Dreyer’s

This product receives a 1/5 green leaf rating. Dreyer’s Slow Churned® Vanilla Light Ice Cream is not organic and contains GMO ingredients. The inclusion of added sugars, such as sugar and polydextrose, alongside more harmful sweeteners like dextrose and corn syrup, significantly diminishes its health score. The presence of potentially harmful additives, including natural flavors and mono and diglycerides, further impacts the product negatively. The product does not list palm oil directly, but the scoring accounts for harmful oils, suggesting a concern for ingredients like mono and diglycerides, which can be derived from palm oil or other sources.

The ingredient list begins with non-fat milk, followed by sugar and cream, common in many ice creams. However, the addition of corn syrup and polydextrose raises red flags, as these sweeteners are often used to replace natural sugars but come with their own health considerations. Soluble corn fiber and whey are included, likely for texture and protein content, but their benefits are overshadowed by the negative aspects of the other ingredients.

Additives such as carob bean gum and guar gum are thickening agents typically used in low-fat or light ice creams to mimic the texture of full-fat versions. While these ingredients are not inherently harmful, their necessity stems from the product’s reduced fat content. The natural flavor is a vague term that does not disclose the actual substances used to create the vanilla taste, and invert sugar, listed further down, contributes to the sweet taste but is another form of sugar.

The product is fortified with vitamin A palmitate, a common practice to enhance the nutritional profile of dairy products. The annatto color is a natural dye used to give the ice cream its color, which is preferable to synthetic dyes but does not offset the negative aspects of other ingredients.

The 1/5 green leaf rating indicates this product falls short of the standards for cleaner food options. It is not recommended for those seeking healthier alternatives in the market.