Ice cream is typically off-limits for anyone watching their carbs, sugar, and waistline.
But what if you could enjoy rich, decadent ice cream guilt and consequence-free?
Well, that’s what Breyers Carb Smart ice cream promises.
Breyers Carb Smart is a line of low-carb ice creams made with milk, water, cream and maltitol.
It is lower in carbs and sugar and is marketed as a better alternative to traditional ice cream.
And while it comes in many delicious flavors, Is Breyers Carb Smart ice cream a healthy choice?
Short answer: Breyers Carb Smart ice cream is healthy because it is low in added sugar, is good source of prebiotic fiber, has a low sodium content, and is free of artificial flavors, colors, and preservatives. It is also gluten-free and suitable for the keto diet.
Read on to find out more about Breyers Carb smart ice cream, including it’s ingredients, sugar, protein, fiber content and more.
Read also: Are Yasso Bars Healthy? Everything You Need To Know
What is Breyers Carb smart ice cream made up of?
Breyers Carb smart ice cream comes in different flavors such as:
- Chocolate chocolate chip
- Mint chip
- Vanilla
- Chocolate
- Almond bar
- Brownie a la mode
- Mint fudge cookie
Therefore, the exact ingredients can vary depending on the flavor you choose.
However, ingredients that are commonly used across various flavors of Breyers Carb Smart Ice Cream include:
1. Milk: A creamy base offering the classic dairy richness that makes ice cream delightful.
2. Maltitol Syrup: A sugar alcohol used in the place of refined sugar.
3. Water: It is used for ice crystal formation and contributes to the texture and creaminess.
4. Cream: For extra creaminess to every bite.
5. Polydextrose: A dietary fiber that contributes to the texture and adds a hint of sweetness.
6. Glycerin: It helps to enhance the texture and mouthfeel.
7. Coconut Oil: A touch of tropical delight, providing healthy fats.
8. Whey: A protein source derived from milk that contributes to nutrition.
9. Dutched Cocoa (Processed with Alkali): It gives a chocolatey flavor and enhances the richness.
10. Soluble Corn Fiber: A source of dietary fiber supporting your digestive health.
11. Vegetable Gums (Guar, Carob Bean): These provide stability and texture to the ice cream.
12. Mono and Diglycerides: Emulsifiers that help bind the ingredients together.
13. Acesulfame Potassium: An artificial sweetener, present in minimal amounts (less than 2%) for sweetness.
14. Sucralose: Another artificial sweetener that balances the sweetness with minimal impact on your carb intake.
15. Natural Flavor: Each Breyers ice cream contains a natural flavor for its unique, natural taste.
Verdict on ingredients
When it comes to ingredients, Breyers Carb Smart ice cream has a relatively long list.
But the good news is it doesn’t use any artificial flavors, colors or preservatives.
However, it does have artificial sweeteners like Acesulfame Potassium and sucralose, though in small quantities.
You’ll also find several processed ingredients like emulsifiers, stabilizers, and sugar substitutes.
In conclusion, from an ingredients perspective, Breyers Carb Smart Ice Cream can be considered moderately healthy.
Let’s move on to the nutritional part.
How much sugar is in Breyers Carb Smart ice cream?
Breyers Carb Smart ice cream is low in sugar, containing anywhere from 2 to 5g per serving.
The majority of the flavors contain natural sugar.
Only three flavors contain added sugar. These include mint fudge cookie, Almond bar and Vanilla bar.
However, all these flavors are still quite low in added sugar, i.e. 2-3g.
So, if you are looking for a low-sugar ice cream option, Breyers Carb Smart might be suitable for you.
Instead of added sugar, Breyers Carb Smart ice cream is sweetened with Maltitol syrup and Polydextrose as the main sweeteners.
Maltitol syrup is a sugar substitute made from maltose, which comes from starch. It is similar to sugar, with 90% as sweet as sugar but with half the calories and carbs.
Polydextrose has sugar-like properties and is used as a sugar substitute. It provides only 1 calorie per gram, whereas sugar provides 4 calories per gram.
Both sugar substitutes are low in glycemic index, so they won’t cause a significant rise in your blood sugar levels.
That’s not all!
Besides these two sugar substitutes, Breyers Carb Smart ice cream uses artificial sweeteners like Acesulfame potassium and Sucralose.
Aren’t artificial sweeteners considered bad for the health? Yes, they are, but mostly when consumed in excess.
