Tag: Ice cream vs soft serve

A single half-cup serving of vanilla soft serve can contain approximately 19-22 grams of carbohydrates, mostly from sugar. This fact directly addresses the common question: is soft serve ice cream high in carbs? It reveals that despite its lighter texture, this popular frozen dessert is not a low-carb option.

According to nutritional data, a 1/2 cup serving of plain vanilla soft serve can contain as little as 52-61mg of sodium, though this can vary significantly by brand. This raises the question: is soft serve ice cream low in sodium in a broader context, and how does it compare to other frozen treats?

Most commercial soft serve contains a base mixture of milk, cream, and sugar, meaning it is a dairy product. However, the exact percentage of milk fat is typically lower than what is required for a product to be legally labeled as 'ice cream' in some countries.

According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), for a product to be labeled as ice cream, it must contain at least 10% milk fat, whereas soft serve typically falls between 3% and 6% milk fat. This significant difference in fat content is one of many factors when considering if soft serve is worse for you than ice cream.