Are Popsicles Healthy?

Now that summer is upon us, many may be asking are popsicles healthy? Sharing tips on what to look for when choosing a healthy frozen treat.

Frozen Summer Treats

I’m sure my kids aren’t alone in their endless love for popsicles. Nothing beats a sweet, frozen treat on a hot summer day.

However, the frozen section at the grocery store has become an overwhelming array of various boxes of popsicle brands. So how do we know which to choose?

Are Store Bought Popsicles Healthy?

Depending on what store you shop at, there could be over 20 different brands, types, flavors, and varieties of popsicles in those cold cases.

To make matters worse, they all boast different “health” claims on their labels –

• Low Sugar
• Made with Real Fruit
• Organic
• All Natural
• Made with Fruit and Vegetables
• No Added Sugars
• No Artificial Sweeteners

It is confusing and overwhelming.

Tips for Choosing Healthy Popsicles

Knowing what to look for and what to avoid can help you make an informed decision when it comes to choosing the best popsicle for you and your family.

Rather than checking out all the “health” claims listed on the front of the package, I recommend looking at the following –

Check the Nutrition Label

Take a look at the nutrition label on the back/side of the box. Some things I check for include –

• How many grams of sugar per popsicle?
  • The amount of sugar will range, depending on the ingredients
  • I’ve seen it as low as 1 gram or as high as 20 grams of sugar
  • Keep in mind that popsicles made from fruit will have some natural sugars that come from the actual fruit made
  • Looking to see how many “Added Sugars” are on the label will tell you how many of the total sugars occur naturally (ie from fruit) versus how much sugar is added during processing

• Are there any vitamins or minerals included?
  • If the popsicles contain real, pureed fruit then there might be a small amount of Vitamin C and/or Vitamin A
  • Some popsicles are made with yogurt, which would offer some Calcium and a small amount of protein
  • Some popsicles are made with small amounts of vegetables as well (like carrots, sweet potatoes, etc), this would also add small amounts of nutrients like Vitamin A, C, Potassium and Fiber

Read the Ingredient List

When in doubt, reading the list of ingredients will help give you insight on what is actually used when making the popsicles.

Keep in mind that when reading the ingredient list, ingredients are in order of quantity. So, the first item on the ingredient list indicates that is used in the greatest amount, the second item is next, etc.

Things I look for on the ingredient list when it comes to popsicles –

• Is real fruit listed as an ingredient?
  • There are many options available these days that include actual real fruit
• Are any artificial sweeteners or sugar alcohols added?
  • I try to avoid these as long term effects are still debated
• Is any high fructose corn syrup added?
  • I prefer when things are sweetened with real sugar instead
• If sugars are added, are they near the beginning of the ingredient list or towards the end?
  • If near the beginning then they are used in a greater quantity then if they were listed towards the end of the ingredient list
• Are there a lot of artificial preservatives, coloring agents or additives included?
  • My rule of thumb is trying to purchase the product that contains the least amount of ingredients but also ingredients that consist of real foods instead of flavorings/artificial ingredients

Store Bought Popsicle Examples

Every store is different and some brands/varieties may not be available at the store where you shop.

However, I thought showing some examples of store brands and their label would be helpful in showing you what to look for when trying to choose a healthy version.

1. Outshine Fruit Bars

Ingredient List – Strawberries, Water, Cane Sugar, Citric Acid, Guar Gum, Carob Bean Gum, Ascorbic Acid (vitamin c), Strawberry Juice from Concentrate, Natural Flavor, Beet Juice Color, Turmeric Color

Guar Gum is a food additive used to thicken and bind food. Carob Bean Gum is a vegetable gum also used to thicken food products.

Nutrition Info – 60 calories, 1 gram fiber, 14 grams sugar, 20% Vitamin C

My take away – I like that they are made with real fruit and contain some Vitamin C. The total sugar is about average from the other brands I compared but some comes from the natural sugar found in real fruit, in addition to the cane sugar added. When I buy popsicles, these are typically the ones I purchase.

