Is Halo Top Keto Friendly? All You Need to Know About Halo Top on a Low Carb Diet (2024)

Halo Top is a so-called “healthy” low-calorie ice cream brand that has exponentially grown in popularity over the past year or so. Fans report that the ice cream is rich and delicious and has a better taste than some competitors such as Arctic Zero. But what do the Halo Top nutrition facts say about this insanely popular dessert?

Along with being low-calorie, low-sugar, and high-protein, Halo Top ice cream comes in a wide variety of flavors. There are even dairy-free options including flavors like birthday cake, chocolate chip cookie dough, and toasted coconut.

In this article, you’ll learn all about Halo Top nutrition and whether or not it’s a truly keto-friendly ice cream option. Before you indulge in this frozen treat, get the full scoop and decide for yourself.

What Is Halo Top and How Is it Low in Calories?

Halo Top is a low-calorie, low-fat, and low-sugar ice cream.

The company, founded by Justin Woolverton, states the product started as a way to “enjoy ice cream as a regular part of our diets,” with just 280-360 calories per pint.

If you look at the ingredient list of most flavors, you’ll find it’s fairly natural with ingredients such as skim milk, eggs, cream, erythritol, organic cane sugar, milk protein concentrate, high-fat cocoa, vegetable glycerin, prebiotic fiber, sea salt, organic carob gum, organic guar gum, and organic stevia leaf extract.

Where’s the Sugar in Halo Top?

Organic stevia is the sweetener that Halo Top boasts about the most, along with erythritol. Erythritol is a natural sweetener found in fruits such as pears and grapes.

One pint of chocolate Halo Top has 280 total calories, including 10 grams of fat, 40 grams of net carbs, 8 grams of fiber, and 20 grams of protein. If you ate half a pint, you would take in 16 grams of net carbs — a much better alternative than traditional ice cream.

Why Stevia and Erythritol Are Keto-Friendly

Stevia and erythritol are two of the most commonly used sugar substitutes on keto. Both are sugar-free, low on the glycemic index, and low in carbohydrates.

In its pure form, stevia contains zero calories and also ranks zero on the glycemic index. It’s actually 200-300 times sweeter than regular sugar, which is why Halo Top still tastes sweet, like regular ice cream.

Unlike regular sugar, stevia will not spike your blood sugar, which is what you’re trying to avoid on keto. In fact, some studies show that stevia actually benefits blood sugar levels after a meal[*][*].

Erythritol also ranks zero on the glycemic index and contains roughly 0.24 calories per gram (still only 6% of the calories in sugar). Erythritol is classified as a sugar alcohol and can be found naturally in some fruits. Unlike other sugar alcohols, erythritol does not cause digestive stress[*][*].

Halo Top Nutrition: Best & Worst Low-Carb Flavors

The Halo Top nutrition facts among different flavors is remarkably similar. Most flavors contain 5 grams of carbs, 70–90 calories per serving size and 2-3 grams of fat. However, there are a few differences, which are noted below.

If you do not tolerate dairy well, many Halo Top flavors also come with a dairy-free option. You’ll find two separate lists below, for both dairy flavors and dairy-free flavors.

Best and Worst Halo Top Dairy Flavors, Ranked

The following flavors are ranked from best to worst, based on Halo Top nutrition and how well they fit into the keto diet. As it turns out, those with the highest carb count also contain gluten.

• Pistachio: 70 calories, 5 grams of protein, 2.5 grams fat, 11 grams of net carbs
• Birthday Cake: 70 calories, 5 grams protein, 2.5 grams fat, 11 grams of net carbs
• Vanilla Bean: 70 calories, 5 grams protein, 2 grams fat, 11 grams of net carbs
• Oatmeal Cookie: 70 calories, 5 grams protein, 2 grams fat, 12 grams of net carbs
• Lemon Cake: 70 calories, 5 grams protein, 2 grams fat, 11 grams of net carbs
• Black Cherry: 70 calories, 5 grams protein, 2 grams fat, 11 grams of net carbs
• Strawberry: 70 calories, 5 grams protein, 2 grams fat, 11 grams of net carbs
• Mint Chip: 80 calories, 5 grams protein, 3 grams fat, 11 grams of net carbs
• Peanut Butter Cup: 80 calories, 5 grams protein, 3 grams fat, 11 grams of net carbs
• Chocolate: 80 calories, 5 grams protein, 2.5 grams fat, 11 grams of net carbs
• Sea Salt Caramel: 80 calories, 5 grams protein, 2.5 grams fat, 13 grams of net carbs
• Red Velvet*: 90 calories, 5 grams protein, 3 grams fat, 13 grams of net carbs
• Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough*: 90 calories, 5 grams protein, 3 grams fat, 14 grams of net carbs

If noted with an asterisk (*), the flavor is not gluten-free.

