Ultra-processed foods and sweets
Vanilla ice cream
Per 100 g (3.5 oz), vanilla ice cream provides 3.5 g of protein, 0.7 g of fiber, and 207 kcal, a moderate energy density.
Estimated satietyHow it is calculated
Estimated satiety: 1 out of 5
| Starting point | +1 |
|---|---|
| Moderate energy density | 0 |
Our own estimate from the values per 100 g: useful for comparing foods with each other, not a measurement in people. Holt index (1995): 96 (white bread = 100).
- Prepared by
- Alex Gonzalez
- Last updated
- Next review
- Sources
- 11 primary
- Data
- USDA FDC 167575
No clinical review. No advertising from drug companies and no affiliate links.How we work
Nutrition facts
- Calories
- 207 kcal per serving
- 207 kcal per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- Protein
- 3.5 g per serving
- 3.5 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- Carbohydrates
- 23.6 g per serving
- 23.6 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- of which sugars
- 21.2 g per serving
- 21.2 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- Fiber
- 0.7 g per serving
- 0.7 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- Fat
- 11 g per serving
- 11 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- of which saturated
- 6.8 g per serving
- 6.8 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- Water
- 61 g per serving
- 61 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Source: USDA FoodData Central: Ice creams, vanilla (FDC ID 167575), accessed September 23, 2026.
A typical 100 g (3.5 oz, about 3/4 cup) serving provides about 207 kcal, 3.5 g of protein, and 0.7 g of fiber.
What it is and how to eat it
The DLE, the Spanish-language dictionary, defines helado as a sweet food, usually made with milk or fruit juice, eaten at some degree of freezing, and records nieve with that meaning in Mexico; the Diccionario de americanismos lists nieve, ice cream made with fruit juice or milk, in Mexico, Guatemala and Nicaragua. This page covers vanilla ice cream according to USDA, with 207 kcal, 11 g of fat, 6.79 g of it saturated, 21.2 g of sugars, 3.5 g of protein and 61 g of water per 100 g.
Half a cup, 66 g according to USDA, provides 137 kcal, 7.3 g of fat and 14 g of sugars, with 2.3 g of protein. The 2025 nutrition advisory on GLP-1 therapy lists enjoying portion-controlled treats among the habits to encourage, but suggests avoiding fatty or high-fiber foods in the first days of treatment, so in those days a small portion or waiting fits better. If reflux shows up at night, the NIDDK, part of the U.S. National Institutes of Health, notes that eating at least 3 hours before lying down may improve symptoms, which applies to dessert too. For a dessert with much more protein, the Greek yogurt cup with pomegranate, mandarin, and walnuts is an alternative.
What the evidence says
In the Holt satiety index (1995), ice cream scored 96, almost the same as white bread (100), in 240 kcal servings, and in the 2008 international tables its glycemic index is low, 51, although the authors warn that the index should not be used in isolation. Its 21.2 g of sugars per 100 g include lactose from milk, which WHO does not count among free sugars, and added sugar, which does count toward the limit of 10% of daily energy, about 50 g on a 2,000 kcal diet. Its 6.79 g of saturated fat per 100 g add up to 4.5 g in half a cup, about a fifth of the roughly 22 g that equal 10% of energy on a 2,000 kcal diet, the maximum WHO recommends (my calculation). With 128 mg of calcium per 100 g it exceeds the 120 mg the EU requires for the claim "source of calcium", although half a cup provides 84 mg, about 10% of the 800 mg reference value (Regulations (EC) No 1924/2006 and (EU) No 1169/2011).
Satiety
The 1 to 5 score is our own estimate: it starts at 1 point, adds points for low energy density, for protein and fiber per 100 kcal, and for the water in solid foods, and subtracts points for drinks with calories. It is useful for comparing foods with each other; it is not a measurement in people.
This food was measured in people: in the satiety index by Holt and colleagues (1995), which compared 240 kcal servings of 38 foods over two hours, it scored 96 versus 100 for white bread. In other words, it was less filling than the same calories of white bread. Source: Holt SH, Miller JC, Petocz P, Farmakalidis E. A satiety index of common foods. Eur J Clin Nutr. 1995;49(9):675-90.