Both of these artificial sweeteners make up less than 2% of the total ingredients in Breyers Carb Smart ice cream.
So, no need to fret!
How much protein is in Breyers Carb Smart ice cream?
Breyers Carb Smart ice cream is low in protein, containing anywhere from 1 to 2g per serving.
Even though the ingredients label listed whey, it is available in tiny amounts, less than 2%, which makes the protein content quite low.
How much fiber is in Breyers Carb Smart ice cream?
Ice cream is usually not considered a source of fiber. But this is where Breyers Carb Smart ice cream stands out.
A single serving of Breyers Carb Smart ice cream contains 3 to 4g of fiber, about 12 to 16% of the daily recommended fiber for adults.
The fiber comes from multiple sources, such as Polydextrose (primary source) and soluble corn fiber.
Both the fiber sources are the soluble fiber that helps to improve digestion and promote good bacteria in the gut.
How much sodium is in Breyers Carb Smart ice cream?
Breyers Carb Smart ice cream is low in sodium, containing 30 to 70mg per serving.
That’s not even 5% of the daily ideal sodium limit set by the American Heart Association.
Sodium is an essential part of the diet, but too much can result in heart-related issues.
However, with Breyers Carb Smart ice cream, you don’t have to worry about excess sodium intake, even following a low-sodium diet.
Is Breyers Carb Smart ice cream high in saturated fat?
Breyers Carb Smart ice cream is low to high in saturated fat, containing 2 to 8g per serving.
That’s about 15 to 60% of the daily saturated fat limit (13g) set by the American Heart Association.
Saturated fats are bad for the health. Right? However, not all fats are the same.
The primary source of saturated fat in the Breyers Carb Smart Ice Cream is typically coconut oil.
The saturated fat present in coconut oil is considered better than the saturated fat present in other oils.
This is because coconut oil contains lauric acid, which provides various benefits such as antimicrobial effects, immune support, and increased HDL cholesterol levels[1].
It has also been shown to contribute the least to fat accumulation[2].
Despite all these benefits, it’s still a good idea to consume food containing saturated fats in moderation.
Is Breyers Carb Smart ice cream low-carb?
Breyers Carb Smart ice cream is marketed as a guilt-free way to satisfy your ice cream cravings while sticking to a low-carb diet.
And that’s true in real!
Breyers Carb Smart ice cream contains 10-21g of total carbs. That’s nearly half the amount in regular ice cream!
Among these carbs, 3-4g constitute dietary fiber, and 3-12g is sugar alcohol.
When you do the math for net carbs (subtracting fiber and sugar alcohol), you’ll find that Breyers Carb Smart ice cream contains about 4 to 5g of net carbs.
This makes it a good choice for those following a keto diet.
Is Breyers Carb Smart ice cream better than regular ice cream?
Breyers Carb Smart ice cream is indeed better than regular ice cream, and there are many reasons for this, such as:
- It has less carbs than regular ice cream.
- It has less sugar than regular ice cream.
- It has more fiber than regular ice cream.
- It contains no artificial flavors, colors or preservatives.
- It is less processed than regular ice cream.
Sure, regular ice cream tastes great, but it might have too much of the unhealthy stuff you’re trying to avoid.
Is Breyers Carb Smart ice cream good for weight loss?
Breyers Carb Smart ice cream is a good choice for weight loss as it is low in added sugar.
It is also low in calories, containing 60-150 per serving.
However, it’s still important to consume it in moderation on a weight loss diet as it contains processed ingredients.
Note that weight loss depends not only on one food but overall diet and lifestyle.
Is Breyers Carb Smart ice cream gluten-free?
The majority of the flavors of Breyers Carb Smart ice cream are gluten-free.
The flavors that are not gluten-free include brownie a la mode and mint fudge cookie. These flavors contain wheat.
Is Breyers Carb Smart ice cream vegan?
Breyers Carb Smart ice cream is not vegan as it is made with milk/skim milk as the first ingredient.
Final words
After looking at the ingredients and nutritional value, it can be concluded that Breyers Carb Smart ice cream is a healthy indulgence.
Here’s why:
- It is low in added sugar.
- It is a good source of prebiotic fiber.
- It is low in sodium.
- It is gluten-free and suitable for the keto diet.
- It doesn’t use artificial flavors, colors or preservatives.
However, Breyers Carb Smart ice cream is high in saturated fat and contains processed ingredients and artificial sweeteners. Therefore, it must be consumed in moderation.
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