From plantbasednews.org
Reaching for a dairy-free frozen treat is easier than ever this summer
Once a niche interest and available in select grocery stores only, plenty of brands now want to capture customers’ attention with creamy vegan ice cream and gelato products.
Allergen-aware, dairy-identical, and even carbon-neutral offerings mean that the landscape of ice cream is changing forever and becoming more inclusive. But who makes the best dairy-free products in the space, and the really burning question: is vegan ice cream good for you?
Here are our two scoops:
What is vegan ice cream made from?
Unlike dairy ice cream, non-dairy alternatives feature a number of base ingredients.
Some of the most popular include:
- Soy milk
- Nut milk (like almond and cashew)
- Coconut milk
- Oat milk
- Vegan condensed milk
Newer developments include bases made using precision fermentation. These imitate dairy whey protein for a creamy feel and neutral taste.
Californian alternative dairy start-up Perfect Day has cornered this market, so far. It offers animal-free dairy proteins to some ice cream manufacturers that want to create comparable textures and tastes to conventional frozen desserts.
Aside from plant milk bases, vegan ice cream contains many of the same ingredients as its regular counterparts. Sugar, flavourings, and preservatives tend to come as standard.
The vegan ice cream market is growing - Media Credit: Konstantin Postumitenko | Adobe Stock
Is vegan ice cream healthy?
When compared to dairy-based ice cream, there are potential health benefits to plant-based alternatives. Chief amongst them are lower saturated fat levels and zero cholesterol.
LDL cholesterol contributes to heart and circulatory diseases. Only animal products contain it. Whole-fat milk bases are often used in dairy ice cream. When combined with high sugar content, they become a potential contributor to health issues.
Vegan ice cream removes the cholesterol issue and usually offers lower saturated fat levels. However, the sugar content tends to remain high.
The only truly healthy ice cream is “nice cream.” It’s totally vegan, made just from frozen bananas, and thus contains no “nasties.” On its own, the blitzed fruit offers potassium and fibre. Adding a sprinkle of cinnamon will up the antioxidant levels of the homemade frozen treat too.
The environmental problem with dairy
Dairy is problematic for multiple reasons, but sustainability is a current focal point.
The dairy industry generates an enormous amount of emissions, though pinpointing exactly how much is difficult. It requires vast water resources as well. Calculating the environmental cost of animal agriculture sees dairy and meat banded together frequently.
The UN’s Food & Agriculture Organization estimates dairy to contribute at least 3.4 percent of all anthropogenic-generated emissions. The majority take the form of methane, which is 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide.
Research shows that it takes 628 litres of water to produce one litre of cow’s milk. The same amount of soy milk uses just 28 litres of water.
As a result, leading climate experts are now calling for a reduction in dairy consumption, alongside less meat.
Recently, researchers also discovered microplastics in milk products.
Animal cruelty in dairy production
Aside from environmental issues, animal welfare concerns are also driving consumers away from conventional dairy.
The plight of dairy cows in New Zealand is laid bare in the award-winning documentary Milked. The film highlights the cycle of cruelty that dairy cows face. From forced insemination to being separated from their calves, repeatedly milked for profit, and finally, slaughtered when no longer useful, the torture endured by the animals is evident.
New Zealand is one of the largest dairy producers globally, and its methodologies are mirrored throughout the world.
As consumers begin to understand more about the way their food is produced, a shift towards dairy alternatives is happening. Experts predict the alternative dairy market will reach $66.9 billion by 2030, if the current annual growth of 12.5 percent per year is maintained.
Vegan ice cream will be a major contributor to the sector. Valuation predictions say it will be an $805.3 million market, by 2027.
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