2. Outshine No Sugar Added Fruit Bars

Ingredient List (for strawberry flavor) – Water, Strawberries, Sorbitol (Sensitive individuals may experience a laxative effect from excess consumption of this ingredient), Maltodextrin, Glycerin, White Grape Juice from Concentrate, Polydextrose, Citric Acid, Beet Juice Color, Ascorbic Acid (vitamin c), Guar Gum, Carob Bean Gum, Strawberry Juice Concentrate, Natural Flavors, Acesulfame Potassium, Sucralose, Turmeric Color

Maltodextrin is a carbohydrate used as a food additive. Glycerin is added to foods as a thickening agent. Polydextrose is multi-purpose food ingredient used to replace sugar, fat and calories and to increase fiber content or thickening agent in foods. Acesulfame Potassium and Sucralose are both artificial sweeteners.

Nutrition Info – 25 calories, <1 gram fiber, 1 gram sugar, 2 grams Sugar Alcohols, 25% Vitamin C

My Take Away – I try to avoid artificial sweeteners and this strawberry flavored bar has 3 different ones! Personally I also try to avoid anything that can cause a laxative effect when eaten. These bars also contain a lot of additives used to thicken or bind the popsicle together instead of real ingredients.

3. Open Nature Fruit and Veggie Juice Bars

Ingredients – Water, Strawberry Vegetable Base (water, Strawberries, Pear Juice Concentrate, Sugar, Green Vegetable Blend [spinach, Clarified Carrot, Green Bell Pepper, Kale, Lettuce], Malic Acid, Beet Juice Concentrate, Natural Flavor), Sugar, Guar Gum, Locust Bean Gum, Carrageenan

Carrageenan is a food additive that’s used as a thickening agent in foods. It’s extracted from red seaweed and approved as safe by the FDA. However, there are some scientists and researchers that believe it may cause inflammation and digestive issues.

Nutrition Info – 80 calories, 1 gram fiber, 19 grams sugar

My Take Away – I like the amount of real fruits and vegetables added, although I’m assuming most are in the form of fruit and vegetable juices since there is only 1 gram of fiber per serving. However, I try to avoid foods that contain Carrageenan because I think more research and testing needs to be done on it’s safety to be consumed.

4. Citrus Pop Ups by 365 Brand

Ingredient Label (strawberry lemonade flavor) – Water, Sugar, Corn Syrup Solids, Strawberry Puree, Lemon Juice Concentrate, Citric Acid, Natural Flavors, Beet Extract (Color), Stabilized (Guar, Xanthan, Locust Bean Gum).

Nutrition Info – 80 calories, 0 grams fiber, 15 grams sugar

My Take Away – No real pureed fruit but does contain some fruit juice, which explains why there isn’t any fiber. The sugars are pretty high and it does contain “corn syrup solids” along with some stabilizing thickeners.

5. Solero Crushed Fruit Bar

Ingredients – Strawberries, Water, Sugar, Lemon Juice Concentrate, Carob Gum, Guar Gum

Guar Gum is a food additive used to thicken and bind food. Carob Bean Gum is a vegetable gum also used to thicken food products.

Nutrition Info – 80 calories, 19 grams sugar, 0 grams fiber

My Take Away – I like the small ingredient list, although there are a few thickeners added. However, it does contain a high amount of sugar, but some are natural sugars from the strawberries.

6. Good Pop Strawberry Fruit Bars

Ingredients – Strawberries, Filtered Water, Fair Trade Organic Cane Sugar, Organic Guar Gum

Nutrition Info – 60 calories, 1 gram fiber, 15 grams sugar

My Take Away – The least amount of ingredients I’ve found and I like that it contains organic, real ingredients with the exception of guar gum which is used as a thickener.

My Recommendation

As you can see from above, the majority of popsicles available in the store for purchase contain quite a few thickening agents, additives, coloring agents, and sugar.

If you are truly looking for a “healthy” popsicle, you might want to try making your own. It’s pretty simple but does require some kind of popsicle mold (there are tons on Amazon and many are sold in stores like Target or Walmart) and freezer space.

These Summer Strawberry Popsicles are my absolutely favorite to make. It only has 3 ingredients – Watermelon, Strawberries and a squeeze of fresh lime. No thickeners, added sugars, coloring agents or preservatives needed.

Disclosure

There are so many popsicle brands and varieties available that it’s impossible to list them all.

I also want to stress that in no way am I saying you shouldn’t buy popsicles. Sometimes you just have to do what you have to do. Like I mention above, I typically purchase the Outshine Fruit Bars (not the sugar free ones). These are just my tips and suggestions on what to look for when trying to buy a healthy popsicle.

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