What to keep in mind on a GLP-1 medication
Frequently asked questions about vanilla ice cream
How many grams of protein are in a 100 g (3.5 oz) serving of vanilla ice cream?
100 g (3.5 oz) of vanilla ice cream has 3.5 g of protein. A typical 100 g (3.5 oz) serving has about 3.5 g of protein. That is 1.7 g of protein per 100 kcal.
How many kcal are in a 100 g (3.5 oz) serving of vanilla ice cream?
100 g (3.5 oz) of vanilla ice cream has 207 kcal. A typical 100 g (3.5 oz) serving has about 207 kcal. That is a moderate energy density.
How much fiber is in a 100 g (3.5 oz) serving of vanilla ice cream?
100 g (3.5 oz) of vanilla ice cream has 0.7 g of fiber. A typical 100 g (3.5 oz) serving has about 0.7 g of fiber.
Does vanilla ice cream keep you full?
Barely filling for the calories it provides: our estimated satiety score is 1 out of 5. It is based on: moderate energy density. It was also measured in people: in the Holt satiety index (1995), with 240 kcal servings, it scored 96 versus 100 for white bread.
What should I know about vanilla ice cream if I take Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, or Zepbound and feel nauseous?
Based on our tags, this is what matters about vanilla ice cream on a GLP-1 medication. “May worsen nausea”: a fatty or fried food; fatty meals are digested more slowly and can make nausea and heaviness worse. These are general guidelines, not medical advice: everyone tolerates foods differently.
What is a typical serving of vanilla ice cream?
We use 100 g (3.5 oz) as a typical serving, about 3/4 cup. That amount provides about 207 kcal, 3.5 g of protein, and 0.7 g of fiber. It is a reference for calculations, not a recommendation of how much to eat.
Similar foods
Sources
Sources for the data on this page, with the access date.
- Official databaseU.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service.USDA FoodData Central: Ice creams, vanilla (FDC ID 167575).accessed .
- Clinical trialEuropean Journal of Clinical Nutrition.Holt SH, Miller JC, Petocz P, Farmakalidis E. A satiety index of common foods. Eur J Clin Nutr. 1995;49(9):675-90.accessed .
- InstitutionRoyal Spanish Academy and Association of Academies of the Spanish Language (RAE-ASALE).Diccionario de la lengua española (Dictionary of the Spanish Language, 23rd ed., online version): "helado" (in Spanish).accessed .
- InstitutionRoyal Spanish Academy and Association of Academies of the Spanish Language (RAE-ASALE).Diccionario de la lengua española (Dictionary of the Spanish Language, 23rd ed., online version): "nieve" (in Spanish).accessed .
- InstitutionAssociation of Academies of the Spanish Language (ASALE).Diccionario de americanismos (Dictionary of Americanisms): "nieve" (in Spanish).accessed .
- Clinical guidelineObesity (Wiley).Mozaffarian D, et al. Nutritional priorities to support GLP-1 therapy for obesity: A joint Advisory from the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, the American Society for Nutrition, the Obesity Medicine Association, and The Obesity Society. Obesity. 2025;33(8):1475-1503. doi:10.1002/oby.24336.accessed .
- InstitutionNational Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIH).Eating, Diet, & Nutrition for GER & GERD.accessed .
- Official databaseDiabetes Care (American Diabetes Association).Atkinson FS, Foster-Powell K, Brand-Miller JC. International tables of glycemic index and glycemic load values: 2008. Diabetes Care. 2008;31(12):2281-2283. doi:10.2337/dc08-1239.accessed .
- InstitutionWorld Health Organization.Healthy diet (fact sheet, sections on free sugars and fats).accessed .
- RegulatorOfficial Journal of the European Union (EUR-Lex).Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 on nutrition and health claims made on foods (Annex).accessed .
- RegulatorOfficial Journal of the European Union (EUR-Lex).Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 on the provision of food information to consumers (Annex XIII, nutrient reference values).accessed .