Ice creams
and sorbets with polyols

Sweetening with polyols does not remove all sugars, nor does it automatically make a recipe suitable for someone with diabetes. We list the ingredients and quantities; where there is an estimate of the sugars, we explain what it covers. For the lemon sorbet we do not give a total yet, because the nutritional composition of the maltodextrin used is not confirmed. Assess the portion and its carbohydrates with your healthcare team.

Because sugar is not there just to sweeten: it is what stops the water from freezing completely. If you take it out and do not replace that effect, the ice cream turns into a block. It is the most common mistake in home recipes that take the sugar out.

With polyols — and, in some recipes, a little fructose — which also lower the freezing point, and with other ingredients that provide part of the missing solids. In each recipe you will see exactly which ones it uses and in what amount.

For sweetening yes, but on their own the ice cream comes out badly: they are very powerful sweeteners used in tiny amounts, so they supply neither solids nor antifreeze. They have to be paired with something that fills the space the sugar left.

Fruit brings its own sugars, which have to be counted along with the other ingredients. The available estimates state what they include; we do not give a total when data are missing.