Making a natural NSA ice cream without artificial ingredients is challenging. High quality NSA ice cream or no sugar are not easily available, but out there. Most brands on the shelf are in low or no fat, include artificial ingredients and sometimes labelled “Dairy Dessert”.
Most brands on the shelf are in low or no fat, include artificial ingredients and sometimes labelled “Dairy Dessert”.
Many times companies tend to stretch the ice cream category definition into a grey area where it labels as ice cream but maybe be lower than 10% butterfat, but the consumer would not know to challenge.
Before we get into NSA’s, let’s first reference ice cream labels by category.
Labelling Ice Cream by Classification as Defined by IDFA.org
- Ice cream is a frozen food made from a mixture of dairy products, containing at least 10 percent milkfat.
- Reduced fat ice cream contains at least 25 percent less total fat than the referenced product (either an average of leading brands, or the company’s own brand).
- Light or Lite ice cream contains at least 50 percent less total fat or 33 percent fewer calories than the referenced product (the average of leading regional or national brands).
- Low-fat ice cream contains a maximum of 3 grams of total fat per serving (½ cup).
- Nonfat ice cream contains less than 0.5 grams of total fat per serving.
Now back to the topic of no sugar added dairy products.
In my opinion and from what I’ve sampled, most products really miss the mark in pleasing, high quality and clean label. Generally the labels list ingredients I cannot pronounce or would ever consider consuming, then add in over run (churned in air) making the container feather light and purchasing for around the same price as a high fat super premium ice cream.
However with focus, time and testing, a higher fat product with less air and clean label can be achieved and produced. So why can’t you find a high quality national brand in the grocer freezer? In my professional opinion, making a better product involves added costs in R&D time and effort.
Some sweeteners seen on labels and used to replace sucrose (cane sugar), most are not very good to consume
Artificial:
Aspartame – 200 x the sweetness of sugar – on Whole Foods unacceptable list
Sucralose – 600 x sweetness of sugar – on Whole Foods unacceptable list
Sugar Alcohol:
Sorbitol – 55% of the relative sweetness of sugar
Mannitol– 70% of the relative sweetness of sugar
Xylitol – 60% the sweetness of sugar
Maltitol – 90% the sweetness of sugar
Plant Based – leaf extraction:
Stevia Reb A – plant based – 1st generation – 200/350 x sweeter than sugar
Stevia Reb M – plant based – new generation – 200/350 x sweeter than sugar
What is the purpose of having cane or beet sugar in ice cream?
Most people believe sugar is added in ice cream for reasons of sweetness, but primarily sugar is included to control ice crystal size during the freezing process and improve product texture.
The challenge in making a rich and creamy NSA ice cream is finding ingredients that replace sucrose that also offer similar functionalities and characteristics.
Sounds simple, well it’s not and a tall task for sure. If it was a simple, you’d see more high quality NSA’s on the grocery shelf.
Two brands I consider average and below average in NSA’s.
Skim Milk, Cream, Polydextrose, Sorbitol, Maltodextrin (Corn), Whey, Glycerin, Cellulose Gel, Mono and Diglycerides, Guar Gum, Tara Gum, Xanthan Gum, Cellulose Gum, Carob Bean Gum, Natural Flavor, Acesulfame Potassium, Sucralose (Splenda® Brand), Vitamin A Palmitate, Annatto (for Color).
Blue Bell® NSA Country Vanilla Flavored Low-fat Ice Cream:
Milk, Skim Milk, Polydextrose, Cream, Sorbitol, Maltodextrin, Cellulose Gel, Cellulose Gum, Vegetable Gums (Guar, Carrageenan, Carob Bean), Natural and Artificial Flavor, Soy Mono- and Diglycerides, Acesulfame Potassium, Sucralose (Splenda® Brand), Annatto Color, Vitamin A Palmitate.
PureCirlce USA, a Chicago based company recently tackled and achieved in making a rich, creamy ice cream without sugar. I would consider their product unique and above average because it’s natural with a clean label and few ingredients.
PureCircle Gourmet 14% Vanilla NSA Ice Cream
Skim Milk, Cream, Stevia Ice Cream Blend™ (Erythritol, Inulin, Stevia Leaf Sweetener), Natural Vanilla Flavor, Guar Gum, Locust Bean Gum, Vanilla Beans.
No sugar added products continue to be popular and consumers are looking for clean label products. Finding a high quality ice cream without sugar is not easily found, but available. Be picky about your NSA ice cream and don’t settle for average, because above average is out their.
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