Ice cream that can help you lose weight sounds like some cruel oxymoron dreamed up by a fictional email spammer, but a new low fat, gluten-free, no sugar, 'protein' ice cream promises to do just that.
Most of us would normally laugh such a product off, but when one of the world's biggest male supermodels - David Gandy - decided to back the venture, we sat up and paid attention. (Sorry, we are shallow - but have you seen what he looks like? See below for a reminder.)
Wheyhey launched at the start of the year and has just become available on Ocado.
We tried it in the office - and the conclusion was that while we're too lazy to give up a real tub of Green and Black's, it would make a good addition to a diet and fitness regime.
In other words, if you want a treat but your diet doesn't allow it, this whey protein ice cream fits the bill nicely. The 22g of protein means you'll feel fuller for longer, and because it doesn't have any sugar in it, you won't be feeling the imminent sugar crash that comes with most sweet things. Xylitol, which is a natural sweetener, is used to flavour it.
Each tub is 165 in calories, and other health enthusiasts such as David Haye and the Six Nations rugby team have given it the thumbs up.
HuffPost UK Lifestyle caught up with David to find out what he thought about it.
It sounds too good to be true - is it?
I have done talks before at Oxford on body image, and it usually diverts into how I work out and how I achieve what I do. Someone always wants the magic pill, they don't want to be told that actually, it's just blood, sweat and tears, four times a week in the gym.
Nutrition is such a huge part of being healthy and staying in shape and we fall behind on a lot of other countries in nutrition. When you say something is protein – people say, 'Oh no, am I going to look like Arnold Schwarzenegger' which is just impossible, and it highlights the lack of awareness about nutrition. It's no coincidence we are the most obese country in Europe.
There is no quick solution, but when I saw Wheyhey, I thought, well that IS a solution. This is a guilt-free way of eating ice cream and it is totally natural. When I heard about it I almost thought it was too good to be true and a lot of personal trainers and people I’ve introduced it to have said they couldn't believe it was sugar and gluten free. But they've loved it.
Do you end up compromising on the taste though?
If you just gave it to people without telling them what it actually is, they would love it. People say 'it actually tastes like ice cream my grandmother used to give me'. Plus, it's a natural product. People look at fat as being bad, but really when you look at things that are fat-free they are actually full of sugar. This isn't."
It was always going to come down to this - what are your fitness tips?
There are some key points – everyone has a different metabolism and you do have to adapt your workout to your eating habits. think about weight loss as mathematics – whatever you put in, you subtract with exercise. We aren’t saying you have to be completely cold turkey and go on a strict diet – I do indulge - but the things I do eat are organic and natural.
"If you have nutritional awareness, people an achieve results a lot quicker. Be aware of what your putting in your body and protein is such an important part of the body and a fuel provider.
What did the HuffPost UK editors have to say about it?
Protein Ice Cream - The Verdict
Wheyhey will be launching in Ocado on 14 of August and is currently available from Holland & Barrett, Whole Foods, Planet Organic, As Nature Intended, GNC and Urban Kitchen, as well as select gyms. It retails for £2.69 per 150ml tub.