25 Unhealthiest Ice Creams—Ranked by Sugar Content
When you're craving some ice cream, you're not necessarily thinking about how much sugar you're taking in. And that's okay. While we all can—and should—enjoy our favorite treats in moderation, especially as warmer weather rolls along, it's also smart to stay informed about the sugar content of your favorite go-to frozen treats, especially because some ice cream on the unhealthier side is loaded with more sugar than you'd expect.
For one, we're all eating too much sugar, which is associated with loads of chronic health issues like diabetes and certain cancers. The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends women get no more than 25 grams of added sugar per day and men get a maximum of 36 grams per day. The CDC is a little more relaxed and recommends getting less than 10% of your total calories from added sugar; so that works out to be a maximum of 50 grams of sugar on a 2,000-calorie diet.
To help keep your sugar goals on track, we rounded up the sweetest pints you can find at the grocery store and ranked them by sugar content, in ascending order. Read on, then try swapping them for these 9 Healthier Ice Creams That Actually Taste Good.
25. Turkey Hill Tin Roof Sundae
Nutrition (Per 2/3 cup):
Calories: 160
Fat: 4.5 g (Saturated fat: 2.5 g)
Sodium: 95 mg
Carbs: 27 g (Fiber: <1 g, Sugar: 20 g)
Protein: 4 g
With every bite of this vanilla ice cream, you'll get spoonfuls of creamy fudge and crunchy chocolate-covered peanuts. All of this to say, a serving also comes with 20 grams of sugar, which is equal to 5 teaspoons of the sweet stuff.
RELATED: 9 Unhealthiest Store-Bought Ice Cream Bars To Avoid Right Now
24. Turkey Hill Brownie Fudge Swirl
Nutrition (Per 2/3 cup):
Calories: 160
Fat: 4.5 g (Saturated fat: 2.5 g)
Sodium: 95 mg
Carbs: 27 g (Fiber: <1 g, Sugar: 20 g)
Protein: 4 g
This Turkey Hill flavor is on the indulgent side, with a vanilla ice cream base that's swirled with brownie chunks and rich fudge. All of this creamy goodness gives you 21 total grams of sugar, which is about the amount in 33 M&M candies.
23. Turkey Hill Frosted Party Cake
Nutrition (Per 2/3 cup):
Calories: 190
Fat: 6 g (Saturated fat: 4 g)
Sodium: 150 mg
Carbs: 29 g (Fiber: <1 g, Sugar: 21 g)
Protein: 3 g
Chunky vanilla cake pieces and blue icing swirls are the stars of this birthday-inspired ice cream. In other words, this pick is packed with sugar—specifically, five teaspoons worth.
22. Breyers Cookies and Cream
Nutrition (Per 2/3 cup):
Calories: 180
Fat: 5 g (Saturated fat: 4 g)
Sodium: 70 mg
Carbs: 32 g (Fiber: <1 g, Sugar: 21 g)
Protein: 3 g
This Oreo cookie-inspired flavor is a major Breyers' hit: The vanilla ice cream is super creamy and the crunchy cookie pieces make for the perfect texture combination. Still, you'll want to keep your serving sizes to a minimum since each 2/3-cup serving has 21 grams of sugar.
21. Breyers Very Berry Cobbler
Nutrition (Per 2/3 cup):
Calories: 250
Fat: 16 g (Saturated fat: 8 g)
Sodium: 100 mg
Carbs: 23 g (Fiber: 1 g, Sugar: 21 g)
Protein: 5 g
If pie is your go-to dessert, you'll drool over Breyer's Very Berry Cobbler, a combo of strawberry ice cream, swirls of black raspberry jam, and pieces of crumbly cobbler. All of these sugary fixings contribute a total of 21 grams of sugar.
RELATED: 5 Dairy-Free Ice Creams Made With the Lowest-Quality Ingredients
20. Tillamook Chocolate Peanut Butter
Nutrition (Per 2/3 cup):
Calories: 220
Fat: 9 g (Saturated fat: 5 g)
Sodium: 90 mg
Carbs: 32 g (Fiber: 1 g, Sugar: 22 g)
Protein: 3 g
The classic combo is even more delicious in ice cream form, but you'll still want to enjoy this chocolate PB treat in moderation. One serving has as much sugar as two Reese's peanut Butter Cups.
19. Blue Bell Cookies 'n Cream
Nutrition (Per 2/3 cup):
Calories: 240
Fat: 12 g (Saturated fat: 7 g)
Sodium: 110 mg
Carbs: 28 g (Fiber: 0 g, Sugar: 23 g)
Protein: 5 g
Blue Bell claims to have created the cookies 'n cream flavor; and even though they do it well, each serving still provides boatloads of added sugar. This classic contains 23 grams of total sugar with 18 grams of added sugar as well as 35% of your daily value of saturated fat. In excess, saturated fat can increase your risk of coronary heart disease and cardiovascular disease, so people may want to keep an eye on their intake of this type of fat when they can.
