grams
  • Sugar alcohol: 8 grams
  • Net carbs: 2 grams
  • Protein: 3 grams

Best keto ice cream without sugar alcohols

Arctic Zero

Arctic Zero Cake Batter Flavor

  • Price: $5.29 per pint
  • Ingredients (Cake Batter flavor): purified water, organic cane sugar, allulose, sugarcane fiber, and/or vegetable fiber, faba bean protein concentrate, gum blend (acacia, tara, guar), natural flavors, sea salt, turmeric, monk fruit concentrate
  • Other flavors:
    • Classic Vanilla
    • Pistachio
    • Cookie Shake
    • Purely Chocolate
    • Salted Caramel
    • Chocolate Peanut Butter
    • Hint of Mint

This keto-friendly, dairy-free ice cream is made with a combination of plant fibers and faba bean protein. The Arctic Zero company touts the benefits of faba bean protein as being both allergy- and environmentally-friendly (5).

Arctic Zero stands out in the keto-friendly ice cream market because of its lack of sugar alcohols. This may make the brand a better choice for those with a digestive condition that makes them sensitive to sugar alcohol intake (6).

In addition to the lack of sugar alcohol, Arctic Zero ice cream is lower in calories than other keto-friendly ice creams. However, it’s also fat-free, which may not be the right choice for keeping fat intake high when following a strict keto diet.

Arctic Zero pints can be purchased online, as well as at several grocery stores.

Nutrition facts

Per 2/3 cup (83 grams) Arctic Zero Cake Batter flavor (7):

  • Calories: 50
  • Fat: 0 grams
  • Carbs: 11 grams
  • Fiber: 3 grams
  • Sugar alcohol: 0 grams
  • Net carbs: 8 grams
  • Protein: 2 gram

Best keto ice cream variety pack

Enlightened Keto

Enlightened Chocolate Peanut Butter

  • Price: $9 per pint
  • Ingredients (Chocolate Peanut Butter flavor): cream, water, peanuts, egg yolks, non-GMO soluble corn fiber, erythritol, allulose, dutched cocoa, peanut oil, milk protein concentrate, vegetable glycerin, tara gum, guar gum, monk fruit extract, salt
  • Other flavors:
    • P.B. Cookie & Brownie Dough
    • Caramel Chocolate Double Dough
    • Butter Pecan
    • Chocolate Peanut Butter
    • Red Velvet
    • Chocolate Glazed Donut
    • Peanut Butter Fudge
    • Mint Chocolate Chunk
    • Coffee Chocolate Chunk

Enlightened Keto offers a variety pack of keto-friendly ice creams that comes with eight pints. The brand also offers other types of ice creams, including dairy-free and light varieties in addition to the keto-friendly line.

The product line also includes cheesecakes, cookies, and various other desserts.

One serving of Enlightened Keto Chocolate Peanut Butter contains 21 grams fat, 14 grams carbohydrate, and 7 grams net carbs making it a good option when following the keto diet.

However, like other ice creams on this list, it’s made predominately with cream, which contributes a significant source of saturated fat. Low carbohydrate diets high in saturated fat have been associated with negative health outcomes (8).

Nutrition facts

Per 2/3 cup (88 grams) Enlightened Keto Chocolate Peanut Butter flavor (9):

  • Calories: 230
  • Fat: 21 grams
  • Carbs: 14 grams
  • Fiber: 4 grams
  • Sugar alcohol: 3 grams
  • Net carbs: 7 grams
  • Protein: 5 grams

Best keto ice cream under 200 calories

Halo Top

Halo top

  • Price: $5.99 per pint
  • Ingredients (Macadamia Nut Cookie flavor): ultrafiltered skim milk, cream, erythritol, eggs, vegetable glycerine, soluble corn fiber, inulin, macadamia nuts, sugar, skim milk, contains 1% or less of natural flavors, coconut oil, corn starch, salt, stevia leaf extract (Reb M), sunflower lecithin, stevia leaf extract (Reb A), citric acid, cellulose gel, cellulose gum
  • Other flavors:
    • Mint Chocolate Cookie
    • Turtle Cheesecake
    • Banana Cream Pie
    • Brownie a la mode
    • Caramel Butter Pecan
    • Chocolate Caramel Lava Cake
    • Chocolate Cheesecake
    • Peanut Butter Chocolate
    • Vanilla Bean

Halo Top is a low carb option that’s higher in protein than most other keto-friendly ice creams.

The brand offers 10 flavors of keto-friendly ice creams with a range of 5 to 10 grams of net carbs per pint and 200 calories or less per serving.

