I love Häagen-Dazs ice cream, I always have – I remember eating it over seas many years ago, and loving the creamy taste and great flavors.

Having received some flack lately for promoting and supporting an international brand of ice cream, when we have many local South African brands available – herewith my thoughts on why Häagen-Dazs does it for me.

We all enjoy being healthy and eating healthier, and although ice cream is indeed a luxury indulgence, I believe that even here we can be healthier if possible.

Comprising only five, yes five ingredients – as opposed to the 14 or more ingredients included in other ice creams – the health aspect comes in the form of fresh cream, condensed skimmed milk, strawberries or other whole ingredients, sugar and egg yolks. That’s it.

Have you ever read an ice cream label, or any food label for that matter? Ever seen things like pectins, stabilisers, emulsifiers or even worse – things that don’t even own a name – just a number? Eg E440 or E671 – what on earth is that? How on earth can anything without a name be good for you?

These “E” ingredients are man made, in factories, and are NOT good for you by any stretch of the imagination. I want to know that what I am eating is as natural as possible, not something that doesn’t even have a name, but only gets a number like some sort of culinary convict!

Did you also know that the clever people who make ice cream include air in their products to bulk it up. Yes, air. FREE, air. Some ice creams aerate their products to over 60% of the total ingredients. So basically you are paying premium prices to eat air. The more air the less product. Hmmm, makes you think doesn’t it?

Häagen-Dazs does indeed contain air – 27% or less, per tub to be exact. Less air, more physical stuff to actually eat. Even better. With 16 flavours to choose from (hang on they are still coming to SA, but I am totally crushing on the Salted Caramel right now to be honest) and a history of perfection, Häagen-Dazs has been creating delicious, healthy ice cream since 1961 – and is now available all around the world. 

Please do feel free to do your own research, and contact me for discussions or facts around this – I find it intriguing, and really makes me think – if this is our ice cream stats, what on earth goes in to the other foods we eat?? Makes you think right??

Please include #HDHealthyOption in your social media, so that we can engage and create awareness around a topic I find fascinating.

For more info on Häagen-Dazs:

SA Website – click here

SA Facebook: click here

SA Twitter: @HaagenDazs_SA