A protein ice cream recipe is all you need if you want to boost your protein intake with a satisfying and delicious dessert. In this guide, you’ll learn everything you need to know and how to customize it to suit your needs.
Eating protein ice cream isn’t just a delicious encounter. It’s packed with nutrients that are also beneficial for overall health and well-being. It’s important to note that dairy protein, like most other healthy proteins, is good for the following (2):
- Energy – they are a good source of energy as they contain proteins and carbohydrates and are packed with other nutrients such as calcium, phosphorus, and B vitamins that can help you feel rejuvenated and energized.
- Satiety – eating proteins such as protein ice cream can make you feel full. This is important when you want to avoid overeating and is helpful for weight management.
- Muscle Mass – proteins are good for building and repair of muscles.
What Is a Healthy High-Protein Ice Cream Recipe?
A healthy high-protein ice cream is one that uses ingredients that offer great nutritional value and doesn’t only rely on sugar and cream like other traditional recipes. A healthy one has a balance of nutritional value, taste, and texture.
Components of a Healthy Ice Cream
Making a healthy ice cream isn’t only a matter of sugar, cream, and flavors, it’s also about ensuring it gives you the nutritional value you need. Here are the components that make up a healthy ice cream:
- Protein – use healthy protein sources such as plant-based protein powders, whey, casein, cottage cheese, or Greek yogurt.
- Healthy Fats – use healthy options such as nut butter or avocadoes. Avoid using options that have a lot of saturated fats.
- Flavors – these are just to enhance taste. Use a flavor that is within your preference. You can use cocoa powder or vanilla extract, among others.
- Sweeteners – choose low-calorie and healthy sweeteners such as stevia, monk fruit extract, or any other healthy sugar alternative.
From proteins to sweeteners, always make sure you’re using healthy options. Here’s a simple and healthy protein ice cream recipe you can try:
Healthy Protein Ice Cream Recipe (3)
Making ice cream is a simple process that’s easy for anyone. You don’t need to be a chef or expert to try this. However, making a healthy ice cream is dependent on your choice of ingredients.
- Servings: 8
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 minutes
- Total Time: 7 minutes
Ingredients
- 14 ounces canned coconut milk
- ½ cup protein powder
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ – 1 tablespoon allulose
Instructions
- Put a deep pan or loaf pan in the freezer for about an hour.
- Add the coconut milk to a blender and blend until it’s consistent, smooth, and creamy.
- Add the protein powder and allulose and continue blending until you achieve a thick and creamy texture.
- After about 30 minutes, transfer your contents to the frozen loaf pan.
- Leave in the freezer for another 30 minutes and then thaw for 10-15 minutes before eating.
How Do You Customize an Ice Cream Recipe for Your Diet?
There are a lot of ways you can customize ice cream. The main purpose of customizing is to ensure it suits your health needs, tastes, and preferences. If for example, you want a vegan version, you can customize the original by replacing ingredients with vegan options. Therefore, whether you want to make a keto-friendly, vegan, or low-calorie version, it’s possible to customize any recipe to suit your needs.
An example is using low-carb protein powder, substituting dairy, and using low-calorie ingredients to achieve different recipes that are suitable for different dietary needs.
What Ingredients Make Protein Ice Cream Taste Better?
To make your protein ice cream taste better, there are a number of things you can consider in your ingredients, such as:
- Using high-quality protein powder.
- Using flavor enhancers such as fruit purees, cocoa butter, and peanut butter.
- Incorporating texture boosters such as chia seeds or nut butter.
- Using natural sweeteners such as stevia and monk fruit extract.
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What Is the Easiest Protein Ice Cream Recipe?
The easiest protein ice cream recipe is one that uses few ingredients that are readily available and has simple steps to follow. Here’s an example of an easy recipe you can try:
Ingredients
Base:
- 2 cups whole or 2% milk
- 1 scoop unflavored whey protein powder
- 1 tsp. vanilla or almond extract
- 2 to 3 tbsp. sugar or sweetener of choice such as stevia or monk fruit
- Pinch of salt
Optional
- Handful of frozen fruit or scoop of nut butter
- Chopped nuts, crushed cookies, or chocolate chips.
Instructions
- Mix and blend all the ingredients until you achieve a smooth consistency.
