Plant-based ice cream

Plant-based ice cream is notable for sucrose, FODMAPs, gluten, fructose, salicylate and nickel. Clear on lactose, histamine, oligosaccharides, sorbitol, tyramine and oxalates.

Yes — Plant-based ice cream is high in sucrose. Plant-based ice cream needs more sugar than dairy ice cream, not less - sugar does the work that milk fat would otherwise do in keeping the texture soft.

Plant-based ice cream contains only low levels of FODMAPs. Plant-based ice cream is built on a diluted base - oat, coconut or soy - and the serving is what keeps its FODMAP low. The FODMAP thresholds are set per portion rather than per concentration: a spoonful of a moderate ingredient and a bowl of a low one can land in the same place, which is how the same nut is high whole and low as a spread.

Plant-based ice cream contains only low levels of gluten. Plant-based ice cream is built on an oat, rice or nut base, and the oat versions bring the oat question with them. Add the cookie pieces, brownie chunks and biscuit swirls that these products lean on for texture, and the base is often the smaller risk.

Plant-based ice cream contains only low levels of fructose. Plant-based ice cream is sweetened with sucrose or a glucose syrup in most formulations. Where it uses fruit concentrate instead, the fructose changes the answer - the ingredient list is where that shows. Amounts vary by brand and recipe, so always check the label of the exact product.