Halo Top, the low-calorie, protein-rich ice cream brand just announced that it would be adding seven new flavors to its already varied lineup. You shouldn’t expect any standard, run-of-the-mill additions, however. The new flavors include unique mashups like Pancakes & Waffles, Mochi Green Tea, Chocolate Covered Banana, Cinnamon Roll, Rainbow Swirl, Candy Bar, and Caramel Macchiato.
Halo Top’s customers already had 17 flavors to choose from, but they weren’t exactly satisfied with the selection, according to Halo Top CEO Justin Woolverton.
“Our fans wanted more flavors – and we did too. We made a list of which flavors they wanted the most and figured out how we could make them the Halo Top way,” said Woolverton said in a press release.
“Making new flavors is always fun and we absolutely can’t wait for these to hit shelves.”
Halo Top’s announcement comes just as nutritionists hit back at Halo Top’s claims that their ice cream is healthy. In just six years, Halo Top has managed to edge out ice cream giants, Ben and Jerry’s and Hagen Daaz, as the most popular pint-sized ice cream. This is due, in part, to Halo Top marketing itself as a healthier alternative to its competition.
When indecision works in your favor.
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With no more than 360 calories per pint , someone could down an entire container of Halo Top with little-to-no guilt. For comparison purposes, an entire pint of Ben and Jerry’s averages around 1,000 calories , according to Pop Sugar. The ice cream brand also boasts that its ice cream has substantially lower levels of sugar and fat and serves as a good source of protein .
The only split real friends go through.
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Still, some nutritionists who spoke to Fortune expressed their concerns that Halo Top was irresponsibly marketing their product as a health food.
“Marketing ice cream as healthy is an oxymoron if I’ve ever heard one,” said Marion Nestle, a professor of food studies and nutrition at NYU.
“With two-thirds of the U.S. adult population overweight or obese, we don’t have much wiggle room for ‘discretionary calories,’” she added. “Most nutritionists and health organizations define a healthy diet as eating fewer processed foods, and selecting a dietary pattern rich in plant-based foods,” she adds. “Halo Top is neither.”
Barry Popkin, a professor of nutrition at the University of North Carolina, questioned whether the sugar alcohol additive erythritol, which Halo Top uses in order to use less sugar, was safe for the digestive system. He also stated that Halo Top’s low-calorie ice cream could lead consumers to overindulge other foods.
In response to the criticism, Halo Top’s representative had this to say.
“I think most people eat Halo Top knowing it’s a lower-calorie version of full-fat ice cream. Just because they eat a pint of Halo Top doesn’t mean they’ll think it’s okay to eat a pint of, say, peanut butter. Honestly the argument kind of confuses me.”
Halo Top’s new flavors will be available nationwide in mid-August.
Are you excited about Halo Top’s new flavors? Do you consider it a health food? You can leave a comment below.
[Featured Image by Anna-Mari West/Shuttershock]
