5 Best Keto-Friendly Ice Cream Brands

The ketogenic (keto) diet is high in fat, moderate in protein, and low in carbohydrates. Ice cream doesn't usually make the list of foods to choose from, but there are some keto-friendly ice cream brands: Halo Top, Edy's, Enlightened, So Delicious, and Rebel. One cup of regular ice cream contains about 37 grams (g) of carbs, almost all the carbs you can have in an entire day when you're following a keto diet.

The goal of the keto diet is to shift your metabolism into ketosis. Ketosis shifts your body from using carbs for energy to using ketones, which burn fat. Several ice cream makers have created keto-friendly varieties to help you stay in ketosis.

These manufacturers turn to sugar substitutes. Some of the popular swaps include sugar alcohols like xylitol and erythritol. Sugar alcohols are sweeteners that have about half of the calories of sugar. Many foods labeled "sugar-free" or "no sugar added" contain sugar alcohols.

Food manufacturers also use two natural sweeteners: stevia and monk fruit. Stevia is made from plant leaves, and monk fruit comes from a small round fruit native to China. The brands add ingredients like chicory root, guar gum, and acacia gum to create a creamy texture and mouthfeel. Chicory root is made from the root of the chicory plant and is added to foods to increase the fiber content. Fiber slows digestion and absorption of carbs and, in turn, helps regulate blood sugar.

Guar gum and acacia gum are derived from guar beans and the acacia tree. These ingredients contain soluble fiber, which dissolves in liquid to form a gel-like substance that helps thicken the liquid. Soluble fiber slows digestion and absorption of carbs and helps lower cholesterol and blood sugar.

Below are five scoops worth trying the next time a craving for ice cream strikes. All are luscious, creamy, rich in fat, and low in net carbs.

1. Halo Top's Keto Series

Halo Top's Keto Series may be the best choice for ice cream to keep carbs low. One serving (two-thirds of a cup) of Chocolate Caramel Lava Cake, for example, has 190 calories, 6 g of protein, 6 g of fiber, and 3 g of net carbs. This keto ice cream comes in a variety of flavors, in pints and pops, from Mint Chocolate Cookie to Banana Cream Pie. These options have about 4–10 grams of net carbs per pint, so you can enjoy them and stay in ketosis.

2. Edy's Slow Churned No Sugar Added

Edy's replaced sugar in its fan favorites, including Fudge Tracks, Vanilla Bean, Triple Chocolate, and Neapolitan. These options include sorbitol, maltitol syrup, and Splenda (sucralose). A two-thirds-cup serving of Vanilla Bean contains 130 calories and 14 g of net carbs.

3. Enlightened

Enlightened offers keto ice cream options, as well as low-calorie, non-keto options. The keto options contain 2–3 g net carbs for most flavors. The low-calorie options contain 7–12 g net carbs and 120–140 calories per two-thirds-cup serving. 

Enlightened uses allulose, along with sugar alcohol and monk fruit extract, to replace sugar. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recognizes allulose as a "sugar substitute." The body metabolizes allulose differently than other sugars.

Allulose provides only 0.4 calories per g as compared to sugar, which provides 4 calories per g. The FDA has exempted allulose from being included in total sugar and added sugars on the nutrition label. Allulose is not a sugar alcohol and is not added to carbs.

4. So Delicious No Sugar Added (Dairy-Free)

So Delicious makes dairy-free ice cream from full-fat coconut milk. The No Sugar Added varieties have negligible amounts of sugar. These keto ice cream options are sweetened with a combination of the sugar alcohol erythritol and monk fruit extract. A serving (two-thirds of a cup) has 130–160 calories, 9–10 g of net carbs, and 2 g of protein.

5. Rebel

Rebel is an ice cream brand designed for people on the keto diet. Pints are made with cream, other high-fat ingredients, erythritol, and monk fruit. The main ingredient is cream, so a pint of Rebel is higher in fat and calories than the other brands. This option has negligible amounts of sugar, with just 4–8 g of net carbs per pint. Rebel also has less than 3 g of net carbs per two-thirds-cup serving. 

A Quick Review

These ice creams offer a sweet-tasting dessert that's low in carbohydrates for people on the ketogenic diet, a diet high in fat, moderate in protein, and low in carbohydrates. The keto diet may help people lose body fat. Ice cream brands like Halo Top, Edy's, Enlightened, So Delicious, and Rebel offer options that use sugar substitutes and may be keto-friendly.

The keto diet is not for everyone. Be sure to talk with a healthcare provider before starting this type of diet.