Stevia: Stevia is a very sweet herb from South America that’s available in powder and liquid form at health-food stores. It’s said to be 250x sweeter than sugar so you only need a little bit.

Single Blossom Honey (red clover or orange blossom) or Agave Nectar: both are low-glycemic but high caloric & carbohydrate.

Whey Low® for Ice Cream : This healthful, patented blend of fruit sugar, table sugar, and milk sugar offers an amazing 70 to 80% lower glycemic index, 75% lower caloric value, and 75% lower effective carbohydrate (or net impact carbohydrate) count than sugar when incorporated into sweet dairy products like ice cream.

Natural sugar substitutes should be used in moderation, just like you would regular sugar.

Here’s a great recipe for chocolate ice cream using agave nectar:

From David Lebovitz’s Living the Sweet Life in Paris

CHOCOLATE AGAVE ICE CREAM

10 tablespoons (155 ml) agave nectar
2 ounces (55 g) unsweetened chocolate, very finely chopped
1/3 cup (35 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
3 cups (750 ml) half-and-half, divided
5 large egg yolks
pinch of salt

1. In a small saucepan, warm the agave syrup with the unsweetened chocolate over the lowest heat possible, stirring constantly, until the chocolate is melted. Remove from heat and transfer mixtures to a large bowl. Set aside.

2. In a medium saucepan, add 1½ cups (375 ml) of the half-and-half and whisk in the cocoa powder. Cook over moderate heat until the mixture begins to bubble, then simmer for 30 seconds, whisking frequently, making sure to break up any clumps of cocoa powder.

3. Remove from heat and scrape the mixture into the bowl with the chocolate-agave mixture. Stir them together, then set a mesh strainer over the top.

4. Add the remaining half-and-half to the saucepan with a pinch of salt, turn on the heat, and when warm, slowly pour the warm half-and-half into the yolks whisking constantly, then pour the warmed yolks back into the saucepan.

5. Cook, stirring constantly over moderate heat, until the mixture becomes steamy and thickens. If using an instant-read thermometer, it should read about 170-175F degrees. (76-79C).

6. Pour the mixture through the strainer into the chocolate mixture.

7. Stir, then let cool a few minutes until tepid. Once it’s not super hot, whiz the mixture in a blender for ten seconds until it’s smooth and velvety. (Never blend very hot liquids in a blender, since it creates a hot vortex and can cause the liquid to blast out of the top.)

8. Chill thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Makes 1 quart so it’s PERFECT for your PLAY & FREEZE!