Best and Worst Halo Top Dairy-Free Flavors, Ranked

The following dairy-free flavors are ranked from best to worst, based on how well they fit into the keto diet.

• Peanut Butter Cup: 80 calories, 3 grams protein, 4 grams fat, 10 grams of net carbs
• Chocolate: 70 calories, 3 grams protein, 3 grams fat, 10 grams of net carbs
• Birthday Cake: 70 calories, 3 grams protein, 3 grams fat, 10 grams of net carbs
• Vanilla Maple: 70 calories, 3 grams protein, 2.5 grams fat, 10 grams of net carbs
• Toasted Coconut: 80 calories, 3 grams protein, 4 grams fat, 11 grams of net carbs
• Oatmeal Cookie: 70 calories, 3 grams protein, 3 grams fat, 11 grams of net carbs
• Candy Bar: 90 calories, 3 grams protein, 4.5 grams fat, 12 grams of net carbs
• Chocolate Hazelnut: 80 calories, 3 grams protein, 4 grams fat, 12 grams of net carbs
• Caramel Macchiato: 80 calories, 3 grams protein, 3 grams fat, 12 grams of net carbs
• Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough*: 90 calories, 3 grams protein, 4 grams fat, 14 grams of net carbs[*]

Does Halo Top Fit Into a Low-Carb or Ketogenic Diet?

Halo Top may be one of the better options for ice cream out there today, but you may be wondering if it fits into your low-carb or ketogenic lifestyle.

If You Can Limit Yourself to One Serving, Go For It

One serving of this low-sugar, low-calorie ice cream is about half-cup. A serving of the Halo Top chocolate flavor would come with only 10 grams of net carbs. Compared to other ice creams (and desserts in general) this carb count is ideal and hard to beat.

The reason Halo Top has become so popular is because it suddenly gave consumers the freedom to eat the whole pint without guilt.

If you’re following a keto diet though, a whole pint (40 grams of total carbohydrates) will probably be more than your carb allotment for the day. The good news is you may be able to get away with half a pint as a treat.

If You’re Following the Targeted Keto Diet or Cyclical Keto Diet, Enjoy

When it comes to the keto diet, there is a time and a place for carbs. On a standard ketogenic diet, the daily recommended intake for carbs is anywhere from 20 to 50 grams in order to stay in ketosis.

However, this isn’t the only type of keto diet out there. Here are two approaches to keto where it’s appropriate to have a higher carb intake:

1. The Targeted Keto Diet (TKD): For active individuals who need a bit more carbs to get them through their workouts, TKD is a great option. The TKD allows an extra 20-50 grams up to an hour before and after the targeted window of exercise.
2. The Cyclical Keto Diet (CKD): The CKD follows a standard keto diet approach for five days, followed by two days of carb loading. The CKD is meant for extremely active individuals who need more carbs to fully replace their glycogen stores and operate at full intensity during high-intensity training sessions.

The Bottom Line About Halo Top Nutrition

Now that you have a better grasp on the details of Halo Top nutrition, you can consider enjoying this frozen treat as a low-carb alternative to regular ice cream. However, unlike other consumers, you won’t be able to indulge in an entire pint without getting kicked out of ketosis.

Halo Top’s carb count is still relatively low, similar to other keto dessert recipes.

The best way to consume Halo Top is by sticking to 1 or 2 servings maximum (a fourth to half a pint). Like most treats, try to eat clean and keep your carb count low before indulging.

Because it uses two keto-friendly sweeteners — stevia and erythritol — and offers an entire line of dairy-free options for those who don’t tolerate dairy, Halo Top can be consumed on keto. As long as it’s done in moderation, of course.

If you’re looking for more guilt-free ice cream ideas to soothe your cravings, have a look at these recipes:

• Easy No-Churn Keto Ice Cream
• Low-Carb Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream
• Chocolate Mint Keto Ice Cream