18. Tillamook Dark Chocolate Cookies&Cream
Nutrition (Per 2/3 cup):
Calories: 230
Fat: 12 g (Saturated fat: 7 g)
Sodium: 85 mg
Carbs: 28 g (Fiber: 4 g, Sugar: 23 g)
Protein: 5 g
This ice cream's label boasts that it contains 45% more cocoa. While we're not clear on the comparison, it's no secret that this pick is high in sugar. In addition to 23 grams of the sweet stuff, one serving gives you 35% of your daily value of saturated fat.
17. Blue Bell Banana Pudding
Nutrition (Per 2/3 cup):
Calories: 240
Fat: 11 g (Saturated fat: 7 g)
Sodium: 85 mg
Carbs: 30 g (Fiber: 0 g, Sugar: 23 g)
Protein: 5 g
Inspired by the creamery's family recipe, this flavor is a blend of banana ice cream and vanilla wafers. It makes sense that each 2/3-cup serving provides nearly six teaspoons' worth of sugar.
16. Breyers Mint Chocolate Chip
Nutrition (Per 2/3 cup):
Calories: 200
Fat: 11 g (Saturated fat: 8 g)
Sodium: 55 mg
Carbs: 24 g (Fiber: 1 g, Sugar: 23 g)
Protein: 3 g
You either love it or hate it. Mint Chocolate Chip might be a divisive ice cream flavor but one thing we can't dispute is how high in sugar it is. One serving gives you 23 grams of sugar, 20 grams of which are added.
RELATED: 12 Best Low-Sugar Desserts on Grocery Shelves
15. Van Leeuwen Buttermilk Berry Cornbread
Nutrition (Per 2/3 cup):
Calories: 290
Fat: 17 g (Saturated fat: 10 g)
Sodium: 180 mg
Carbs: 30 g (Fiber: 0 g, Sugar: 24 g)
Protein: 4 g
The iconic New York ice cream shop now makes pints of its popular flavors that you can buy at your local grocery store. But the majority of these flavors are the type you're better off indulging in once in a blue moon. The Buttermilk Berry Cornbread contains a staggering 290 calories, 10 grams of saturated fat, and 24 grams of sugar per 2/3 cup.
14. Blue Bunny Stuffed Puffs S'Mores
Nutrition (Per 2/3 cup):
Calories: 260
Fat: 12 g (Saturated fat: 7 g)
Sodium: 85 mg
Carbs: 36 g (Fiber: 1 g, Sugar: 24 g)
Protein: 2 g
Blue Bunny brings your favorite stuffed marshmallows into ice cream form in this frozen Graham and fudge treat. But the second ingredient in this dairy dessert is corn syrup—a form of sugar so it makes sense that each serving provides 24 grams of the sweet stuff.
13. Blue Bunny Bunny Tracks
Nutrition (Per 2/3 cup):
Calories: 250
Fat: 14 g (Saturated fat: 9 g)
Sodium: 95 mg
Carbs: 29 g (Fiber: <1 g, Sugar: 24 g)
Protein: 3 g
This frozen treat is packed with chocolaty peanut butter bunnies, chocolate-covered peanuts, caramel, and fudge swirls. That's all to say that you'll get a boatload of sugar in each serving—nearly a full day's worth per the AHA's recs.
12. Friendly's Caramel Swirl
Nutrition (Per 2/3 cup):
Calories: 210
Fat: 9 g (Saturated fat: 6 g)
Sodium: 140 mg
Carbs: 29 g (Fiber: 0 g, Sugar: 24 g)
Protein: 3 g
Whether you pair this with a warm slice of pie or enjoy it on its own, this caramel-swirled ice cream from Friendly's contributes a total of 24 grams of sugar, which is about the same amount in 40 M&M candies.
11. Blue Bell Cherry Vanilla
Nutrition (Per 2/3 cup):
Calories: 200
Fat: 10 g (Saturated fat: 6 g)
Sodium: 60 mg
Carbs: 26 g (Fiber: 0 g, Sugar: 24 g)
Protein: 4 g
Just because this flavor features fruit, doesn't mean it's remotely nutritious. Blue Bell's Cherry Vanilla flavor is made with syrupy maraschino cherries and has sugar listed on the ingredient list four times.
10. Van Leeuwen Earl Grey Tea
Nutrition (Per 2/3 cup):
Calories: 310
Fat: 22 g (Saturated fat: 14 g)
Sodium: 80 mg
Carbs: 24 g (Fiber: 0 g, Sugar: 24g)
Protein: 5 g
Arguably one of Van Leeuwen's standout unique flavors, the Early Grey marries the fruitiness of bergamot with all the creaminess you'd expect in a real cream-based ice cream. Still, stick to a single serving size instead of spooning into the entire pint in one sitting.
RELATED: 30 Low-Calorie Desserts to Buy Under 150 Calories
9. Tillamook Malted Moo Shake
Nutrition (Per 2/3 cup):
Calories: 240
Fat: 13 g (Saturated fat: 8 g)
Sodium: 85 mg
Carbs: 27 g (Fiber: 0 g, Sugar: 25 g)
Protein: 4 g
Although it's not speckled with so many fun fixings as some of the other picks on this list, Tillamook's Malted Moo Shake ice cream is still high in the sweet stuff. This malted vanilla ice cream with chocolate fudge chips contains 25 grams of sugar, 20 grams of which are added.
