Ice cream is one of the most beloved desserts in the world, especially on those hot summer days.
There are thousands of varieties out there, but one thing is for sure – they all have loads of sugar or some other sweetener!
Since sugar adds significantly to your carbohydrate intake, can you eat ice cream on keto?
It is essential to check the nutrition information and ingredient list before consuming any ice cream on a ketogenic diet to ensure it fits within your daily macronutrient goals.
The ketogenic diet, or the “keto diet,” is a low-carb, high-fat diet that aims to change the body’s metabolism from burning glucose (sugar) for energy to burning fat.
This metabolic shift puts the body into a state of ketosis, where it begins to burn stored fat for fuel, resulting in weight loss and improved health markers.
The typical macronutrient breakdown for the keto diet is as follows:
To achieve this macronutrient breakdown, followers of the keto diet typically consume foods such as:
- Meat, poultry, fish, and eggs
- Non-starchy vegetables such as leafy greens, broccoli, and cauliflower
- High-fat dairy products such as cheese and heavy cream
- Nuts and seeds
- Healthy fats such as olive oil, avocado, and coconut oil
Foods that are typically avoided on the keto diet include:
- Grains such as wheat, rice, and oats
- Sugars and sweeteners
- High-carb fruits such as bananas, apples, and oranges
- High-carb vegetables such as potatoes, corn, and peas
- Legumes such as beans and lentils
- Most processed foods
The keto diet can lead to rapid weight loss, and improved blood sugar control and may benefit specific health conditions such as epilepsy, Alzheimer’s disease, and certain types of cancer.
However, it can also be challenging to stick to and may not be appropriate for everyone.
It is essential to consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new diet, including the ketogenic diet.
How Much Keto Ice Cream Can I Eat?
The amount of keto ice cream you can eat depends on your daily carbohydrate intake.
Most keto diets recommend between 20 and 50 grams of carbs a day. ½ a cup of plain vanilla ice cream weighing 66 grams typically contains 16 grams of carbs daily, which is a significant portion of your daily allowance.
Watching your carb intake is essential on the keto diet, and that includes when it comes to desserts.
This delicious treat can still be part of a ketogenic lifestyle, but moderation is key.
Keto ice cream products have fewer carbs and more fat than traditional ice cream options, allowing you to enjoy a tasty sweet snack without going overboard on carbs.
To stay within your carb limit, you should aim for about 1/2 cup or one small serving of keto ice cream daily.
Eating more than this could push you over your recommended daily allowance, causing you to miss out on the potential health benefits of the keto lifestyle.
It is essential to check the nutrition information for the specific brand of keto ice cream you are eating and plan your intake accordingly.
You should also consider your own dietary goals and needs when determining how much keto ice cream to eat.
When in doubt, it’s always best to discuss this with a healthcare professional.
Will Ice Cream Kick You Out Of Ketosis?
Eating ice cream, even low-carb keto ice cream, may kick you out of ketosis if you consume too much of it.
The ketogenic diet involves eating a meager amount of carbohydrates, and ice cream, like most other sweet foods, contains loads of sugar, a carbohydrate.
Consuming too many carbohydrates can cause your body to burn glucose instead of fat, kicking you out of ketosis.
It’s essential to remember that keto ice cream is still a treat and should be consumed in moderation as part of a well-balanced diet.
To avoid risking kicking your body out of ketosis, you can choose more keto-friendly ice cream.
Low-carb ice cream is the new trend in desserts, offering a sweet treat with fewer carbs and calories than traditional ice cream without sacrificing flavor.
This healthier version can fit any lifestyle or dietary need by giving you all the indulgence of classic creamy flavors like vanilla or chocolate without blowing your carb count out of proportion.
Low-carb ice cream isn’t just a dieter’s delight – it’s also great for active individuals looking to add extra sweetness to their post-workout snacks.
With no sugar-rush-induced crash afterward, low-carb ice cream is an excellent choice for anyone wanting to enjoy a delightful dessert without kicking your body out of ketosis.
Is Chocolate Allowed On Keto?
