From sugar-free to organic, healthy ice creams is a new trend picking up amongst Mangaloreans. Citizens of the port city, who are becoming aware on the concept of organic food and healthy eating are now preferring their desserts to be made from unadulterated natural products.
As a result, new ice-cream brands that have left out artificial colouring agents and stabilizers from their ingredient list are winning hearts of Mangaloreans.
Farmer's gift
Satvam Organics, a small outlet selling organic foods and veggies gained popularity for a new range of organic ice-creams with local fruit flavours, such as Kokum, Ginger, Elaichi, Cashew, Vanilla, Jackfruit, Coconut among others.
These ice-creams are prepared by Vasantha Kaje, who works as an IT professional for Infosys on weekdays and claims to be a farmer on weekends.
Speaking to Deccan Herald, Kaje says that the ice-cream prepared by him is made only from organic products. "The milk for the ice-cream is from my dairy. We feed our cows with husk of grains, fodder and fresh green grass, hence the milk is free from antigens. The fruits are also either from our field or from our relatives field, and we use only natural fertilisers. The sugar used is also organic. Arrowroot is used as a thickening agent, instead of stabilisers. Our ice-cream may not be very creamy, but is definitely healthy," says Kaje and adds that the ice-cream is served in cups made from palm leaves.
"Organic ice-cream is definitely costlier than the other ice-creams as the ingredients are pricy. However, I do not have any profit motive. Giving Mangaloreans a taste of goodness is my only aim," he adds.
All organic
'Garden Bread- The taste of nature,' a new organic ice cream brand is all set to launch in Mangalore. Managing Partner of Garden Bread Sunny D'Souza tells Deccan Herald that the milk and sugar are purchased from certified organic food dealers and the fruits used are also grown organically.
"We have currently developed three flavours such as Chikoo, Papayya-Pineapple and Vanilla. We shall be adding coffee and pista and launching the brand in the market shortly," he said.
D'Souza adds that the ice-creams were introduced in an organic fair held in Mangalore recently, and was a hit among people.
Sugar-free
When one says Mangalore, Ideal ice-cream is the next thing that may pop-up in one’s mind as this ice-cream has won the hearts of port citizens for over decades.
Recently, Ideal has introduced sugar-free ice creams catering to the needs of people with diabetes and those on diet.
Mukund Kamath, the Proprietor of Ideal Ice Creams, reveals that the sugar-free ice-creams were produced catering to the demands of the customers, especially the diabetics.
"We have three flavours in this category such as Vanilla, Strawberry and Butterscotch. The sugar-free ice-cream can be consumed by anyone, as it is less in fat and calories. For those who are health conscious and yet cannot resist eating ice-cream, Ideal has introduced 'Low and Lite Gadbad," he said.
Natural
Since 1984, Natural is known to use only three ingredients - milk, sugar and fruits, says Natural Ice-Cream Director Srinivas Kamath.
"Compared to other ice-creams, Natural ice-creams have a shelf-life of only 15 days, as no preservatives and stabilizing agents are added. To maintain taste consistency, the best fruits are added in the ice-cream. Seethaphal and Coconut, seems to be the favourite flavours across the 115 Natural outlets in India," he said.
"Ice-cream is the favourite dessert in our home, after dinner. However, being health conscious, I was hesitant about consuming it frequently. Now, with a wide range of healthy ice-creams, I can enjoy a scoop without any guilt," opines Sanjana Shetty, a student from Mangalore.