What's in Halo Top?
Spoiler Alert: Halo Top Really Is Healthier Than Its Competition
Halo Top made us feel better about eating a pint of ice cream in one sitting when it introduced more than two dozen flavors, each being 360 calories or fewer. We're probably not the only ones who think this sounds too good to be true, so we decide to take a closer look at the nutrition label to figure out what really lies underneath the lid.
Calories, Sugar, Fat, Carbs, and Protein
| Halo Top Vanilla Bean (per pint) | Ben & Jerry's Vanilla (per pint) | |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 240 | 1,000 |
| Sugar | 20 g | 80 g |
| Fat | 8 g | 64 g |
| Carbs | 52 g | 84 g |
| Protein | 20 g | 16 g |
| Halo Top Black Cherry (per pint) | Ben & Jerry's Cherry Garcia (per pint) | |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 280 | 1,040 |
| Sugar | 20 g | 92 g |
| Fat | 8 g | 60 g |
| Carbs | 48 g | 108 g |
| Protein | 20 g | 16 g |
| Halo Top Peanut Butter Cup (per pint) | Ben & Jerry's Peanut Butter Cup (per pint) | |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 320 | 1,480 |
| Sugar | 24 g | 100 g |
| Fat | 12 g | 104 g |
| Carbs | 56 g | 116 g |
| Protein | 20 g | 28 g |
| Halo Top Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough (per pint) | Ben & Jerry's Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough (per pint) | |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 360 | 1,120 |
| Sugar | 28 g | 100 g |
| Fat | 12 g | 60 g |
| Carbs | 64 g | 128 g |
| Protein | 20 g | 16 g |
Your eyes aren't deceiving you — Ben & Jerry's has nearly four times the amount of calories, sugar, fat, and carbs in pretty much all flavors. But how does Halo Top keep its numbers so calories low? Yes, it still has milk, sugar, and cream; however, it makes some adjustments to the typical ingredients. First off, the ice cream has zero-calorie Stevia in it to sweeten it, along with an organic sugar cane and erythritol (sugar alcohol). And because there is less sugar and fat than other ice creams, the weight of the pint is actually different. Halo Top's pints contain 256 grams of ice cream while others have 400 to 450 grams.
Now, this isn't to say that Halo Top should be an everyday treat! It still has a substantial amount of sugar in it, and the American Heart Association recommends that men don't go over 29 grams and women don't go over 25 grams a day! But if you're going to treat yourself, this is a better alternative.
And in case you're wondering, Häagen-Dazs's pints have more similar profiles to Ben & Jerry's than Halo Top. So if you're going to dedicate a night to a Netflix binge and pint of your favorite flavor, you officialy know what you're getting yourself into no matter which brand you choose!
