10 GUILT FREE ICE LOLLIES

If you've visited your local shops, you'll probably know that finding healthy ice lollies is a bit of a challenge, but here's a thought, ditch the pre-made and try your ice sculpting skills at home.

Still not convinced? Here's a chilling fact that might put you off your Mr Whippy; the 'cream' in mass-produced ice cream is often a less-than-appealing mix of powdered milk, oil and thin air. So sidestep the processed nonsense-on-a-stick altogether by trying these healthy ice lollies, made from nutritionally dense juices and ingredients.

For all of the below, use a 6 x 100ml lolly mould.

Strawberries & Cream Ice lolly

Did you know strawberries can help you look younger? One serving of strawberries contains 51.5 mg of vitamin C— about half of your daily requirement — which, is vital to the production of collagen. Sweet.

What you’ll need:

400g Strawberries, fresh or frozen

300ml Skimmed Milk or lactose free

500g Low-fat yogurt

Blend strawberries with yogurt

Add milk and continue to blend, you can also sieve to remove pulp if you wish

Fill mould and add sticks

Leave in freezer until frozen

Gut-friendly Honey And Pollen Ice Lolly

Let's "bee" real here. Regulating your bowel habits isn't the sexiest of topics.

Make it a thing of the past by sucking on gut-friendly ingredients this summer. Clinical trials have shown that bee pollen's mix of fibre and antibacterial properties are good for your gut.

What you’ll need:

120g cashews

600ml water

2 dates

1g Himalayan salt

1tbsp Manuka honey

1tsp bee pollen

Soak the cashews and 2 of the dates in water for at least 4 hours.

Drain, add 600ml water and the salt and blend.

Now blitz with the other ingredients.

Leave for 10 mins, pour and freeze.

To finish, moisten the tip and dip into a pot of pollen.

Top of the pops: Dodgy holiday tum? Bee pollen is your friend. Clinical trials have shown that its potent mix of fibre and antibacterial properties help, err, regulate bowel activity.

Melon Thirst Quencher Ice Lolly

Not only is this your go-to thirst-zapper on a hot day, but research from the Technical University of Cartagena in Spain found that watermelon juice, consumed an hour before a workout, can help to protect against muscle soreness, too. Score.

What you’ll need:

½ large watermelon

2 sprigs of mint

Juice or blend the watermelon and mint.

You'll need about 600ml of liquid to fill the mould, top up with water if you don’t.

Mix, pour, freeze.

Now just sit tight and salivate.

Did you know the Technical University of Cartagena in Spain found that watermelon juice, consumed an hour before a workout, can protect against muscle soreness too. Score.

Energy Boosting Banana Ice Lolly

Need a boost before a workout? Suck on one of these. It's known that bananas can be as beneficial as sports drinks for providing energy during exercise.

What you’ll need:

4 ripe bananas

2tbsp nut butter of your choice

dash of honey to sweeten (optional)

Peel and chop the banana into evenly sized pieces,

Place in a freezer bag and freeze overnight (or for at least 3 hours).

Once frozen, blend the banana in a food processor or powerful blender until smooth

Add the nut butter and honey (if using) and blend until well mixed.

Scoop into the lolly moulds, resist the urge to eat right away, and freeze.

Pineapple And Pear Ice Lolly

A 165g serving of pineapple has only 131% of your daily dose of Vitamin C, and is the only known source of the anti-inflammatory powerhouse bromelain. Both are useful for repairing sun-battered skin.

What you’ll need:

⅔ medium pineapple

2 pears

10g ginger

For these babies, you need either a juicer or a really good blender.

Peel the pineapple and ginger and whizz with the pears in whatever way you please.

You need to end up with 600ml of liquid so if you’re short, top up with filtered water.

Opposed to ‘bits’? Sieve until mixture is smooth.

Mix well and pour into your moulds. And freeze…

Berry Blast Ice Lolly

According to research, eating blueberries can boost memory and concentration for up to five hours afterwards.

What you’ll need

120g cashews

600ml water

1g Himalayan salt

2tsp acai powder

4tbsp mixed strawberries, raspberries and blueberries

Pop the cashews in a bowl, cover with water and soak for at least 4 hours to soften.

Drain, add 500ml of fresh water and the salt, and blend until smooth.

Strain to remove pulp.

Take the cashew milk and blend with the other ingredients.

Allow to sit for 5-10 minutes, mix, and then pour into moulds to freeze.

Green Juice Ice Lolly

Healthy ice lollies that taste like your evening meal may not sound that appealing, but hear us out. A study has found that spinach extract can reduce cravings and aid weight loss...which is more than you can say for most shop bought lollies.

What you’ll need

½ pineapple

1 cucumber

1 apple

handful of spinach

2 sprigs of mint

It's a quick and easy process –

Simply blend until you have 600ml of liquid,

Bosh in the lolly moulds and close the freezer door. Simple.

Fertility-Friendly Carrot And Orange Ice Lolly

Feeling broody? The beta-carotene in carrots - which the body converts into vitamin A - can improve the quality of men's sperm by up to 8%, according to research. They have also long been associated with boosting ovulation in women.

What you’ll need:

800g carrots

1 apple

2 oranges

Water to make up to 600ml to fill moulds

Blend all the ingredients together and freeze, Simple!

You may not have made ice lollies in a long time, but this recipe is simple, quick and good for you - what more do you want. There are no nasty sweeteners in these lollies, however, the lack of sugar in them actually raises their freezing temperature - which presumably means they'll melt quicker, too. Translation: suck faster.

Creamy Avocado Ice Lolly

Again, maybe this sounds crazy, but you can do amazing things with an avocado. Did you know that our growing appetite for avocados is endangering their existence, so maybe don’t make too many!

What you’ll need:

1 avocado (medium)

2 cups skimmed milk or lactose free, or enough to fill moulds

6 tbsp brown sugar

½ cup lime juice

Peel and de-seed avocado.

Blend avocado with milk, sugar and lime juice.

Fill mould and add sticks.

Leave in freezer until frozen.

Lemon And Maple Syrup Ice Lolly

Get Fiery - a study found that just 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper can fire up your body to burn more calories after a meal. So why stop at one of these lollies, have two!

What you'll need:

Zest and juice of ½ lemon

zest and juice of 1 lime

500ml water

10ml maple syrup

2 pinches cayenne pepper

Lemon, syrup and cayenne: yes, it’s Beyonce’s mad diet in lolly form.

Mix the lemon and lime juice with the water and zest.

Add the maple syrup and cayenne pepper and stir thoroughly.

Pour into moulds and freeze.

Easy peasy lemon squeezy.

These lollies are the only excuse to be icy!