15 Frosty Heart-Healthy Treats to Keep You Cool in the Summer

A typical lemon sorbet recipe consists of a mixture of water, lemon pulp, lemon juice and sugar. This recipe offers a blood sugar balancing twist. Skyr (as detailed by the USDA) is a thick, protein-rich yogurt that adds creaminess and helps maintain blood sugar balance, according to the Joslin Diabetes Center. In place of refined sugar, honey adds a touch of sweetness and a few trace minerals, per the USDA. Cool off with this sweet and tart dessert on a hot summer day.

These healthy ice pops are like dessert for breakfast. They combine the natural sweetness and fiber of fresh fruit with kefir, a fermented dairy drink that contains calcium and probiotics, per the USDA. Granola adds some healthy carbs and crunch. With just 4 ingredients, these pops are easy for anyone to make, and you can get creative with the fruit combos so you never get bored.

This frozen dessert is inspired by the blended yogurt drink lassi, which originated in India, according to Britannica. This recipe is made with probiotic-rich Greek yogurt, which helps populate the gut with beneficial bacteria that aid digestion and help the body make certain vitamins and amino acids, according to the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. A healthy dose of fiber from the mangoes gives those bacteria a boost. A pear lends a natural sweetness.

Make fruit a tasty dessert with these genius banana pops. Bananas contain potassium and magnesium — electrolytes that help ensure the body is properly hydrated, according to UCLA Health. A sprinkling of chopped nuts adds filling fiber and healthy fats.

Hawaiian shaved ice is a favorite of tourists and locals alike on the island, and it’s no wonder why. Sweet and cold is a recipe for refreshing! With its naturally high sugar content, pineapple is plenty sweet on its own, and packed with vitamins, minerals, and fiber, in contrast to shaved ice made with sugary syrups packed with artificial dyes.

Looking for a way to get a picky eater to eat more veggies? They’ll never even taste the baby spinach and baby kale in this pop (which has a strawberry-kiwi flavor), but will get added vitamins, fiber, and a few grams of protein. This pop also has unsaturated fats coming from avocado and chia seeds, as well as plenty of vitamin C from the kiwi and strawberries.

Ice cream’s notoriously high calorie count and unhealthy saturated fat content make it an occasional treat, but this simple, three-ingredient version uses low-fat cottage cheese in place of cream for a protein-rich, heart-healthy treat you can enjoy on the regular (and will want to, too)! As a bonus, this cottage-cheese ice cream boasts 15 g of protein and more than 3 g of fiber per serving.

Sweet potato may not be as popular a flavor as strawberry or lemon, but the natural sugars in this root vegetable make it an ideal dessert food. (It’s even in the name!) That means no added sugar needed—heat caramelizes those sugars, and freezing gives the roasted sweet potato a creamy texture similar to ice cream, but with a fraction of the fat, per the USDA. If you eat the skin, you can also get an extra boost of fiber.

This twist on chocolate bark uses yogurt as a base, so you get protein and probiotics, along with fresh fruit and pistachio crunch. It's tasty, healthy, and so easy to make: Just stir together and freeze. The cherries and berries are packed with antioxidants, which, the Mayo Clinic states, provide protection from free radicals and decrease risk of heart disease and certain types of cancer. Likewise, the pistachios are a rich source of healthy unsaturated fats, according to an article published in May 2016 in Nutrition Today, making this dessert a well-balanced indulgence.

Why add oil to frozen treats? Well, in addition to its heart-healthy mono- and polyunsaturated fats, olive oil makes the texture creamier than pops that rely on fat-free dairy to keep calories in check. These pops also spare you refined added sugar and provide a dose of blood-sugar-stabilizing protein. They make a refreshing pre- or post-workout snack; a study published in the January 2023 Nutrients points out that olive oil may enhance running performance.

Avocados in ice cream? Avocados are packed with healthy monounsaturated fats and lend a rich and smooth texture to this frozen dessert while replacing the unhealthy saturated fats in traditional ice cream. According to MedlinePlus, monounsaturated fats are beneficial for lowering LDL ("bad") cholesterol and reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke. A bonus: Avocados contain fiber — at 10 g per fruit, per the USDA.

Granita is a traditional Italian frozen fruit dessert often used as a palate cleanser, much like sorbet. It’s made by repeatedly scraping the ice crystals as they form, which gives it a distinctive flaky texture. This version is made with citrus, a wonderful source of vitamin C (as the USDA notes) that gives it a bright, tart taste. Leave the fiber-rich skin on the pears, add honey for sweetness, and choose a nice ripe, slightly soft pear.

Summer's berry bounty stars in these creamy pops, so you get antioxidants in every bite. The Greek yogurt base delivers a probiotic boost, and you control how much honey you use to sweeten the plain yogurt. Swirl the ingredients together or layer them, according to your preference.

Watermelon is a rich source of the powerful antioxidant lycopene, according to the USDA, which can improve heart health and even help prevent certain types of cancer, according to a meta-analysis. As described in a review, raspberries are rich in antioxidants with anticancer and anti-inflammatory properties that also help lower blood pressure and may reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.

Mint chocolate chip ice cream is one of America’s favorite flavors, according to data from YouGov, and no wonder: Cool peppermint flavor is extra refreshing on a hot summer day. Even more refreshing? The fact that this version has about half the calories and a fraction of the saturated fat per serving of store brands, according to the USDA.