A Guide on Finding the Best Healthy Vegan Ice Cream

Vegan ice cream is made with soy milk, coconut milk, almond milk, and other dairy replacements instead of dairy. It's an excellent alternative for lactose intolerant or who want to cut down on their dairy intake. 

In addition to cutting down on your dairy intake, it also has more benefits. Vegan ice cream is high in protein. A half-cup serving of vanilla soy milk ice cream contains 6.6 grams of protein. One cup of coconut milk ice cream contains 6 grams of protein.

All that said, it's important to note that not all vegan food is precisely "healthy." So even with vegan ice cream, you have to be careful about what you choose and which products you buy. Today, let's look at vegan ice cream and how you can find the healthiest ones.

Here's what you need to know:

What Makes Vegan Ice Cream Healthy?

Vegan ice cream is a healthy choice because it's low in fat and high in protein. One cup of vegan ice cream (vanilla soy milk) contains 25 grams of carbohydrate, four grams of protein, and two grams of fat, which is less than half the calories from the fat of traditional ice cream.

All that said, it's important to remember that vegan foods aren't always healthier than non-vegan foods. For example, some vegan ice cream has more sugar than traditional ice cream. So, you have to be careful with some of the ingredients.

Natural Sweeteners

If you're looking for the healthiest vegan ice cream, you'll want to choose one that uses natural sweeteners. This includes dates, fruit puree, and agave nectar instead of refined sugar and artificial sweeteners. Keep in mind that using natural sweeteners and low-fat, non-dairy products will lead to a lower calorie ice cream.

No Artificial Flavors and Colors

Vegan ingredients can be a little more limited than typical ice cream ingredients. This selection can make it harder to find natural and artificial flavors/colors to make it taste like your regular ice cream. You'll want to make sure to read the product label and ingredients to find out what you're getting. If it's listed as "artificial flavor," it may not be the best choice.

Healthy Fats

Healthy fats can be an essential part of a healthy diet. That said, the fatty acids in dairy and certain soy products, called trans fats, may improve blood cholesterol levels, but may also increase blood triglyceride levels, a risk factor for heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.

You'll want to watch your total fat intake when you're eating ice cream and limit the number of saturated fats you get from your vegan ice cream.

High-Protein

Ice cream is a great way to get some protein into your diet. Vegan ice cream is even better. One cup of vanilla soy milk ice cream contains about 6 grams of protein. It's a great way to help you meet your daily protein requirement.

The Bottom Line

If you've been trying to cut back on your dairy intake, vegan ice cream might be a good alternative. The good news is that vegan ice cream can be just as tasty—if not tastier, than non-vegan ice cream. 

This ice cream is a healthy choice if you opt for the healthier versions or those with the healthiest ingredients. Stick with the vegan ice cream with natural sweeteners and view the elements to ensure it contains the fewest ingredients possible.

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