(Picture: Top Halo/Instagram)

Ice cream is incredibly moreish.

It’s impossible to scoop out a single spoon and put the tub back in the freezer, which is why so many of us wallow in a post B&J haze of a Sunday evening.

It’s just a shame that it’s so packed with sugar and fat.

But that feeling of remorse might be shortlived – because a ‘healthy’ ice cream brand that’s taken the US by storm is coming to Britain.


Halo Top is an LA-based ice cream brand which markets itself as a healthy alternative to the traditional dairy dessert.

The Grocer says that they’ll be launching in the UK in January and has already secured contracts with major supermarkets.

You might never have heard of it, but Halo Top is actually one of the fasted-growing food companies in ttheworld. In August, it even ssurpassedHäagen-Dazs and Ben & Jerry’s to become the best selling ice cream in America.



What makes it so appealing?

It’s low-calory and high-protein – basically, it’s ice cream for the wellness age.

In fact, it’s 250-350 calories per pint.

Instead of being packed with sugar, this ice cream uses stevia – a natural sweetener and one of the only sources of sweetness which is actually considered to be healthy.

What is stevia? According to registered Nutrition and founder of leading Harley Street private clinic Rhitrition, Rhiannon Lambert, stevia is the best sweetener of all. Stevia is a green, leafy plant. The two major compounds called Stevioside and Rebaudioside A are ‘both significantly sweeter than regular sugar. Some suggest 1 teaspoon of Stevia extract powder can have a similar sweetening power as a whole cup of sugar’. According to Rhitrition – Rhiannon’s blog, ‘Studies have shown that taking stevioside (one of the sweet compounds in stevia) as a supplement can reduce blood pressure. Stevioside appears to improve function of the hormone insulin, helping to lower blood sugar levels. This may be useful for people with type 2 diabetes. ‘Stevia has also been shown to have anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, diuretic and immunomodulatory effects. Although, it should be noted that these studies require further investigation given many of the results are only found in animal trials. ‘Stevia is the only sweetener that has health benefits not impacted by its sugary ingredients. ‘100% natural with zero calories, Stevia is considered the healthiest of all sweeteners available.’

Health aside, the most important thing about ice cream is the selection of flavours.

And Halo Top has that covered, with 17 flavours available ranging from Birthday Cake to Chocolate Mocha Chip.

It’s worth saying that the ice cream probably isn’t healthy as such – it’s just a slightly lighter version of the treats already out there. But if it means people are consuming less sugar and Halo Top takes any of the food anxiety many of us have around calorific foods away, then it’s serving a purpose.

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