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Halo Top Light Ice Cream Cookies & Cream
Photo: Open Food Facts contributors (CC BY-SA)

Ice creams

Halo Top Light Ice Cream Cookies & Cream

1 PT/473 mL

Poor out of 100 Medium confidence
  • Ultra-processed
  • Contains non-nutritive sweeteners
  • Contains added sugars
  • Contains sugar alcohols
  • Contains emulsifiers studied for gut effects
  • Contains palm oil
  • Seed-oil free
  • No synthetic dyes
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Why it scores 21

Halo Top Light Ice Cream Cookies & Cream scores 21 out of 100 (Poor) under GoodSwap’s published rules. What moved the score most:

  1. Sugar: An added sugar. Strong
  2. Caramel color: The FDA says classes III and IV, which can contain 4-MEI, are the most commonly used food color additives by volume. Regulatory
  3. Ultra-processed (NOVA 4): Classified NOVA 4: made with industrial ingredients and additives. Strong

Every line of the math is on The Receipt below, with its evidence tier and sources.

Better ice cream

The same kind of product, at least 10 points higher, sold in the US. Never paid placements.

The Receipt

Light Ice Cream Cookies & Cream

START100

Ingredients

  • Sugar
    Strong An added sugar. [1][2][3]
  • Caramel color
    Regulatory The FDA says classes III and IV, which can contain 4-MEI, are the most commonly used food color additives by volume. [4][5][6][7]
  • Erythritol
    Strong A 2023 study linked higher blood erythritol to cardiovascular events and found it increased clotting activity; long-term safety studies are warranted. [8][9]
  • Cellulose gum (carboxymethylcellulose)
    Strong In a small randomized feeding trial, carboxymethylcellulose modestly increased abdominal discomfort and reduced gut microbiota diversity; in mice it promoted low-grade inflammation. [10][11][12][13]
subtotal−50

Processing

  • Ultra-processed (NOVA 4)
    Strong Classified NOVA 4: made with industrial ingredients and additives. [14]
  • 10 kinds of ultra-processing markers
    Emerging Industrial additive classes found: bulking agent, color (added), emulsifier, flavoring, humectant, industrial protein, modified starch, non-nutritive sweetener, sugar alcohol (polyol) and thickener, stabilizer or gelling agent. [14]
subtotal−26

Nutrition per 100 g

  • Sugars 9.3 g / 100 g
    Strong High in sugar. [1]
  • Saturated fat 1.2 g / 100 g
    Strong Contains some saturated fat. [15]
  • Salt 0.3 g / 100 g
    Strong Contains some salt. [16]
  • Fiber 7 g / 100 g
    Strong A good source of fiber. [2]
subtotal−3
TOTAL 21Poor

100 − 79 = 21

Can’t score above 79. Contains sugar, an ingredient of high concern. [1][2][3][4][5][6][7]

GTIN 00858089003135 · 2026-10-02

score v1.3.0 · kb 2026.10.11

Medium confidence

Same product, same score. Every time.

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy116 kcal
Fat2.3 g
Saturated fat1.2 g
Trans fat0 g
Carbohydrates26.7 g
Sugars9.3 g
Added sugars4.7 g
Fiber7 g
Protein7 g
Salt0.3 g

Serving: 1 pint (473 ml)

Ingredients

High Moderate Not recognized Tap an ingredient for its evidence and rules.
Label text, as published

ULTRAFILTERED SKIM MILK*, SKIM MILK, SOLUBLE CORN FIBER, ERYTHRITOL, CREAM, SUGAR, VEGETABLE GLYCERIN, CONTAINS 2% OR LESS OF WHEAT FLOUR, NATURAL FLAVORS, ISOMALT, PALM OIL, SORBITOL, COCOA PROCESSED WITH ALKALI, INULIN, FOOD STARCH-MODIFIED, SALT, BAKING SODA, STEVIA LEAF EXTRACT (REB M), STEVIA LEAF EXTRACT (REB A), VITAMIN A PALMITATE, MONO AND DIGLYCERIDES, CELLULOSE GEL, CELLULOSE GUM, CARAMEL COLOR.

Allergens and diets

Contains: Milk, Wheat, Gluten, Egg

  • Not vegan
  • Not gluten-free
  • Not palm-oil-free

Always check the package: recipes change.

Healthiest ice creams in the US

More from Halo Top

Sources

  1. Guideline: sugars intake for adults and children

    World Health Organization · Mar 4, 2015 · Agency assessment

    “In both adults and children, WHO recommends reducing the intake of free sugars to less than 10% of total energy intake”

    who.int

  2. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025–2030

    U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture · January 2026 · Regulator

    “Limit foods and beverages that include artificial flavors, petroleum-based dyes, artificial preservatives, and low-calorie non-nutritive sweeteners.”

    cdn.realfood.gov

  3. Added and free sugars should be as low as possible

    European Food Safety Authority · Feb 28, 2022 · Agency assessment

    “Sugar consumption is a known cause of dental caries.”

