Clear some space in your freezers, folks, because there's a new healthy ice cream brand [1] in town, and you're going to want every single flavor. World, meet Culture Republick [2]. It's the first-ever light ice cream that's jam-packed with live probiotic cultures, aka the good-for-your-gut stuff that help regulate your digestive system [3]. POPSUGAR got the inside scoop (corny pun fully intended) on the new brand and taste tested all seven flavors before it hits select store shelves, and we definitely think it ranks among the best in the now-saturated world of healthy ice creams.
First, let's discuss some fun stats about what makes Culture Republick so crave-worthy, shall we? For starters, each pint contains 3 billion (yes, billion) live and active cultures to help get your gut health back on track. On top of that, every pint boasts just 410 to 490 calories, a whopping 16 to 18 grams of protein, and 11 to 13 grams of fiber, depending on the flavor.
They all have a smooth, creamy texture and don't taste out of the ordinary in any way due to the added probiotics.
Speaking of the flavors, there are seven of 'em [4], and each mashup is just as mouthwatering as the next. There are Milk & Honey, Chocolate & Cherry, Lemon & Graham, Pistachio & Salted Caramel, Turmeric Chai & Cinnamon, Cold Brew & Chocolate Chip (my personal favorite), and Matcha & Fudge. They all have a smooth, creamy texture and don't taste out of the ordinary in any way due to the added probiotics. I mean, wouldn't you rather devour a nightly bowlful of Chocolate & Cherry ice cream rather than take a supplemental probiotic pill [5] every day?
Another cool tidbit about Culture Republick: the brand partnered with up-and-coming artists to design the colorful pint packaging, and it plans to donate 10 percent of its profits to support the arts in local communities. How rad is that?
Culture Republick's probiotic ice creams are starting to roll out this month at select retailers [6], including Meijer, Shoprite, certain Target stores, and Albertsons, Safeways, and Rite Aids located in California, just to name a few. The pints will cost $4 to $5, which is definitely a lot more affordable than some of the overpriced competitors out there. Read on for a full breakdown of the nutritional facts for each flavor of this gut-friendly dessert, along with some candid thoughts that my fellow POPSUGAR employees and I had during our in-office taste test.
Milk & Honey
This low-key flavor brings together a sweet ice cream and swirls of wildflower honey. The taste is simple and somewhat reminded me of birthday cake, and the consistency was one of the creamiest of the bunch.
Nutrition info for the Milk & Honey flavor [7] (per 2/3-cup serving size):
- Calories: 150
- Total Fat: 4.5 grams
- Total Carbohydrates: 22 grams
- Dietary Fiber: 4 grams
- Total Sugars: 17 grams
- Protein: 6 grams
Turmeric Chai & Cinnamon
This one really packs in the spices, combining a turmeric and chai spice blend with swirls of cinnamon streusel. It was a tad too heavy on the spices for my liking, but a few other POPSUGAR taste testers were all about it, with one comparing it to a "spiced pumpkin pie" and another likening it to a cross between a chai tea latte and golden milk [8].
Nutrition info for the Turmeric Chai & Cinnamon flavor [9] (per 2/3-cup serving size):
- Calories: 160
- Total Fat: 6 grams
- Total Carbohydrates: 22 grams
- Dietary Fiber: 4 grams
- Total Sugars: 15 grams
- Protein: 6 grams
Chocolate & Cherry
This decadent combination melds together light chocolate ice cream made with extra cocoa and light cherry-flavored ice cream made with Bordeaux cherry chunks. Though some POPSUGAR employees thought it could've used a tad more of a chocolaty taste, others agreed that it was a major hit.
Nutrition info for the Chocolate & Cherry flavor [10] (per 2/3-cup serving size):
- Calories: 140
- Total Fat: 5 grams
- Total Carbohydrates: 19 grams
- Dietary Fiber: 4 grams
- Total Sugars: 13 grams
- Protein: 6 grams
Cold Brew & Chocolate Chip
Made with fair trade Brazilian and Colombian coffee extract and semisweet chocolate chips, this flavor was an undeniable favorite among the in-office taste testers. One POPSUGAR employee noted that the chocolate chips added a welcome crunch and texture, while another called out that it would be delicious in a smoothie.
Nutrition info for the Cold Brew & Chocolate Chip flavor [11] (per 2/3-cup serving size):
- Calories: 160
- Total Fat: 7 grams
- Total Carbohydrates: 21 grams
- Dietary Fiber: 4 grams
- Total Sugars: 15 grams
- Protein: 6 grams
Pistachio & Salted Caramel
Yep, there are real chopped pistachios incorporated into this interesting flavor mashup! Though they do add a nice crunch, the pistachio pieces actually end up outshining the salted caramel swirls a bit.
Nutrition info for the Pistachio & Salted Caramel flavor [12] (per 2/3-cup serving size):
- Calories: 160
- Total Fat: 6 grams
- Total Carbohydrates: 21 grams
- Dietary Fiber: 4 grams
- Total Sugars: 14 grams
- Protein: 6 grams
Matcha & Fudge
Inspired by matcha tea, this flavor is made with fresh cream, real cane sugar, and swirls of fudge. Though it was a bit too earthy for my liking, other matcha-loving POPSUGAR employees thoroughly enjoyed it.
Nutrition info for the Matcha & Fudge flavor [13] (per 2/3-cup serving size):
- Calories: 150
- Total Fat: 6 grams
- Total Carbohydrates: 21 grams
- Dietary Fiber: 4 grams
- Total Sugars: 16 grams
- Protein: 6 grams
Lemon & Graham
This flavor is sort of like the ice cream version of a lemon bar, combining tangy lemon ice cream with a graham cracker crumb swirl. While this wasn't necessarily my favorite flavor, as the notes of lemon were too strong for my taste buds, others compared it to the Savannah Smiles Girl Scout Cookies.
Nutrition info for the Lemon & Graham flavor [14] (per 2/3-cup serving size):
- Calories: 160
- Total Fat: 7 grams
- Total Carbohydrates: 22 grams
- Dietary Fiber: 4 grams
- Total Sugars: 15 grams
- Protein: 5 grams