# What if you made ice cream without sugar? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 2, 2004, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-you-made-ice-cream-without-sugar/243078 "2004-05-02T01:06:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![SmackFu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@SmackFu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmackFu)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2004, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-you-made-ice-cream-without-sugar/243078/1 "2004-05-02T01:06:48Z")
Has anyone ever tried making ice cream without sugar? Is it just really boring? ---
**Author:** ![norinew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@norinew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norinew)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2004, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-you-made-ice-cream-without-sugar/243078/2 "2004-05-02T01:15:25Z")
I would need clarification. Do you mean with no sweeteners at all? Because that would just be “ewww”, or do you mean with substitute sweeteners? We’ve never actually made our own (although we are on the lookout for an ice cream freezer at a reasonable price), but we buy no sugar added ice cream all the time, and are pleased with various brands. These are inevitably sweetened with sugar alcohol, which can be purchased in buld at [www.lowcarbluxury.com](http://www.lowcarbluxury.com) and Splenda, which can be purchased in any grocery store. I’d imagine you’d have to experiment a little with the right combo of sweeteners to get it just right. The reason that all Splenda wouldn’t work is that it doesn’t have the weight and substance of sugar, while sugar alcohol does. ---
**Author:** ![Turek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/turek/32/18782_2.png) [@Turek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turek)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2004, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-you-made-ice-cream-without-sugar/243078/3 "2004-05-02T02:21:23Z")
There’s something else to consider: I made ice cream one time using a sugar substitute. It was fine fresh out of the ice cream freezer. But the next day, having spent all day in the freezer (as opposed to the ice cream freezer) it was a solid block. Not creamy, not scoopable. Solid. “Oh, yeah,” Turek thought. "The sugar keeps it from freezing completely. :smack: Lesson learned. " ---
**Author:** ![norinew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@norinew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norinew)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2004, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-you-made-ice-cream-without-sugar/243078/4 "2004-05-02T02:27:23Z")
**Turek** , what a good thing to know! Certainly something to consider if and when we buy an ice cream freezer. Note to self: don’t make a bigger batch of ice cream than we can eat in one sitting. Another thing I’ve thought of is this: often, my supermarket has some brand or another of no sugar added ice cream on sale, buy one get one free. This makes it under $6.00 for a gallon of ice cream. Given how expensive heavy cream is, I’m not sure we can make it that cheaply. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2004, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-you-made-ice-cream-without-sugar/243078/5 "2004-05-02T02:48:04Z")
> [@Turek](#): > > There’s something else to consider: I made ice cream one time using a sugar substitute. It was fine fresh out of the ice cream freezer. > > But the next day, having spent all day in the freezer (as opposed to the ice cream freezer) it was a solid block. Not creamy, not scoopable. Solid. The sugar forms an emulsion with the fat that slows down the formation of large (ie hard) crystals. There are other compounds, such as guar gum, locust bean gum, agar, carageenan and various starches that you can use instead of sugar to prevent hardening -without adding sweetness. ---
**Author:** ![SmackFu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@SmackFu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmackFu)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2004, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-you-made-ice-cream-without-sugar/243078/6 "2004-05-02T03:04:02Z")
Actually, I was thinking of no sugar or substitutes at all. We have no problem with the sweetness level of plain milk, why wouldn’t it work whipped and frozen? But I guess if it forms a giant block that would be a reason.