Ice Cream

[gazer2740]

Can we talk Ice Cream for a while? All the brand names are kicking in their version: Atkins, Blue Bell, Breyers, to name a few.

I have a general idea of what things to avoid (trans-fat, high-fructose anything), but do you have some advice on which of these is best? I know "best" can be very subjective, so let me clarify - by best I mean considering the ingredient list - which is truely best for my low-carb diet AND which is best for my body/health. And which of these designated "best" brands and flavors actually taste good??

Thanks ahead of time!
Bryan

[skdmom]

I don't know about best by ingredients but blue bell butter pecan tastes great. I ocassionally have abt 1/2 cup and it has not stalled me.

[Craigster]

I tried the Ben & Jerry's Carb Carma I think it was.. I wasn't very impressed with it.
I've recently been sampling (umm, not sure that's the right word), the Keto brand ice creams, and have liked the chocolate, vanilla moon and funky chunky flavors. All were very good, and I'd buy them again.

[BunnyD]

I tried the Ben & Jerry's Carb Karma (chocolate) and I was not impressed at all, it sort of tasted like a very bland ice milk? My favorite ice cream so far has been Carb Smart, either mint chocolate chip or strawberry, both pretty close to regular ice cream in texture and taste.

[Kibs]

Go get LeCarb cinnamon icecream. Its wonderful. I LOVE cinnamon icecream and I just got it because thats what it was, I didn't even notice it was lowcarb till after I started eating it and actually READ the name haha. I wasn't impressed with their chocolate version though, but the cinnamon one was great! SAdly though, I havent seen it at the store since. oh yeah, and I think its 3-4 carbs a cup.

[BunnyD]

The Carb Smart ice cream sandwiches are also pretty good too. They're 5 grams of carbs each, and the best thing is they're individually wrapped so it's a lot easier to control the portions vs. dishing yourself up a bowl of ice cream (those serving sizes seem awfully small when you're jonesin' for some ice cream, don't they?)

[sincub]

I just bought some Carbsmart mint chocolate chip. After a looong time without ice cream, I thought it was wonderful Plus it's my favorite kind.

[CoyoteMagic]

Bryers Chocolate chip mint was really good. Blue Bunny double strawberry is killer!!

Coyote

[MotherOfGizmo]

You guys might want to be sure and read the actual ingredient lists on these "low carb" ice creams--some of them have nasty stuff like High Fructose Corn Syrup :yikes ( Breyers for example!) Remember just because it says "low carb" on the label, dosen't mean it really is. :nono

[softnred]

I've been trying to avoid low-carb ice cream...and eat snow cones instead. I bought an ice shaver for about $17 at WalMart, and I've gotten several different flavors of DaVinci's sugar-free syrups (they're made with Splenda!) To make a creamier snow cone, mix the syrup with a little heavy cream, and voila!! :nod

[Kibs]

mmmmmm yummy!

[JenniferGreen]

My DH is an Ice Cream-aholic and we have enjoyed trying out different Low Carb ice creams. Just bought the new Dean's brand it is yummy! We use little bowls (ramekins actually) to control sizes. I have been very impressed.

I also have my own ice cream maker and love to make my own with Splenda (can't beat the option of controlling what goes in yourself!). But the cost of Heavy Whipping Cream is so high, I have been going the cheaper route of buying the Low Carb ice cream!

[darin2]

I had some Eddy's chocolate tonight. It was Very good....creamy. My wife tried it and wanted a bowl herself.

D

[scott123]

I used to be a huge fan of the chocolate carb smart. Each time I ate it, the texture got more and more on my nerves, so now I dislike it intensely.

To get it soft/scoopable at freezing temps they entrain a ton of air in it. That in combination with the ingredients they use makes it very spongey. The flavor is wonderful, the combination of sweeteners is wonderful but the texture just doesn't work.

[lscoop]

Some of my favorites in the 4-carb-per-serving range include the Atkins Chocolate covered ice cream bars (especially the fudge-swirled flavors) and the Atkins Chocolate Ice cream, Ben & Jerrys New York Super Fudge Chunk and the Breyers Rocky Road. For lower-carb products (only 2 per serving), try the Breyer's Chocolate Chip Mint and Breyer's Neopolitan.
In general, the low-carb ice creams (excluding the novelties, please!) taste better when you let them sit and soften for a few minutes--they taste far richer that way and compete with most good high-fat products very favorably. I also add homemade whipped cream and shaved (low-carb) chocolate or chocolate chips and/or nuts to garnish. I make my own chocolate sauce by boiling some heavy cream and pouring it directly over some low-carb shaved chocolate or chocolate chips, whisking until smooth and then using it immediately on ice cream (it also makes a nice ganache topping for a cake because it thickens as it cools) or other desserts.