I know this website is called My Wellbeing Journal but it’s not about eating so-called “clean” everyday, concerning yourself with calories, omitting the oil or pretending that brown rice tastes just as nice as the white stuff. No, this is a real look at what you can do in your day-to-day life to make yourself feel better while still getting satisfaction from your food.

And one of my favourite ways to achieve this dichotomy is by mixing high-calorie, high-saturated-fat foods with high-protein, high-fibre additions. Not only does this mean you get to have your cake and eat it too (literally) but you’re also unwittingly increasing your protein and fibre intake and minimising the chance of a glycemic spike (find more on the glycemic index in this post).

Enough drivvle – let’s dig in to the best healthy toppings for ice cream.

5 Healthy toppings for ice cream

1. Dried fruit

Dried fruit is naturally high in fibre, but choose wisely and consider texture. Figs, apricots and dates are some of the highest in fibre and, when chopped and mixed into ice cream, are great for making your mouth work and send the signals to your brain that you’re eating more than you think. Throw some seeds on top too for extra protein and for added bite.

If traditional dried fruit is a bit too messy for you or a bit too sugary, then try air-dried fruit. Air-dried fruit is much denser and chewier which can make your ice cream feel more indulgent. It is also much better at mimicking the look and feel of sprinkles a lot more than chopped dried banana, for instance.

UK company Squished produce absolutely brilliant air-dried blueberry, apple, and strawberry pieces which not only taste exquisite but are also made from ‘rescued’ fruit which would have otherwise gone to waste. Good for your wasteline, good for the world!

2. Natural yogurt

While this won’t give you any added texture, you might not want that from your ice cream experience. Perhaps it’s all about the creamy mouthfeel, in which case this hack is perfect for you. Mix 50% natural yogurt with 50% ice cream for the same delicious taste and sweet sensation without the glycemic overload and more protein to boot.

3. Slivered nuts

A big fat nut in your ice cream will definitely make you realise you’re trying to eat healthily (which can discourage your satisfaction with eating), so opt for slivered nuts that can be easily incorporated into a scoop of smooth ice cream. Almonds and pistachios are fantastic options as they’re super high in fibre and protein and offer a delicate nutty hit to every spoonful.

4. Dessicated coconut

If you love a Bounty bar (I know they’re divisive) then this is the right hack for you. Dessicated coconut gets those masticating muscles working while also pumping up your ice cream with lots of lovely healthy monounsatured fats which help to balance out the glycemic load of the sugary stuff.P

5. Peanut butter

I’ll put peanut butter in just about anything as it’s amazing for stopping blood sugar spikes and for filling you up on healthy fats and protein – which is why in ice cream it really does hit the spot.

Contributing to the creaminess, you don’t need to worry about your ice cream’s texture being thrown off and the nuttiness stays infused in every spoonful in a way that just adding chopping nuts won’t achieve. I’d recommend one tablespoon of high quality smooth peanut butter for every four tablespoons of ice cream for the best of both worlds.