But there are no other innovative, award winning, great tasting ice creams that have entered the sleep friendly category.
"A recent survey found that more than half of Americans consider ice cream an evening snack, with an additional quarter classifying it a late-night indulgence. Ice cream was named the second most popular night snack choice, according to research firm Mintel.
The truth is, all that fat and sugar right before bed is actually disruptive to catching those zzzs. But since some traditions are not to be messed with, what if we could tweak that frozen wonder to make it a little bit less taxing on one’s body?
That’s the premise of functional food startup Nightfood’s line of what it calls “sleep-friendly” ice cream. Launching in February, the brand says its confections will complement the human sleep cycle.
The $4.99 pints, the company says, have a balance of fiber, protein, and (less) sugar, which its scientific advisors (sleep experts Michael Breus and Michael Grandner along with nutritionist and sleep therapist Lauren Broch) helped formulate. Ingredients include a protein that’s relatively low in lactose, as well as minerals, amino acids, and enzymes they say aid sleep and reduce acid reflux.
Nightfood comes in eight tried-and-true flavors like chocolate, vanilla, chocolate chip cookie dough, and decaf coffee, all tailored to promote better rest. The Cherry Eclipse flavor, for example, relies on a specific type of cherry that’s naturally highest in melatonin. Other products are made from Chocamine, a cocoa-based ingredient that tastes just like the real thing but without the caffeine kick.
“We looked at everything through the prism of sleep,” founder Sean Folkson tells Fast Company. “It’s not about, like, dropping an Ambien or some sleep aid into the product; it’s about making ice cream in a way that’s less disruptive.”
