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Is low-calorie ice cream too good to be true?

Low cal ice cream gets praise by dietitian
Posted at 8:44 PM, Jun 22, 2017
and last updated 2017-06-23 01:02:37-04

DENVER -- It's the cool craze in the freezer section. Ice cream brands, including Halo Top and Arctic Zero, with low calories and fat. The flavors are enticing: chocolate, mint chip, salted caramel, red velvet and black cherry.

The calorie count is significantly lower compared to other brands, anywhere from 150-360 per pint, depending on the brand and flavor.

Regular ice cream comes in at a hefty 210 calories for just half a cup. Some of the lighter verities, a mere 35 calories for half a cup.

For the real scoop, Denver7 turned to dietitian Kaitlin Hornbostel from Presbyterian/St. Luke's Medical Center.
      
"Is this too good to be true?” asked Denver7 reporter Marc Stewart. “It's not too good to be true," said Hornbostel. 

"One of the things that makes them lower in calories is that you're not using full-fat milk, full-fat cream, those kinds of things,” she said. “There are sweeteners added to them, but not artificial."

A dessert you can work into your daily routine and weight loss.

“You can absolutely include it in a program to lose weight. It's still a sweet, so moderation is best," she said. “I think it's good for parents who don't want their kids running around with sugar jitters too."

Hornbostel notes, most of these treats have less carbs and sugar but about the same in protein compared to regular ice cream.  

While some of these alternatives did sell about $1 to $2 more than your average brand, we did discover sales promotions at stores across our area.