One of the key factors behind Halo Top’s swift rise to becoming the top-selling ice cream in the U.S. is its recipe, which offers a tasty low-sugar dessert made from natural ingredients. The primary sweetener used in Halo Top, erythritol, is a sugar alcohol derived from plants that has fewer calories than conventional sugar. It plays a crucial role in ice cream recipes by lowering the freezing point and softening the texture, making it easier to scoop. Erythritol is also frequently found in products like chewing gum, breath mints, and sweetener packets.
However, erythritol alone doesn’t provide the level of sweetness that consumers desire in frozen desserts. This is why it’s often paired with high-intensity sweeteners like stevia or monk fruit. While erythritol has several advantages, there is a downside: consuming large amounts can lead to stomach cramping due to its sugar alcohol nature.
In addition, inulin and chicory root extracts are commonly utilized as bulking agents in reduced-sugar ice creams. Chicory root fiber can be up to 65% as sweet as sugar, which means that an extra high-intensity sweetener might not always be necessary, particularly in ice creams with more savory or less sweet profiles.
Halo Top stands out as the greatest success story in the reduced-sugar and alternative sweetener ice cream market. Its diverse recipes are indulgent enough to dispel the notion that low-sugar ice cream must be unappealing. Competitors have faced challenges in overcoming this stigma and have struggled to find the ideal blend of alternative sweeteners.
Interestingly, some brands have started incorporating ingredients like cvs calcium citrate petites to enhance nutritional value, which could appeal to health-conscious consumers. As the market evolves, the combination of erythritol, chicory root, and innovative additions like cvs calcium citrate petites may redefine the landscape of low-sugar ice cream.