Ice Cream and Your Wellness

Ice cream is good for you—just start with the milk, the base ingredient

of this wonderful treat. Whole cow’s milk has 8 grams protein, 276

milligrams calcium, 395 IU of Vitamin A, 124 IU of Vitamin D, and 205

milligrams of phosphorous for every one cup serving. A typical 1-

quart homemade ice cream recipe contains two cups of milk, so you get

to have a portion of the milk’s nutrients by having one cup of ice

cream.

Ice cream and health may sound incompatible, and extremely unlikely

partners. But to many people who do not get enough calcium, vitamin D,

and potassium (especially in the United States wherein the 2010 Dietary

Guidelines for Americans recommend three servings of milk per day), ice

cream is an easy and beautiful way to get sustained with the missing

nutrients.

Consumers may be concerned though about the calories, fat, and sugar

content in ice cream, particularly when it comes to the premium and

super-premium varieties. These two contain large amounts of butterfat

which makes their flavor and texture more dense, smooth and rich than

the regular kind. They are thick, creamy and tastes really good that

you’re tempted to eat more. But the key in increasing the wellness

benefits of ice cream and enjoying a cone without the guilt is portion

control. Eat only a cup and no more so there would be less calorie, fat

and sugar intake.

A comparative degree chart from the Dairy Council of California

indicates the calories, fat and sugar content of ice cream compared with

other dairy desserts. Half a cup of ice cream has 137 kilocalories, 14

grams sugar, 7.3 grams total fat, 10% cholesterol, 53 milligrams sodium,

and 16 grams carbohydrates. Meanwhile, low fat ice cream has the

same amount of kilocalories, 17 grams sugar, 3.7 grams total fat, 7%

cholesterol, 56 milligrams sodium, and 22 grams carbohydrates. Lastly,

sherbet has 107 kilocalories, 18 grams sugar, 1.5 grams total fat, 0%

cholesterol, 34 milligrams sodium, and 23 grams carbohydrates.

With these figures in mind, ice cream and wellness can work together to

balance both nutrients and enjoyment in consuming ice cream.

Consumers can choose knowledgeably by reading the nutritional label

on the ice cream canister. Those on a special low fat diet can still have

their ice cream by picking out those that have lower in fat. Just read the

label and check for the portion of milk or butterfat present.

The International Dairy Foods Association defines some terms on the

labelling of ice cream based on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration

(FDA) standards. Regular ice cream has a minimum of 10% milk fat.

Reduced fat ice cream contains a minimum of 25% less fat than the

regular ice cream from the same brand. Light ice cream contains 33%

fewer calories and 50% less fat than the regular equivalent. Low-fat ice

cream may have a maximum of 3 grams of fat for every half-cup serving.

Lastly, nonfat ice cream has 0.5 grams of fat per serving.

Avoid stacking on toppings when you eat your ice cream, particularly

when going out. Enjoy instead what’s already in your ice

cream—the freshness of its factors and the basic flavors that have

become your favorite.

Know more about ice cream and wellness