Pure chocolate with low levels of added sugars and carbohydrates can be compatible with a keto lifestyle when taken in moderation.
The key is to find perfectly-balanced bars that provide an ideal balance of healthy fats from cocoa butter and dairy, such as heavy cream.
Because keto means eating high-fat, moderate-protein, low-carbohydrate foods, look for dark chocolate bars with no more than 5g of net carbs per serving.
This is usually found in high-quality dark chocolate that contains at least 70% cocoa.
However, poor-quality, sugar-laden chocolate lime M&Ms often contain over 60 grams of carbohydrates in a 100-gram bag.
Since the daily maximum on most keto diets is 50 grams, a bag of junk-food chocolates will probably kick your body out of ketosis.
Can I Drink Milk On Keto?
Drinking milk on the keto diet can help you stay fueled and meet your daily nutrition goals.
However, it is not ideal, as most commercially available milk has added sugar.
To get the most benefits from your milk, choose organic or grass-fed varieties whenever possible for a nutritious and delicious addition to your keto diet.
Whole dairy cream milk has about 12 grams of carbs per cupful serving and 8 grams of fat.
Since the maximum allowed on most keto diets is 50 grams, this is a significant portion of your intake.
In the place of dairy milk, you can think about substituting other milk that is naturally low in carbohydrates and full of fat.
Unsweetened almond milk is one of the best milk choices for a keto lifestyle since it has zero added sugars and only two net carbs per one-cup serving size.
Additionally, almond milk also gives dietary fiber, potassium, and essential vitamins like A, D, and E that can provide real health benefits over time.
Unlike other plant-based milk, such as soy, almond milk also contains beneficial essential fatty acids.
If you’re looking for a creamy texture and unique taste without all the dairy fat and carbs, you can get creative with coconut cream blended into your drinks or recipes instead of cow’s milk.
How Many Carbs Will Break You Out Of Ketosis?
The amount of carbohydrates you need to consume before you break out of ketosis varies based on your individual body chemistry, your current activity level, and your starting weight.
Generally, consuming over 50 grams of net carbohydrates (total carbs minus dietary fiber) will send most people over the edge into a non-ketogenic state.
In stricter keto diets, the maximum allowed carbs can range between 20 and 30 grams.
Tracking your daily intake and judging your response is essential, as each individual’s limits are different.
To ensure balance, it is best to slowly increase your net carbs while evaluating how your body responds to find the right balance for yourself without sacrificing other food groups or essential macronutrients.
Everyone’s bodies are different, and what breaks your buddy out of ketosis might not affect you as much!
What Foods Pull You Out Of Ketosis?
Many people don’t realize that certain foods can quickly derail their health goals and pull them out of ketosis.
Foods high in carbohydrates like grains, fruit, sugary snacks, and leftover starchy vegetables are all known to take the body out of a ketogenic state.
Ketosis is an incredibly beneficial state for the body.
It occurs when the body has entered a metabolic state, typically when insufficient amounts of carbohydrates are available for energy.
Instead, the body will burn its own fat cells for energy, resulting in efficient weight loss and improved mental clarity.
Ketosis also helps to protect against inflammation, boost cardiovascular outcomes, and reduce cholesterol levels.
Furthermore, by providing energy through fat rather than carbohydrates, people in a state of ketosis tend to have increased energy and endurance levels while also benefiting from decreased hunger cravings.
Once you achieve ketosis, you’ve got to keep your body there!
To stay in ketosis, you must observe a strict diet with minimal carbohydrates, regular exercise, and enough hydration.
You should also supplement with additional electrolytes, as they are necessary for the efficient metabolism of fat.
In addition, monitoring your ketone levels regularly can help ensure that you remain in ketosis.
I’m Chris Watson & the Founder of EatForLonger.com. I’m a food and wellbeing enthusiast researching and sharing foodstuffs and simple food-based concepts, such as fasting and clean eating.
I hope it inspires you to make tiny changes to what you eat and when you eat while optimizing your healthspan and all-around well-being.
Read more About Me here.