Predictably Light Ice Cream with the Most Fat and Calories Taste Better

YONKERS, NY — Craving a delicious light ice cream?  Consumer Reports suggests Häagen-Dazs Extra Rich Light in Vanilla Bean or Dutch Chocolate.  Both topped the magazine’s latest taste-tests of ten light and fat free ice creams – but also had the highest fat and calorie content of those tested.  The full report and ratings are featured in the August issue.

Häagen-Dazs Extra Rich Light in Vanilla Bean or Dutch Chocolate are for the indulgent. Both were rated Very Good by Consumer Reports and were better-tasting than the other brands tested, but had about twice the calories and fat (200 calories for both flavors; 7 grams of fat for Vanilla Bean and 5 grams of fat for Dutch Chocolate).  Still, a serving of Häagen-Dazs Extra Rich Light pares 70 calories and more than 10 grams of fat from regular Häagen-Dazs ice cream. 

Consumers should expect to spend more for a better taste – Häagen-Dazs Extra Rich  Light  in  Vanilla Bean and Dutch Chocolate  costs  about  twice  as  much  per serving as the other brands tested – about $1.00 per half-cup serving.
    
To feel a bit more virtuous, consider Breyers Double Churn Light Creamy in vanilla or chocolate.  Both flavors did well in Consumer Reports’ taste-tests and were lighter on the wallet (about 43 cents per half-cup serving) and the diet (100 calories and about 3 grams of fat).  
    
Consumer Reports also taste-tested Dreyer’s/Edy’s Slow Churned in vanilla and chocolate and Breyers Free Fat Free Double Churn in Creamy Vanilla and French Chocolate and Turkey Hill Light Recipe in Vanilla Bean and Blue Bunny Premium Light in Vanilla.

Deciphering the labels

“Light” means a food contains one-third fewer calories or half the fat of a regular version.  A “low fat” serving has 3 grams or less of fat; a “lower fat” or “reduced fat serving contains at least 25 percent less fat than a regular version; a “fat free” serving has less than a half-gram of fat.
 
The full report and Ratings are featured in the August issue of Consumer Reports, on sale July 1.  It’s also available on www.ConsumerReports.org.