Macadamia Nut Cookie flavor is a top-rated variety and contains skim milk, eggs, and prebiotic fiber. It’s primarily sweetened with erythritol, a zero-calorie sugar alcohol (10, 11).

You can purchase Halo Top ice creams online and at most major grocery stores. Halo Top also offers varieties that are made without dairy and eggs.

Nutrition facts

Per 2/3 cup (85 grams) Macadamia Nut Cookie flavor (12):

  • Calories: 150
  • Fat: 11 grams
  • Carbs: 15 grams
  • Fiber: 3 grams
  • Sugar alcohol: 9 grams
  • Net carbs: 3 grams
  • Protein: 6 grams

Best dairy-free keto ice cream

So Delicious No Sugar Added Coconutmilk Frozen Dessert

So Delicious

  • Price: $5.99
  • Ingredients (Vanilla Bean flavor): organic coconutmilk (filtered water, organic coconut), chicory root extract, acacia gum, erythritol, vegetable glycerin, pea protein, guar gum, sea salt, locust bean gum, monk fruit extract, natural flavor, vanilla bean specks
  • Other flavors:
    • Mint Chip
    • Chocolate
    • Butter Pecan
    • Cookies N’ Cream

So Delicious offers a full dairy-free product line that includes cheese and yogurt alternatives, plant-based beverages, and plant-based frozen desserts.

The dairy-free no sugar added ice creams are a keto-friendly alternative to dairy-based varieties.

One serving of the vanilla flavor provides 130 calories and 9 grams of total fat. It’s slightly higher in carbohydrates than other keto-friendly ice creams with 24 grams of total carbohydrates and 10 grams of net carbs.

Nutrition facts

Per 2/3 cup (113 grams) Vanilla Bean flavor (13):

  • Calories: 130
  • Fat: 9 grams
  • Carbs: 24 grams
  • Fiber: 10 grams
  • Sugar alcohol: 4 grams
  • Net carbs: 10 grams
  • Protein: 2 gram

Best all-keto product line

KETO Foods

Keto Peanut Butter Fudge Swirl

  • Price: $9.99
  • Ingredients (Peanut Butter Fudge Swirl): cream, water, peanut butter cup (unsweetened chocolate, erythritol, cocoa butter, steviol glycosides, sunflower lecithin, peanut butter (peanuts, salt), coconut oil, peanut oil, whole milk powder, soy lecithin), egg yolk, erythritol, peanut oil, chicory root fiber, milk protein concentrate, tapioca fiber, cocoa processed with alkali, cocoa, whey, sea salt, vegetable glycerin, vanilla extract, sunflower lecithin, guar gum, steviol glycosides, monk fruit extract, gum acacia
  • Other flavors:
    • Cake Batter
    • Triple Chocolate Brownie
    • Black Raspberry
    • Butter Pecan
    • Cherry Chip
    • Cookie Dough
    • Strawberry
    • Peanut Butter Cup
    • Mint Chip
    • Sea Salt Caramel

KETO Foods, founded in 2018, has a line of products including ice cream pints, ice cream bars, and chocolate all made with the keto diet in mind.

Using a combination of cream, egg yolks, and erythritol as primary ingredients makes this keto-friendly ice cream high in fat, but relatively low in total carbohydrates.

The peanut butter fudge swirl ice cream is one of the more popular flavors. One serving contains 250 calories, 22 grams of carbohydrates, and 3 grams of net carbs.

Total calories per serving vary depending on the flavor, ranging from 180 to 250 calories per 2/3 cup.

You can order KETO Foods from the company’s website or by using their store locator to find the product near you.

Nutrition facts

Per 2/3 cup (100 grams) Peanut Butter Fudge Swirl (14):

  • Calories: 250
  • Fat: 23 grams
  • Carbs: 22 grams
  • Fiber: 7 grams
  • Sugar alcohol: 12 grams
  • Net carbs: 3 grams
  • Protein: 5 grams

Best budget buy

Breyer’s Carb Smart

  • Price: $4.99 per pint
  • Ingredients (Coffee Cookie Crunch): skim milk, cream, maltitol syrup, water, polydextrose, coconut oil, glycerin, coffee extract, whey, less than 2% of: sugar, dutched cocoa (process with alkali), soluble corn fiber, enriched wheat flour (wheat flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), mono and diglycerides, vegetable oil (soybean, palm), guar gum, carob bean gum, dried cane syrup, natural flavor, cocoa, soy lecithin, corn starch, sodium bicarbonate, milk, salt, acesulfame potassium, sucralose
  • Other flavors:
    • Brownie a la Mode
    • Mint Fudge Cookie
    • Chocolate Chocolate Chip
    • Mint Chip
    • Vanilla
    • Chocolate

The ketogenic diet consists of majority fat, moderate protein, and low carbohydrate intake. While the Breyer’s Carb Smart ice cream is lower in fat than many other keto-friendly ice creams, it can still fit into a keto diet due to its total carbohydrate content.

