When it’s warm outside, who doesn’t love to cool down with a scoop of tasty ice cream to top off a hot summer’s day? And really, no matter the time of year, ice cream is a one of those comfort foods that’s definitely loved by all – kids and adults alike. Probably because of the array of flavors and the fact that It can be eaten straight out of a pint, in a bowl, on a cone and dressed with an array of toppings like sprinkles, syrups, fruit, nuts, candy or more.
While ice cream is one of the most popular comfort foods across all age groups, this yummy sweet treat is loaded with tons of sugar and fat and also high in calories. But did you know – some ice cream also contains other nutrients that may actually be good for our body?
Today, I am dedicating this post to talk about whether ice cream contains protein or not.
Does Ice Cream Have Protein
So if you’re wondering what’s in ice cream, here’s the truth. You may be surprised to know that a ½ cup serving of regular ice cream contains around 2g-4g of protein. Obviously this varies by brand and recipe and is dependent upon a few factors since some ice cream is made up of primarily dairy milk, while others include added protein like whey protein concentrate or plant based protein additives.
If you’re looking for ways to easily add more protein to your diet, you might be delighted to know that there are also plenty of ice cream with added protein that can be a great addition to your diet. I’ll share a few of them along with how much protein they have per serving so you can look out for these brands the next time you’re out grocery shopping.
Best Tasting High Protein Ice Cream Brands
The protein content in these ice cream brands are high. You’ll definitely want to remember the name and keep a close eye out to add them to your carts!
Halo Top
For every 100 calories (⅔ cup) of Halo Top, you’ll get 6g protein, 2g fat, 21g carbs, 7g sugars.
What I like about Halo Tap is their flavorings (my favorite is their birthday cake). But why I’m adding them to the list is due to the high milk protein concentrate. The ice cream is made of ultrafiltered skim milk, which is a process to remove lactose and water to further concentrate the milk proteins. It’s a good dupe for regular ice cream. In every pint it’s packed with 20 grams of protein, plus it’s also a low calorie snack.
Snow Monkey
For every 150 calories, you’ll get an impressive 7g protein, 4g fat, 25g carbs, 17g sugars.
What makes this high protein ice cream even more of a gem is the fact that Snow Money is a plant-based protein, allergy-friendly, and paleo ice cream – which opens this ice cream option up to those with dietary restrictions. The ingredients are all natural, including being made of fruit, hemp protein powder, and natural sugar substitutes such as maple syrup, making them perfect for those who are dairy free.
Yasso Frozen Greek Yogurt Bars
For every 100 calories (1 bar), enjoy about 5g protein, .5g fat, 18g carbs, 16g sugars
These ice cream bars should definitely make your list of ice cream bars to try. You’ve got to try the cookies and cream flavor or even their salted caramel, which are a nice alternative to traditional ice cream. The rich and creamy texture is due to the Greek yogurt base, making it naturally high in protein. Plus for every 100 calories per serving, you’ll get 4 to 6 grams of protein from milk protein concentrate.
Arctic Zero
One serving (â…” cup) of Arctic Zero is only serving 50 calories, but packs a solid 2g protein, 0g fat, 11g carbs, 8g sugars
This is another dairy free, plant-based high protein ice cream option that’s also keto-friendly. You can enjoy their classic vanilla beans flavor, purely chocolate, or strawberry shortcake. Arctic Zero’s are made with the plant based faba bean protein concentrate, making them also low glycemic and vegan. While they do have peanut and pistachio flavors, there’s also a selection that are peanut, tree nut, and soy free too.
So Delicious Dairy Free Light
For every serving (⅔ cup), it’s 110 calories, 1g protein, 5g fat, 20g carbs, 6g sugars
Although this option isn’t as high in calories as others mentioned on our list, if you’re needing another plant based ice cream option, this dairy free ice cream is another option you’ll want to try.
So Delicious is made with pea protein and coconut oil, and contains just 330 calories per pint, making it another low calorie ice cream option that also happens to be low fat and low carb.
Enlightened Light Ice Cream
For every serving (⅔ cup), it’s 100 calories and packs a mean 7g protein, 3g fat, 20g carbs, 5g sugars
Depending on the flavor, you can typically find a pint of Enlightened ice cream loaded with anywhere from 20 grams of protein to 40 grams, with up to only 400 calories per pint! This high protein ice cream is made of dairy milk protein concentrate. However, what sets it apart from many ice cream brands is the fact that it is substantially lower in sugar. Like has 60 to 80% less sugar than traditional ice cream. And they have many ice cream bar varieties as well. Try their pb cookie and brownie dough, vanilla dark chocolate, or sea salted caramel flavors.
