If you are going on a gluten-free diet then you must commit to it. Now, the big question is, is ice cream gluten-free? We all share the same amount of love when it comes to ice cream, maybe some of us like it a bit more than others. However, the good news for you is that ice cream is actually gluten-free in its natural state.
Something that you should also keep in mind is even though ice cream is naturally gluten-free, depending on the ingredients that have been used or the way it was processed, it might not stay gluten-free anymore. We suggest that you keep on reading if you want to find out more about this.
What is Gluten?
Before we get into gluten-free ice cream, you should first actually understand what gluten really is.
The proteins that are found in barley, rye, and wheat are known as gluten. Gluten is a substance that acts similarly to glue which helps to hold the food together and allows the food to maintain its shape. Gluten is usually found in many different kinds of food, even in ones that you would not really expect it to be.
You will notice that a lot of people often follow a diet that is gluten-free which is mainly due to an autoimmune disorder called celiac disease. This type of disease causes the body to react to gluten similarly to poison. If someone who has celiac were to ingest gluten, then their immune system would react to it! That means it would actually destroy a part of the small intestine that is responsible for absorbing vital nutrients. Due to this malabsorption people can suffer from some serious illnesses.
Is Ice Cream Gluten-Free?
Many famous brands have flavors of ice cream that are gluten-free. However, as we mentioned before, this also does depend on the way they processed the ice cream and the ingredients that they used to make it.
If you want to be on the safer side then go for the common ice cream flavors since usually, the common and single flavors tend to be gluten-free. Vanilla, coffee, chocolate, and strawberry, all these flavors are mostly free of gluten. You should still be careful of any extra flavorings, additives, or starches which contain gluten because they might add to the ice cream.
Ice Cream Flavours
From what we saw flavors such as “Moose Tracks” and “Rocky Roads” are highly likely to contain gluten, but these flavors can also be made without the addition of gluten, so if you like these flavors, make sure to know the ingredients that were used in them.
On the other hand, some obvious flavors that come with gluten are “Cookies and Cream,” “Cookie Dough,” “Birthday Cake,” and also of course “Cheesecake.” However, if you really wanted to, even these flavors could actually be made with ingredients that are gluten-free, but we cannot really guarantee that the tastiness and deliciousness will be the same.
Toppings and Additives
Keep in mind that typically all ice cream cones contain gluten in them, that is unless they specifically mention that it does not contain gluten. There are also many different toppings that are not gluten-free, such as cookie crumbles.
Things to Consider
You should always consider the fact that your ice cream is often at risk of being in cross-contact, and it is either at the ice cream shop or the restaurant you are ordering your ice cream from. Or it could even happen during the manufacturing process.
When it comes to the scoops, spoons, and even the soft serving machines are at risk of being in contact with flavors that contain gluten. What this means for you is that even though you are ordering ice cream that is gluten-free, due to the cross-contamination it ends up getting gluten in it. This is why you should make sure that you always ask for your ice cream scoop to be cleaned or ensure that you are getting a scoop that is completely fresh.
Ice Cream Brands That are Gluten-Free
Of course, not all ice cream brands make ice cream that is gluten-free, but some of them do have flavors that do not contain any gluten. Here is a list of a few popular brands for their gluten-free ice cream.
1. Ben and Jerry’s
Ben and Jerry’s are quite popular for its gluten-free ice cream flavors, they have some fantastic ones that you can choose from. Some of their best gluten-free flavors in our opinion are:
- Mink Chocolate Chunk
- Chocolate Macadamia
- Cherry Garcia
- Triple Caramel Chunk
- Chunky Monkey
2. Breyers
Breyers are a great option for people on a gluten-free diet because they offer more than 30 different flavors that are gluten-free. They also meet the FDA’s requirements for labeling their ice cream gluten-free. Their most popular flavors are:
- Vanilla Fudge Twirl
- Vanilla Caramel
- Mint Chocolate Chip
3. Dove
This is an ice cream brand that you cannot go wrong with when it comes to gluten-free ice cream. Dove is heaven for people on a gluten-free diet since almost all of their ice cream flavors are actually free of gluten. The only exception to this is the Vanilla with Fudge Brownies flavor.
4. Häagen-Dazs
When it comes to extravagant and mouth-watering flavors that are most full of gluten in other places, Häagen-Dazs has got you covered. They offer you flavors such as the White Chocolate Raspberry Truffle or even the Banana Peanut Butter Chip all without any gluten in them.
5. So Delicious
This is another great ice cream brand not only for people who are not able to consume gluten but also for people who are lactose intolerant. Not only does So Delicious make ice cream that is certified to be gluten-free, but they also make ice cream that is dairy free.
Final Words
Gluten-free ice cream does not necessarily have to be bad if you are getting it from the right places. Make sure that you are being safe and asking for clean scoops and spoons when eating from an ice cream shop outside. We hope this was helpful for your gluten-free journey!
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