- Pour your blended ingredients into a freezer-safe container.
- Freeze for about 1-4 hours or until the mixture is solid-like.
- Remove from the freezer and let it stay at room temperature to soften.
- Ready to scoop.
Recipe Courtesy of Yahoo (4).
Read more: Are the Best Diet Shakes for Weight Loss Effective?
What Is a Good Vegan Protein Ice Cream Recipe?
A vegan protein ice cream uses vegan ingredients. It’s a good option for people who want to avoid dairy. Here’s an example of a good recipe you can try:
Ingredients
- 28 oz. silken tofu, drained
- ⅓ cup plus 1 tbsp. natural peanut butter, salted
- ¾ cup sugar
- 4 tbsp. powdered peanut butter, unsweetened, or a vegan protein powder
- 1 tbsp. vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp. sea salt
- ¼ cup melted refined coconut oil (optional)
- 1-2 tbsp. maple syrup (optional)
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Instructions
- Mix all the ingredients, put them in a blender, and blend until you achieve a smooth texture.
- Chill the mixture in the fridge for about 1-2 hours to further achieve a softer and smoother texture.
- Pour your contents into an ice cream maker and churn until they are creamy and thick.
- Transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze for 1-2 hours to harden the texture.
- Remove and allow it to sit for a few minutes at room temperature before serving.
Recipe Courtesy of My Quiet Kitchen (5).
Read more: 6 Fat-Burning Smoothie Recipes You Can Make at Home
How Do You Make a Low-Calorie Version?
To make a low-calorie version of ice cream, you need to consider using a low-calorie base such as unsweetened almond milk, low-fat Greek yogurt, or unsweetened cashew milk. In addition, you need to use a low-calorie protein source such as plant-based protein powder, whey isolate, or casein protein. You should also use low-calorie sweeteners instead of sugar.
What Are Tips for Improving Ice Cream Texture?
There are a number of ways you can use to improve your ice cream texture. The first is to ensure you blend the ingredients thoroughly. In addition, you need to freeze your ice cream in small batches to ensure the results are even and then you can add healthy fats such as avocadoes or nut butter.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you freeze protein shakes to make ice cream?
Yes, you can freeze protein shakes to make ice cream. However, it’s important to understand that freezing has the impact of altering flavor and texture and may even make your ice cream unenjoyable. Therefore, while you can freeze a protein shake, it’s not an ideal way to make a delicious protein ice cream.
What is the healthiest ice cream?
The healthiest ice cream is one that uses healthy ingredients. The ingredients may be lower in added sugars, low in saturated fats, and high in protein. It’s important to check the ingredients to know whether an ice cream meets your dietary needs or not.
Can I eat ice cream every day?
It’s not recommended to eat ice cream every day. While ice cream is delicious, most of them contain a lot of added sugars and eating them daily may have a negative health effect(1). Most ice creams are high in calories, saturated fats, and added sugars and therefore, it’s important to consider moderation.
Is homemade ice cream healthier?
Yes, homemade ice cream can be healthier than store-bought options. This is because with the homemade option, you’re in control of the ingredients you use. However, it’s not a guarantee as the choice of ingredients can impact the quality of your ice cream. To make a healthy one, you may want to be selective with your ingredients and consider less sugar, less saturated fat, and no preservatives.
The Bottom Line
It’s evident that protein ice cream can be a good dessert packed with nutrients that are good for your health and well-being. It is delicious and the good thing about the recipe is its simplicity. It uses few ingredients and the instructions are easy to follow. Therefore, you can easily make it in the comfort of your home as long as you have all the ingredients.
The good thing about making your own ice cream at home is you can customize the recipe to suit your health needs. You can avoid the ingredients you don’t want or that impact the quality of your ice cream.
Of course, this guide is everything you need to make a delicious and healthy protein ice cream that can serve your needs.
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SOURCES:
- Analysis: Is it actually healthy to eat ice cream? Here’s what the evidence says (2023, pbs.org).
- High Protein Ice Cream (n.d., cdr.wisc.edu).
- Protein Ice Cream (2024, thebigmansworld.com).
- Protein Ice Cream Recipe Is So Easy to Make With Just 5 Ingredients: My Taste Test Results (2024, yahoo.com).
- Vegan Protein Ice Cream (2024, myquietkitchen.com).