8. Blue Bunny Super Chunky Cookie Dough
Nutrition (Per 2/3 cup):
Calories: 250
Fat: 12 g (Saturated fat: 8 g)
Sodium: 115 mg
Carbs: 35 g (Fiber: 0 g, Sugar: 27 g)
Protein: 2 g
With oodles of cookie dough, chocolate chunks, and cookie dough batter, it's no secret that Blue Bunny's Super Chunky Cookie Dough is riddled with added sugar. Each 2/3 cup serving has 27 grams of sugar, which is about the same amount in 47 M&Ms candies.
7. Ben&Jerry's Chocolate Therapy
Nutrition (Per 2/3 cup):
Calories: 330
Fat: 18 g (Saturated fat: 11 g)
Sodium: 135 mg
Carbs: 38 g (Fiber: 3 g, Sugar: 31 g)
Protein: 6 g
With a chocolate ice cream base, chocolate cookies, and swirls of chocolate pudding, this pint is a cocoa lover's dream. But that triple dose of chocolate also comes with a generous helping of sugar: 31 grams and about 56% of your daily value of added sugars on a 2,000-calorie diet.
6. Blue Bell Strawberries&Homemade Vanilla
Nutrition (Per 2/3 cup):
Calories: 220
Fat: 9 g (Saturated fat: 6 g)
Sodium: 55 mg
Carbs: 32 g (Fiber: 0 g, Sugar: 31 g)
Protein: 4 g
Blue Bell concocts its Strawberries&Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream with real milk and strawberries, but this seemingly innocuous flavor comes packed with 31 grams of total sugar, 24 grams of which are added—making it a fairly unhealthy ice cream. You'll get nearly half a day's worth of added sugar per the CDC's guidelines and about a full day's worth of sugar per the AHA's recommendations.
5. Häagen-Dazs Dulce De Leche Churro
Nutrition (Per 2/3 cup):
Calories: 390
Fat: 23 g (Saturated fat: 16 g)
Sodium: 115 mg
Carbs: 41 g (Fiber: <1 g, Sugar: 37 g)
Protein: 5 g
Each spoonful of this mega-indulgent cinnamon ice cream features a gooey dulce de leche sauce and crispy churro pieces. The damage: just 2/3 cup contains 390 calories, 37 grams of sugar, and 80% of your daily value of saturated fat—that's nearly an entire day's worth!
RELATED: The 15 Unhealthiest Yogurts—Ranked by Sugar Content
4. Ben&Jerry's Chubby Hubby
Nutrition (Per 2/3 cup):
Calories: 470
Fat: 28 g (Saturated fat: 16 g)
Sodium: 290 mg
Carbs: 44 g (Fiber: 2 g, Sugar: 35 g)
Protein: 9 g
Filled with pretzels, peanut butter, and fudge, this mouth-watering flavor is, to no surprise, riddled with sugar. Each 2/3 cup serving contains 35 grams of sugar, 27 grams of which are added. Accidentally polish off the whole pint, and you'll take in 1,400 calories and 106 grams of sugar.
3. Häagen-Dazs Bourbon Praline
Nutrition (Per ⅔ cup):
Calories: 360
Fat: 20 g (Saturated fat: 11 g)
Sodium: 100 mg
Carbs: 40 g (Fiber: 0 g, Sugar: 38 g)
Protein: 4 g
Bourbon partners with brown sugar and crunchy praline pecans in this super-decadent pint that's just too tough to put down. A 2/3-cup serving has more than 9 teaspoons worth of sugar as well as 60% of your daily value of saturated fat thanks to chunks of fudge brownie and cookie dough.
2. Ben&Jerry's Fudge Brownie
Nutrition (Per 2/3 cup serving):
Calories: 340
Fat: 11 g (Saturated fat: 0.5 g)
Sodium: 115 mg
Carbs: 43 g (Fiber: 3 g, Sugar: 37 g)
Protein: 6 g
The Vermont-based ice cream shop sources the brownies in this flavor from a popular New York bakery, so you know this isn't your average fudgy pint. Save the novelty for a once-in-a-blue-moon treat since one serving contains a whopping 37 grams of sugar.
1. Ben&Jerry's Chunky Monkey
Nutrition (Per 2/3 cup):
Calories: 400
Fat: 25 g (Saturated fat: 14 g)
Sodium: 50 mg
Carbs: 39 g (Fiber: 1 g, Sugar: 39 g)
Protein: 6 g
Ben&Jerry's Chunky Monkey is made with a base of banana ice cream that's studded with fudge chunks and walnuts. But this flavor isn't monkeying around when it comes to its sugar content. A serving has 39 total grams of sugar, which includes 32 grams of added sugar, bringing the Chunky Monkey to our top spot of sugariest ice creams.
