HERE’S THE SCOOP ON HEALTHY ICE-CREAMS
Be it vegan, sugar-free, organic or with no preservatives, chefs are giving ice-creams a makeover, as foodies shift towards healthy dietary choices
People are more mindful of what and how much they consume, all thanks to the pandemic. The wave has motivated brands to change their menu and bring healthy options to the table. This global movement to eat healthy and mindfully has made people opt for vegan, clean and organic food. And this applies to ice-cream as well.
“The lockdown taught many to think about life in a more holistic and honest way. Customers are slowly learning and asking for pure, natural, organic and vegan food options. For decades, icecream in India has been a dirty business. The big names have been selling products, not even made with dairy but the conscious shift (in food choice) is changing it,” says Suvir Saran, who joined hands with Cold Love, an ice-cream brand which makes dairy and its alternative vegan flavours.
He adds, “The brand came up amid pandemic after demand surged up. We have seasonal, local and regional icecream flavours with fruits, nuts, chocolate and other natural ingredients.” Ice-cream, which originated as kulfi in the sixteenth century, has seen many versions, names and preparation till now. “The new-age customer is not just looking for new flavours and appealing presentations, but they also want the healthy variants. Frozen yoghurts have become a popular variant of ice-cream, and so have gelato and vegan ice-creams.
There is a huge demand for vegan options, as they have wonderful texture and taste,” says Rajat Chandna, executive chef at Karma LakeLands.
Sorbet, also called ‘water ice’, is a frozen dessert made from sugarsweetened water with flavouring – typically non-dairy ingredients. Believed to originate in ancient Persia, it is gaining popularity in India as chefs come up with desi flavours. “Sorbets are dairy-free for the most part, highly versatile and thus, a wonderful departure from ice-cream for those that are lactose-intolerant or want something fruity and delicious,” adds Saran. Sour-Sweet Tamarind Chutney Sorbet meets a spicy-green-fresh, and zingy Green Chutney Sorbet are some unusual variations.
There are people who are on the lookout for unique flavours that are closer home, such as a Kesar Pista or Paan in India. On the flip side, there is a demand for exotic flavours — but all in healthy varieties. “Due to new demands, since over 18 months, we have developed a range of low-calorie ice-creams containing just 65-75 calories per serving — no preservatives, artificial sweeteners or colours. Our vegan range in various flavours, and contains no added sugar,” says Shivaan
Ghai from The Brooklyn Creamery. Ghai, who is the fourth-generation to run an ice-cream business in the country and across, concludes, “The trend to choose products for health benefits is here to stay.”