Ice cream is a treat loved by many. It comes in a variety of styles and flavors. There’s a saying that even bad ice cream is still pretty good, and it’s hard to argue with that unless you’re in ketosis.
If I have ice cream, will it kick my body out of ketosis? The carbohydrates from the sugar in standard ice cream will kick your body out of ketosis. Instead, look for keto-friendly ice creams or other frozen alternatives.
What if I told you that there are ways to enjoy delicious ice cream without ever having to worry about being kicked out of ketosis? You’re going to want to keep reading.
So Will Ice Cream Kick Me Out Of Ketosis?
When you’re burning up outside on a hot summer day, there aren’t many things that sound better than a nice, cold bowl of ice cream. This has been a go-to treat for me ever since I was a kid. My mom even had a machine that made homemade ice cream, and it was the best-tasting, creamiest thing I’ve ever tasted.
When you’re eating a ketogenic diet, you’ll suddenly find that ice cream is off the menu. It does contain a lot of fat, which is exactly what you want on keto, but the sugar and carbohydrates make the delicious dessert a non-starter.
So the specific question is whether or not ice cream will kick you out of ketosis. The answer is…it depends. Are you taking a bite or two of regular ice cream and leaving it at that? If so, the ice cream is not likely going to kick you out of ketosis. Now onto an even better question.
Who is able to eat a bite or two of ice cream and stop? I certainly can’t do it. Will a serving size of regular ice cream kick you out of ketosis? Unless you get very lucky, it almost certainly will.
Keto-Friendly Ice Cream
If you’re sad after reading what I had to say above, I’m about to make you very happy. What if I told you that there is ice cream available that you can not only have while following keto, but it actually tastes just as good as the sugar-filled versions? Here are some of the best on the market.
Rebel – I’m starting things off with Rebel ice cream because it is, in my opinion, the best option available. It is rich and creamy and is the best tasting ice cream available, and that includes regular ice cream. Even if I were to stop doing keto, I would continue to eat Rebel ice cream.
This ice cream is sold by the pint and is made with full-fat cream. An entire pint contains 4-8 net carbs in total, so even if you get a little carried away, you’re still not going to get kicked out of ketosis.
Currently, Rebel is available in 14 flavors:
- Vanilla
- Chocolate
- Strawberry
- Triple Chocolate
- Cookies & Cream
- Salted Caramel
- Cherry Chip
- Coconut Almond Swirl
- Mint Chip
- Black Raspberry
- Peanut Butter Fudge
- Butter Pecan
- Coffee Chip
- Cookie Dough
You can purchase Rebel ice cream in a number of stores, including Walmart, Publix, Kroger Hyvee, 7-Eleven, Safeway, Whole Foods, and more. Click here to search for a store in your area that carries it.
Halo Top – Halo Top is my second favorite option, and it’s a very close second. It’s so close that I had trouble deciding which one to put in the first position. The main reason I put Halo Top second is that it has a higher carb count.
Although I don’t recommend eating an entire pint of Halo top, you can easily eat a full cup serving and have no problem staying in ketosis. If eating an entire pint is your thing, they have recently come out with a keto line that contains 5-10 carbs per pint.
Halo top actually has several different options as far as offerings go. If I can make a recommendation, the oatmeal cookie Halo Top is my favorite. It tastes like those iced oatmeal cookies we used to get in school!
Halo Top Keto
- Caramel Butter Pecan
- Jelly Donut
- Berry Swirl
- Banana Cream Pie
- White Chocolaty Macadamia
- Peanut Butter Chocolate
- Chocolate Cheesecake
Regular Halo Top
- Vanilla Bean
- Caramel Macchiato
- Blueberry Crumble
- Birthday Cake
- Candy Bar
- Chocolate Mocha Chip
- Chocolate Almond Crunch
- Chocolate
- Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
- Oatmeal Cookie
- Lemon Cake
- Cookies & Cream
- Mint Chip
- Red Velvet
- Peanut Butter Cup
- Peaches & Cream
- Pistachio
- Strawberry Cheesecake
- Sea Salt Caramel
- S’mores
- Strawberry
Are you lactose intolerant? Halo top even has a dairy-free option for you!
Dairy-Free Halo Top
- Chocolate Almond Crunch
- Candy Bar
- Birthday Cake
- Chocolate
- Peanut Butter Cup
- Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
- Sea Salt Caramel
Finally, if you’re missing out on ice cream treats, they’ve got you covered there as well!
Halo Top Ice Cream Pops
- Strawberry Swirl
- Brownie Batter
- Sea Salt Caramel
- Dark Chocolate Caramel
- Mint Chip
Halo Top is available at stores all across the United States and Canada. Click here to use their store locator to find their products near you.
Enlightened Keto – Enlightened keto ice cream products all contain one net carb per serving. They don’t have as many options like the ones listed previously, but they are gaining traction with many people talking about how good they are.
Enlightened Keto is available in nine flavors:
- Red Velvet
- Peanut Butter Cookie & Brownie Dough
- Peanut Butter Fudge
- Caramel Chocolate Double Dough
- Mint Chocolate Chunk
- Butter Pecan
- Coffee & Cream
- Chocolate Glazed Donut
- Chocolate Peanut Butter
Additionally, Enlightened keto also has five flavors of ice cream bars:
- Caramel Dark Chocolate Peanut
- Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip
- Dark Chocolate
- Mint Chocolate Chip
- Marshmallow Peanut Butter
Enlightened products are available online and in Whole Foods stores nationwide. They are also available at select retailers. You can click here to find a store near you.
I Had Ice Cream. What Happens Now?
After all that, you STILL ate the regular ice cream, didn’t you? It’s okay; I forgive you. On the other hand, your body is going to let you know what it thinks about the choices you made.
Cheating on keto comes with several potential consequences. Some people only experience some of these common issues, while the unlucky few will feel the wrath of all of them at once.
You may soon experience:
- Intestinal discomfort
- Bloating
- Cravings for more carbs (don’t give in!)
- Another bout of keto flu
- Feeling like you can’t get enough to eat
- Not being able to sleep well
- Sudden weight gain from water retention
- Reversing fat adaptation
- Brain fog
- Fatigue
- Weight loss stalling or stopping temporarily
Out of all these possibilities, you’re most likely going to have to deal with the stomach discomfort and water retention. Don’t be surprised to put on up to five pounds in water weight. The cravings for more carbs and increased feelings of hunger are probably going to hang around for a bit as well.
The good news is, if you get right back on the horse and don’t let this one little cheat derail your progress, these feelings should go away in a couple of days. The only exception is the water weight, which may take up to a week to reverse.
I Regret It! What Do I Do Now?
That’s the spirit! Nobody likes how they feel after breaking keto. One cheat day virtually guarantees you are no longer in ketosis. Unfortunately, that means you have to start the process all over again.
There are many factors that determine how long it takes for a person to get into ketosis. The primary ones are precisely how many carbs you consumed and how long you had been following keto before the slip-up. For more people, you’ll be back into ketosis within three days, but it could take up to a week.
Just do everything that was working previously, and don’t guilt yourself over the ice cream. It was delicious, after all. Instead of beating yourself up, pick up some Rebel or Halo Top the next time you do your grocery shopping, so when the next craving hits, you’re prepared!
Related Questions
Can I put sugar in my coffee while on the keto diet? You can’t use sugar to sweeten your coffee while following a ketogenic diet. Instead, you’ll want to look at other options to sweeten your coffee.
Why am I starving on the keto diet? You shouldn’t be hungry if you’re following a ketogenic diet correctly. If you are, you need to identify what’s causing the hunger and correct it.