    efsa.europa.eu

  4. Questions & Answers About 4-MEI

    U.S. Food and Drug Administration · Mar 27, 2020 · Regulator

    “Based on current science, the FDA has no reason to believe that there are any immediate or short-term health risks presented by 4-MEI at the levels expected in food.”

    fda.gov

  5. Agents Classified by the IARC Monographs, Volumes 1–142 (List of Classifications)

    International Agency for Research on Cancer (WHO) · IARC

    monographs.iarc.who.int

  6. Caramel Color in Soft Drinks and Exposure to 4-Methylimidazole: A Quantitative Risk Assessment

    PLOS ONE · Feb 18, 2015 · Peer-reviewed

    doi.org

  7. Proposition 65 List of Chemicals Known to the State to Cause Cancer or Reproductive Toxicity

    California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) · Jul 31, 2026 · Law

    “The date refers to the initial appearance of the chemical on the list.”

    oehha.ca.gov

  8. The artificial sweetener erythritol and cardiovascular event risk

    Nature Medicine · March 2023 · Peer-reviewed

    “Our findings reveal that erythritol is both associated with incident MACE risk and fosters enhanced thrombosis. Studies assessing the long-term safety of erythritol are warranted.”

    doi.org

  9. Re-evaluation of erythritol (E 968) as a food additive (plain language summary)

    European Food Safety Authority · Dec 20, 2023 · Agency assessment

    “In all groups of people, both acute and chronic exposure to erythritol is above the newly set ADI.”

    efsa.europa.eu

  10. Randomized Controlled-Feeding Study of Dietary Emulsifier Carboxymethylcellulose Reveals Detrimental Impacts on the Gut Microbiota and Metabolome

    Gastroenterology · March 2022 · Peer-reviewed

    “Relative to control subjects, CMC consumption modestly increased postprandial abdominal discomfort and perturbed gut microbiota composition in a way that reduced its diversity.”

    doi.org

  11. Dietary emulsifiers impact the mouse gut microbiota promoting colitis and metabolic syndrome

    Nature · Mar 5, 2015 · Peer-reviewed

    “carboxymethylcellulose and polysorbate-80, induced low-grade inflammation and obesity/metabolic syndrome in wild-type hosts and promoted robust colitis in mice predisposed to this disorder.”

    doi.org

  12. Food additive emulsifiers and risk of cardiovascular disease in the NutriNet-Santé cohort: prospective cohort study

    BMJ · Sep 6, 2023 · Peer-reviewed

    “This study found positive associations between risk of CVD and intake of five individual and two groups of food additive emulsifiers widely used in industrial foods.”

    doi.org

  13. Re-evaluation of celluloses E 460(i), E 460(ii), E 461, E 462, E 463, E 464, E 465, E 466, E 468 and E 469 as food additives

    European Food Safety Authority · Jan 16, 2018 · Agency assessment

    “The Panel concluded that there was no need for a numerical ADI and that there would be no safety concern at the reported uses and use levels for the unmodified and modified celluloses”

    doi.org

  14. Ultra-processed foods: what they are and how to identify them

    Public Health Nutrition · April 2019 · Peer-reviewed

    doi.org

  15. Saturated fatty acid and trans-fatty acid intake for adults and children: WHO guideline

    World Health Organization · Jul 17, 2023 · Agency assessment

    “WHO recommends that adults and children reduce saturated fatty acid intake to 10% of total energy intake (strong recommendation).”

    who.int

  16. Sodium reduction (fact sheet)

    World Health Organization · May 11, 2026 · Agency assessment

    “For adults, WHO recommends less than 2000 mg/day of sodium (equivalent to less than 5 g/day salt), or just under a teaspoon.”

    who.int

  17. Ultra-processed food exposure and adverse health outcomes: umbrella review of epidemiological meta-analyses

    BMJ · Feb 28, 2024 · Peer-reviewed

    “Greater exposure to ultra-processed food was associated with a higher risk of adverse health outcomes, especially cardiometabolic, common mental disorder, and mortality outcomes.”

    doi.org

  18. Ultra-Processed Diets Cause Excess Calorie Intake and Weight Gain: An Inpatient Randomized Controlled Trial of Ad Libitum Food Intake

    Cell Metabolism · July 2019 · Peer-reviewed

    doi.org

  19. WHO advises not to use non-sugar sweeteners for weight control in newly released guideline

    World Health Organization · May 15, 2023 · Agency assessment

    “The recommendation is based on the findings of a systematic review of the available evidence which suggests that use of NSS does not confer any long-term benefit in reducing body fat in adults or children.”

    who.int

  20. Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011, Annex III point 2.4 (foods with more than 10 % added polyols)

    European Union (Official Journal) · Oct 25, 2011 · Law

    “‘excessive consumption may produce laxative effects’.”

    eur-lex.europa.eu

  21. 21 CFR 184.1835 Sorbitol

    Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), U.S. Office of the Federal Register · Nov 22, 2016 · Law

    ““Excess consumption may have a laxative effect.””

    ecfr.gov

  22. Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/915 of 25 April 2023 on maximum levels for certain contaminants in food

    European Union (Official Journal) · Apr 25, 2023 · Law

    “Glycidyl fatty acid esters, expressed as glycidol”

    eur-lex.europa.eu