Perfect World Sweet Espresso Ice Cream

Another ice cream review today, and this time it's for Perfect World's new Sweet Espresso variety, which is part of their newly revamped range alongside the existing Caramel and Pecan, the new Raspberry Ripple, Pistachio, Mint Choc Chip and Double Choc Chip. All of Perfect World's ice creams are suitable for vegans, gluten and dairy free and sugar free. They're made with a blend of xylitol, stevia and erythritol and contain coconut milk plus nut paste. The range is available from www.ocado.com and some Tesco's (if it isn't stocked locally please do request they sell it).

As well as being free from most allergens this ice cream is also high in 12 vitamins and minerals, and contains only 4.1g natural sugars and 396 calories per tub. Pretty healthy! It's described as a "non dairy coffee flavoured ice cream with espresso concentrate and sweeteners".

Coffee ice cream can be a bit hit and miss I find, in that it's usually too weak in flavour but that certainly wasn't the case here! The flavour is strong and potent and tastes exactly like a sweet espresso. The texture of the ice cream is kind of like a gelato or sorbet, creamy and melt in the mouth but not too heavy. It's pleasant and works well for a coffee ice cream.

Overall, this is another tasty and healthy treat from Perfect World, perfect for vegans or anyone avoiding the sugar, plus it gives you a nice little coffee hit to boot. Recommended!

8 out of 10. 

Ingredients: water, sweeteners (erythritol, xylitol, steviol glycosides), coconut milk, soluble gluco fibre, almonds, cashews, tapioca starch, vegetable glycerine, espresso concentrate, stabilisers (guar gum, carob bean gum, xanthan gum), mono and diglycerides of fatty acids, salt, vitamins (D, E, B1 thiamin, B2 riboflavin, B3 niacin, B5 pantothetic acid, B7 biotin, B12), minerals (chromium, manganese, copper, zinc).

Nutrition Information (per 100ml): 68 Calories, 3.56 Fat, 11.1g Carbohydrates, 0.77g Sugars, 3.83g Fibre, 1.95g Protein.

Plamil So Free Espresso Dark Chocolate

Just a quick review today, and it's one for those who may be reducing or cutting out the sugar what with the news of the UK Sugar Tax coming into force. Most chocolate bars using sweeteners can often taste chemically or just "wrong", so how does Plamil's So Free Espresso bar fare?

Made with xylitol, a natural sweetener derived from birch, I found this bar in Holland and Barrett. It contains 72% cocoa solids, is gluten free, dairy free and suitable for vegans.

The bar has small segments you can break off. I went for the espresso variety simply because I was in need of an energy boost, and although the coffee only comes from flavouring I reasoned the placebo effect might still give me a boost!

And it was just what I needed for a sweet coffee hit. The chocolate gives a rich flavour, with the coffee lingering in the aftertaste whilst the xylitol makes it sweet enough to be palatable. It's not the same as sugar of course, and it does take a little getting used to, but it's pleasant and far more tolerable than a completely sugar free chocolate bar.

Overall, if you're reducing or cutting out the sugar, or even just avoiding dairy, I would recommend this bar for a sweet hit that is hopefully kinder to your health...and teeth! (xylitol apparently prevents tooth decay).

8 out of 10. 

The Primal Pantry Double Espresso Protein Bar

When I'm trying to eat healthy (#thestruggleisreal!) I do like a nice refined sugar, gluten and dairy free snack to munch on. There's always the trusty, tasty Nakd bars on hand in most shops, but a lesser-known brand is The Primal Pantry, who make Paleo and Vegan approved bars with ingredients like nuts, dried fruit, coconut sugar etc. I've tried their stuff before and really enjoyed it. So when I spotted this caffeine infused Espresso variety in the Co Op recently I got very excited indeed - probably too excited, must have been the thought of that shake-inducing caffeine!

Described as simply a "Double Espresso Protein Bar" it contains real coffee beans and seemed to be promising an energy boost in bar form - protein AND coffee all at once?! Can't get more #fitfam than that ey?

Unfortunately, the bar turned out to be a bit pants. Overlooking the fact it looked like something you'd find in your pants, the texture was my first point of contention: it tasted gritty and unpleasant, no doubt due to the hemp used to boost the protein content. If that wasn't bad enough the density was neither firm nor chewy but sort of soft and squidgy, because Primal Pantry have used coconut nectar as the sweetener and it didn't work well to hold the texture of the bar. On top of that, the espresso flavour was not a strong shot of the good stuff but instead tasted of cheap coffee.

Overall, I don't really care how much protein or caffeine this contains, those are just bonuses because the most important thing is the taste, and it just didn't deliver. Sorry Primal Pantry - as much as I liked your other bars this one really falls short.

Ingredients: Dates, hemp protein 26%, coconut nectar, almonds, coffee beans 5%, caffeine extract from coffee beans (0.18%).

Nutrition Information (per bar): 196 Calories, 4g Fat, 24g Carbohydrates, 21g Sugars, 3g Fibre, 15g Protein.

5 out of 10.