You may have heard of the "miracle" ice cream called Halo Top. This low cal, high protein dessert is making ice cream lovers' dreams come true by offering a healthy dessert. And apparently its sparked a revolution because a new ice cream claims to have the same flavor and benefits. It's called Enlightened, and I'm excited to try it.
I was curious to see how the new kid on the block would stack up to the hometown hero, so I decided to do a little taste-test based mostly on texture and flavor.
After being sent some samples of flavors, and at the risk of overdoing it, I decided to stick with 5 of what I thought were most popular ice cream flavors in general.
How do Halo Tops infamously delicious and creamy flavors compare to Enlightened? Find out below (in no particular order).
Chocolate
Halo Top: This is a favorite flavor of mine. Though the color is a bit lighter than your typical chocolate ice cream, the flavor is all there. I'm a classic chocolate gal all the way, and Halo Top's chocolate ice cream (once left out for a little bit to thaw) is perfectly creamy with just the right amount of chocolate-y flavor.
Ranking: 9/10
Enlightened: This version of chocolate had the same amount of calories, but reminded me more of a creamier version, yet same flavor as, a fudgesicle. And I used to loooooove fudgesicles.
Ranking: 9/10
Winner: Tie. I think they ranked kind of the same for me because both had different positives. If you're looking for that rich, creamy chocolate, Halo Top is your best bet on this one. But if you want a solid chocolate that isn't too decadent, go with Enlightened.
Vanilla
Halo Top: More creamy than your average ice cream, I guess the best comparison I can give this one is to Coldstone. Smooth and distinctive vanilla bean flavor that is rich and complex enough to stack up to a real vanilla bean flavor at any ice cream scoop shop.
Ranking: 9/10
Enlightened: This had a Haagen Daaz vanilla bean-like flavor at first, but then gives way to what I can only describe as a kind of artificial sweetener aftertaste. It wasn't unpleasant, but not the ideal flavor either. It did have an incredibly satisfying silky smooth texture.
Ranking: 7/10
Winner: Both pleasant enough, but Halo Top made for a more exciting and tasty vanilla.
Birthday Cake
Halo Top: First off, I was kind of disappointed to see there were no cake bits in here. Maybe I missed them, but really thats most of the excitement of cake batter ice cream. There were sprinkles, though, albeit very . And the taste was pretty similar to cake batter ice cream at Cold Stone Creamery, but lighter in flavor.
Ranking: 9/10
Enlightened: Also a solid white colored base with tons of sprinkles. The sprinkles in this one were wayyyy more visible in this one. The taste was pretty similar too, although this one was a bit stronger on the batter flavor, yet somehow less creamy.
Ranking: 9/10
Winner: Like the chocolates this one was a tie. Just depends on what you're looking for more in terms of flavor and texture.
Cold Brew Coffee/Chocolate Mocha Chip
Halo Top: The Halo Top labeled this one as Chocolate Mocha Chip. There is a strong waft of chocolate when you open the container, but when you dig in for your first spoonful, all you taste is coffee. If you're a coffee lover, you'll love this flavor.
Ranking: 7/10
Enlightened: This version was more vanilla in color. When it came to taste it was a bit lighter than the other, probably due to the lack of mocha to bring it out, but still definitvely coffee-esque. I actually prefer less coffee because I'm not a coffee fan, but that's just me.
Ranking: 7/10
Winner: Depends on whether you like your coffee strong or light. If strong, go with Halo Top, but if light, go with Enlightened- no pun intended.
Red Velvet
Halo Top: Red Velvet was more pink than red, but this one did have chunks of Red Velvet cake in it, so points for that. It also did taste very similar to the real thing. There's a strong cocoa flavor that gives way to some very mild but fruity elements and even a hint of something a bit savory, which made it surprisingly well-balanced.
Ranking: 8/10
Enlightened: As good as I thought Halo Top's Red Velvet was, I wasn't prepared for Enlightened. The color is more of a light chocolate, but it came with swirls of cream cheese (a la frosting-style) and had a rich cocoa flavor mixed in. It was also less overtly rich, so it went down a bit easier (and was less calories).
Ranking: 9/10
Winner: By a small margin, Enlightened slipped through to take this one, but you honestly can't go wrong with either.
The Verdict
A lot of the flavors were both equally good, but in different ways. For some, I preferred Halo Top, and others Enlightened based purely on personal preference. Enlightened has some pretty innovative flavors too and seems to be coming out with even more. They are definitely a contender for some great, low cal ice cream and I can't wait to see what both have in the works for the future
They are definitely a contender for some great, low cal ice cream and I can't wait to see what both have in the works for the future. So if you haven't tried it, I suggest you go check them out ASAP.