The total carbohydrates per serving of this ice cream are amongst the lowest when compared with other brands listed. However, it doesn’t have as much fat per serving, which may make it challenging to kit into a strict ketogenic diet.

You can order Breyer’s Carb Smart from their website or by using their store locator to find the product near you.

Nutrition facts

Per 2/3 cup (77 grams) Coffee Cookie Crunch flavor (15):

  • Calories: 120
  • Fat: 6 grams
  • Carbs: 17 grams
  • Fiber: 4 grams
  • Sugar alcohol: 8 grams
  • Net carbs: 5 grams
  • Protein: 2 gram

Homemade vanilla keto ice cream

Making keto ice cream at home is easy, so long as you have low carb sweeteners on hand.

This version of keto ice cream is made with erythritol, which you can buy online and at some grocery stores.

To make it, whisk together 2 cups (500 mL) of canned full fat coconut milk, 1/4 cup (48 grams) of erythritol, and 1 teaspoon (5 mL) of vanilla extract. Pour it into ice cube trays and freeze it for a few hours.

Add the frozen cubes to a blender and blend until creamy and smooth before serving. This recipe yields about 4 servings.

Nutrition facts

Per 1/2 cup serving:

  • Calories: 226
  • Fat: 24 grams
  • Carbs: 3 grams
  • Fiber: 0 grams
  • Sugar alcohol: 12 grams
  • Net carbs: 0 grams
  • Protein: 2 grams

Homemade strawberry keto ice cream

Since berries are lower in carbs than most other fruits, they’re a great addition to homemade keto ice cream.

To make low carb strawberry ice cream at home, blend 2 cups (500 mL) of heavy cream with 1/4 cup (60 grams) of sour cream, 1/2 cup (100 grams) of fresh strawberries, and 1/3 cup (64 grams) of erythritol or Swerve (a low carb sweetener).

Transfer the mixture to a loaf pan and freeze for 3–5 hours, until it’s hard and ready to serve. This recipe makes 4 servings.

Nutrition facts

Per 1/2 cup serving:

  • Calories: 454
  • Fat: 45 grams
  • Carbs: 6 grams
  • Fiber: 0 grams
  • Sugar alcohol: 16 grams
  • Net carbs: 0 grams
  • Protein: 5 grams

What ice cream can you eat on keto?

Since the keto diet requires eating extremely low carbohydrates and high fat, it’s best to choose an ice cream that meets the same nutritional profile.

Choose a keto-friendly ice cream that’s low in total carbohydrates while also contributing the majority of the calories from fat. This often means choosing an ice cream made with cream and an additional fat source like oil listed in the first five ingredients.

Is keto ice cream healthier than regular?

Keto-friendly ice cream is often higher in total calories than regular ice cream because of its high fat content. However, it’s also lower in added sugar than regular ice cream.

Combined, these facts could make keto-friendly ice cream a better choice if you’re looking to reduce added sugar. However, the higher calories in keto ice cream may be a detriment to anyone who needs to follow a calorie-restricted diet.

What’s the difference between keto ice cream and regular?

Keto ice cream differs from regular ice cream in both nutrients and ingredients. Keto ice cream is often higher in calories and fat than regular ice cream due to the higher fat ingredients.

However, keto ice cream is lower in carbohydrates than regular ice cream since sugar substitutes are used as sweeteners in place of regular sugar.

It’s also common for keto ice cream to have significantly more fiber than regular ice cream due to fiber additives that influence taste and texture while keeping total carbohydrates low.

Is keto ice cream less fattening?

No, keto ice cream is not less fattening than regular ice cream. In fact, in many cases, keto ice cream has more fat per serving because it has oil or other fat sources added to purposefully increase the total fat.

Can you eat regular ice cream on keto?

Yes, you can choose to eat regular ice cream on a keto diet if it fits within your daily carbohydrate needs required on the keto diet. Remember, regular ice cream is higher in carbohydrates than keto ice cream, so be sure to check the label to ensure you’re within your daily carbohydrate limits.

link

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *