What Happens to Your Blood Sugar When You Eat Ice Cream

From eatingwell.com

Ice cream can fit into a healthy diet if you have diabetes. Here are some things to consider before grabbing a scoop

KEY POINTS

• Ice cream can fit into a diabetes-friendly diet with moderation and mindful portion sizes.
• Choose ice creams with ≤30 g carbs, <13 g added sugar and ≤2 g saturated fat per serving.
• Pair ice cream with protein to help slow digestion and minimize blood sugar spikes.

From French vanilla to mint chocolate chip, ice cream is many people’s favourite sweet treat regardless of the season. But if you have diabetes, you may wonder if you should avoid it. People with diabetes are advised to limit sweets like ice cream to help keep blood sugar levels in a healthy range. But cutting out all sweets usually isn’t feasible—or necessary.

More than 40 million Americans live with diabetes, and nearly 115 million more have prediabetes. While people with diabetes need to be aware of their sugar and carbohydrate intake, desserts like ice cream aren’t totally off the table.  In this article, we’ll explain how ice cream affects blood sugar levels, provide tips for choosing diabetes-friendly options and share dietitian-approved strategies for including it in a balanced diet. Let’s dig in! 

Can You Eat Ice Cream If You Have Diabetes?

The good news is ice cream can fit into a diabetes-friendly eating plan, especially when combined with a balanced diet and other healthy lifestyle habits. Individuals with diabetes should focus on eating whole foods that contain complex carbohydrates, like beans, vegetables and whole grains.

That said, foods with added sugars, like ice cream, can still be enjoyed in moderation. You’ll just want to be aware of factors like portion size, sugar content and meal timing. “Ice cream can certainly be included in a healthy diet, including for someone with diabetes, by practicing good portion control and making smart choices on the type of ice cream you consume,” says Josten Fish, RD.

Ice Cream and Blood Sugar Levels

Ice cream contains simple carbohydrates that the body breaks down into glucose (aka sugar). Insulin is a hormone that helps move this sugar out of the bloodstream and into your cells for energy. However, in type 2 diabetes, the body becomes “resistant” to insulin’s effects, making it harder to transport this sugar into your cells and causing your blood sugar levels to spike.

This rapid rise and fall of blood sugar levels can leave you feeling tired, thirsty or stressed, and over time, frequent blood sugar spikes can lead to more serious health issues like kidney or heart disease.

What to Look For When Choosing the Best Ice Cream

• Lower amounts of carbohydrate and added sugar. When possible, look for options containing no more than 30 grams of carbohydrate and less than 13 grams of added sugar per serving. To reduce sugar content, many brands use alternative sweeteners like stevia, monk fruit or erythritol, which don’t spike blood sugar the same way traditional sugar does. According to one review, these alternative sweeteners can be beneficial in preventing and treating metabolic conditions like diabetes. Just keep in mind that consuming large amounts of artificial sweeteners, especially sugar alcohols, may lead to digestive side effects, like gas or bloating, depending on the person. 
• Calorie amounts that fit your needs. Maintaining a healthy weight is key to managing diabetes, so it’s important to be mindful of how many calories you’re consuming. While calorie needs vary by person, a good rule of thumb is to choose an ice cream with 250 calories or less per serving. 
• Nutritious mix-ins. In addition to a nice crunch, mix-ins like nuts and seeds provide a boost of protein, fibre and healthy fats, which can help slow digestion and reduce blood sugar spikes.

What to Limit in Your Ice Cream

When selecting a pint at the store, be wary of flavours with sugary mix-ins, such as caramel, hot fudge or marshmallows, as these ingredients tend to be higher in added sugar. That said, if salted caramel is your favourite, simply enjoy a smaller serving or look for a brand with a lower-sugar version. 

It’s also a good idea to limit your intake of ice creams that contain more than 2 grams of saturated fat per serving. Research shows that this type of fat can harm your heart health and negatively affect insulin sensitivity.

How to Include Ice Cream in a Diabetes-Friendly Diet

If you have diabetes, maintaining a balanced diet is most important when it comes to maintaining stable blood sugar levels. Here are four dietitian-approved strategies for incorporating ice cream into a diabetes-friendly diet. 

• Pair your ice cream with protein: “It would be best for someone with diabetes to consume ice cream along with a good source of protein,” says Fish.  Though ice cream contains some protein, increasing its protein content can slow digestion and sugar absorption. So the next time you’re craving a scoop, try to enjoy it alongside, or just after, a high-protein meal or snack. 
• Enjoy a single serving: One serving of ice cream is typically ½ cup (about the size of a tennis ball). If you’re enjoying dessert at home, scoop a serving of ice cream into a bowl instead of trying to make yourself stop partway through the pint. Going out for ice cream can be a bit trickier, as scoop sizes can vary. That said, ordering one scoop, and skipping sugary toppings, is your best bet.
• Consider eating fewer carbs at dinner: “When eating it as part of a meal, be sure to factor in the carbohydrate content of the ice cream to keep your total meal count at your recommended level,” says Fish. Keep in mind this doesn’t mean you should skip dinner to save room for ice cream. Instead, if you plan on having a sweet treat after your meal, simply consider an entree that’s lower in carbs than what you might typically eat. 
• Make homemade ice cream: If you enjoy making foods from scratch, Fish recommends whipping up a batch of ice cream at home. Making homemade ice cream gives you more control over the types and amounts of ingredients used. Plus, there are many healthy recipes that you can make without investing in an ice cream machine. 

• Our Expert Take

  Ice cream can be included in a healthy meal pattern even if you have diabetes. After all, a healthy eating pattern should also be an enjoyable one. “Cutting out all desserts (including ice cream) could lead to actually craving more desserts and possibly bingeing,” says Fish. 

  The next time you feel like grabbing a pint of ice cream from the freezer, simply be mindful of the nutrition content, pay attention to portion sizes and pair it with a meal or a protein-rich snack. Of course, maintaining an overall balanced diet and following other recommendations from your doctor, like getting enough exercise and sleep, are also important for better blood sugar control. 

• https://www.eatingwell.com/can-people-with-diabetes-eat-ice-cream-11945979

The 5 Best Ice Cream Brands for Diabetes

From eatingwell.com

From vanilla to mint chocolate chip, these healthy ice cream brands will have everyone screaming for a scoop 

Whether you're digging into a pint from the freezer or enjoying a cone from the local scoop shop, ice cream is a delicious sweet treat any time of year. But for people with diabetes who have to manage their blood sugar levels, finding a healthy ice cream may seem tricky. "Dessert can absolutely be part of a healthy eating pattern, even if you have diabetes," says Jessica Ball, M.S., RD, EatingWell's nutrition editor. The key is reading nutrition labels to make sure you're selecting healthy choices—and that's where this list comes in handy. 

First, keep saturated fat in check. "Typically, we recommend that diabetes-friendly desserts have no more than 2 grams of saturated fats, but since ice cream is made from dairy, which is typically slightly higher in saturated fats, we selected ice creams with up to 3 grams per serving," explains Ball. This minimal increase allows more choices for the consumer while still supporting a heart-healthy way of eating.

Another thing to consider is the added sugar in a product. As Ball notes, "Most Americans eat too much added sugar. That doesn't mean you can never enjoy sweet foods, but it's a nutrient worth limiting when you can." With that in mind, we capped our products at 12 grams added sugar. We also limited calories to 200 and total carbohydrates to 25 grams, as "choosing treats that are lower in added sugar, total carbs and calories can help keep your blood sugar levels more consistent," says Ball. 

To help you find the healthiest ice cream brands for diabetes, we conducted a blind taste test with more than 15 products that met our nutrition parameters, including flavours like vanilla, chocolate and fruit. We tried each ice cream as is and made notes about the taste, texture and appearance. One of our favourite brands? Edy's was a winner in multiple categories. Read on for our full list of the best healthy ice creams.

Our Product Recommendations

• Best Vanilla Ice Cream: Halo Top Vanilla Bean
• Best Cookies & Cream Ice Cream: Nick's Cookies and Kräm
• Best Fruit-Flavoured Ice Cream: Nick's Chilly Mango
• Best Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream: Edy's Slow Churned Mint Chocolate Chip Light Ice Cream
• Best Chocolate Ice Cream: Edy's Slow Churned Chocolate Light Ice Cream

CREDIT: COURTESY OF BRAND

Best Vanilla Ice Cream: Halo Top Vanilla Bean

You can't beat a scoop of vanilla ice cream, and Halo Top's Vanilla Bean was a clear winner. The ice cream had visible flecks of vanilla bean, which many testers commented on and appreciated. Those visuals translated well when it came to flavor, as the vanilla shone. Although some testers found the flavor a little cloying due to the sugar alcohol erythritol, it was still an enjoyable bite.

Another highlight of Halo Top's pint was the texture, which was creamy and smooth. While that texture might seem like a given when eating ice cream, it became an especially important distinction when compared with others in the category, which were described as icy and chalky. The palatable texture also led to a good mouthfeel, according to one tester. With high praise in appearance, texture and flavour, it's easy to see why our testers loved this product—and you will, too. 

Nutrition info for Halo Top Vanilla Bean, per 2/3-cup serving

100 calories, 2 g total fat, 1.5 g saturated fat, 25 mg cholesterol, 90 mg sodium, 21 g carbohydrates, 6 g fiber, 7 g total sugar, 3 g added sugar, 8 g sugar alcohol, 6 g protein

CREDIT: COURTESY OF BRAND

Best Cookies & Cream Ice Cream: Nick's Cookies and Kräm

Cookies and cream ice cream often feature small swirls of cookie bits folded into vanilla ice cream—Nick's is not that. Instead, the Swedish-based ice cream brand features larger chunks of cookie crumbles throughout their vanilla base, which gives the ice cream a great texture. One tester said, "I like the chunks," while another noted that the chunks were a welcome visual and textural surprise, making this ice cream a delicious winner among the majority of our testers.

As a bonus, Nick's ice cream uses zero added sugar, and instead uses the sugar alcohol erythritol to provide sweetness. This usage was a thoughtful choice on the brand's part as Nick's founder, Niclas Luthman, created the company after being diagnosed with prediabetes and had to change his diet. 

Nutrition info for Nick's Cookies and Kräm, per 2/3-cup serving

90 calories, 3 g total fat, 2 g saturated fat, 5 mg cholesterol, 115 mg sodium, 24 g carbohydrates, 6 g fibre, 5 g total sugar, 0 g added sugar, 4 g sugar alcohol, 5 g protein

CREDIT: COURTESY OF BRAND

Best Fruit-Flavoured Ice Cream: Nick's Chilly Mango

When it came to fruit-flavoured ice cream, our testers tasted options across the category, including strawberry and lemon, but Nick's Chilly Mango flavour was a clear winner thanks to its unique flavour combination. This limited-edition flavour, created in collaboration with music producer and DJ Zedd, features mango ice cream with a strawberry swirl and a hint of spice from "chili extract." The combination of sweet and spicy drew our testers in, with many going back for a second spoonful.

While the strawberry flavour was a little lost in the shuffle, the mango flavour was clear in taste and smell. In fact, one tester commented, "Whoa, a delicious blast of mango flavour," and said the taste reminded them of a mango-flavoured Hi-Chew candy, which they also enjoy. In addition, our testers appreciated the balance between the mango and chili flavours. This ice cream combination from Nick's is a fun change from classic scoop-shop flavours. 

Nutrition info for Nick's Chilly Mango, per 2/3-cup serving

80 calories, 4 g total fat, 3 g saturated fat, 10 mg cholesterol, 180 mg sodium, 22 g carbohydrates, 7 g fibre, 3 g total sugar, 0 g added sugar, 4 g sugar alcohol, 3 g protein

CREDIT: COURTESY OF BRAND

Best Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream: Edy's Slow Churned Mint Chocolate Chip Light Ice Cream

If you're a fan of mint chocolate chip ice cream, you likely have strong feelings about its appearance—should it be white or green? Whichever colour you prefer, you're sure to be a fan of Edy's Slow Churned Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream. While the green colour was an appealing bonus for some, our testers were most excited about the ice cream's texture and flavour, with one tester commenting that it ticked all of the boxes they were looking for.

Aside from the colourful appearance, its creamy texture was another highlight for our testers. Specifically, the smooth texture was the key difference maker for one tester and helped it earn their top ranking in the category. And while appearance and texture are important, we can't forget about flavour. The chocolate chips were a highlight and clear throughout the cool mint ice cream.

Nutrition info for Edy's Slow Churned Mint Chocolate Chip Light Ice Cream, per 2/3-cup serving

150 calories, 4 g total fat, 3 g saturated fat, 5 mg cholesterol, 60 mg sodium, 24 g carbohydrates, 0 g fiber, 16 g total sugar, 12 g added sugar, 0 g sugar alcohol, 3 g protein

CREDIT: COURTESY OF BRAND

Best Chocolate Ice Cream: Edy's Slow Churned Chocolate Light Ice Cream

Calling all chocolate lovers: Edy's Slow Churned Chocolate Light Ice Cream is for you. This ice cream is part of the brand's Slow Churned series, which contains one-third fewer calories and half the fat of typical ice cream, according to their website. Despite these changes in nutrition, many of our testers found it similar to regular ice cream and couldn't note any differences in the smooth, creamy texture.

In addition to texture, flavour was a real highlight. The rich chocolate flavour was clear and enjoyed by many of our testers, with the word yum being uttered by many. With this ice cream in your freezer, you'll always have a healthy, delicious treat on hand. 

Nutrition info for Edy's Slow Churned Chocolate Light Ice Cream, per 2/3-cup serving

130 calories, 4.5 g total fat, 3 g saturated fat, 15 mg cholesterol, 50 mg sodium, 22 g carbohydrates, 2 g fibre, 16 g total sugar, 11 g added sugar, 0 g sugar alcohol, 3 g protein

Conclusion

If you're looking to keep things simple, Halo Top's Vanilla Bean is a cool, creamy choice. Or, if you're looking for a classic scoop-shop taste, Edy's Slow Churned Mint Chocolate Chip Light Ice Cream will please palates of all ages.

https://www.eatingwell.com/article/290929/best-ice-cream-brands-for-diabetes/