In summer, there is nothing better than ice cream. A sweet dessert helps to cool off from the heat, but is it good for the body? Together with an expert, we will find out how many portions of this dish you can eat per day without harming your health and what to consider when buying it.
What we will tell you
Beneficial Features
endocrinologist, specialist in preventive and anti-aging medicine at the European Medical Center EMC
“Natural ice cream contains a huge amount of useful substances.”
If the dessert is made from milk, it contains proteins and milk fats necessary for the proper functioning of the body.
Ice cream also contains a substance that helps improve mood. We are talking about the amino acid tryptophan, which increases the level of serotonin, the happiness hormone, and melatonin, the sleep hormone.
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Another useful property of ice cream is its ability to quench thirst and appetite with heat. The main thing is to consume this dessert in moderation.
Harms and contraindications.
Ice cream is a high-calorie dessert due to its high sugar and fat content. Therefore, its use should be limited to people with diabetes, overweight and metabolic disorders.
Another contraindication to eating dessert is chronic pancreatitis. Heavy, fatty, sweet and cold foods put pressure on the pancreas.
Photo: istockphoto.com/MEDITERRANEAN
It is important to understand that ice cream cannot replace the main meal. The combination of fats and carbohydrates contributes to excessive weight gain.
You should not eat a large portion of ice cream in one sitting. This can cause a sudden chill in the throat and headaches. Eat the dessert in small pieces, for example with a dessert spoon.
Also read:
Medical Sciences Candidate Explains Why You May Get a Headache After Eating Ice Cream
How much ice cream can you eat a day?
The acceptable norm is no more than one serving per day (100 g). A glass of ice cream (80 g) or a popsicle (80 g) will not harm your health. Those who watch their figure should not eat dessert more than twice a week.
How to choose the right ice cream?
If the first ingredient in ice cream is sugar, it’s not very good. But if there is no fat in a cold dessert or its quantity is minimal, sugar cannot be dispensed with to create the necessary consistency.
High-quality ice cream may also contain stabilisers. These are natural substances and thickeners. These include, for example, locust bean gum, guar gum, xanthan gum, pectin, gelatin and sodium alginate. They are harmless and have a beneficial effect on the composition of the microbiota, being a useful nutrient medium for microorganisms.
Photo: istockphoto.com/jacoblund
It is important that ice cream contains the maximum amount of natural ingredients. A good dessert should not contain vegetable fats, which contribute to weight gain.
You should be careful with acidic and unnatural colours: blue, green, cyan, violet. Although food colouring does not pose a significant health hazard, it is not beneficial either. The more uniform the colour of a dessert, the better its quality.
Also read:
Roskachestvo study: E. coli found in Russian ice cream
Store-bought ice cream must contain more than 40% dairy ingredients. For example, good ice cream has a yellowish tint. This indicates a high milk fat content.
If you want to choose a lower-calorie and sweeter ice cream, pay attention to the sorbet. This is a natural frozen fruit puree with a minimal amount of additives.
Photo: istockphoto.com/bhofack2
In addition to sorbet, you can take a closer look at protein ice cream. It usually contains harmless sweeteners and a high amount of protein. However, when buying it, it is worth checking whether it contains fructose, which increases appetite and uric acid levels.
Fruit ice cream is also a good option, but it is important that it does not contain a large amount of sugar.
ice cream recipes
You can prepare a summer dessert at home. This way you will know exactly its composition.
Classic Vanilla Ice Cream
A familiar and beloved flavor.
Photo: istockphoto.com/Vadym Petrochenko
Ingredients:
500 ml of cream; 1 vanilla bean; 5 yolks; 150 g of sugar.
Preparation:
Cut the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape out the seeds. Pour the cream into a saucepan, add the vanilla pod and bring to a boil, beat the yolks with the sugar until white, then pour the hot cream into them in a thin stream, stirring. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan, place over low heat and cook until thickened. Cool the mixture to room temperature, strain through a sieve, pour into molds and put in the freezer.
Mango Ice Cream
Exotic fruits will give a spicy touch to the dessert.
Photo: istockphoto.com/Veliavik
Ingredients:
2 ripe mangoes; 500 ml cream; 150 g sugar.
Preparation:
Peel and puree the mango. Whip the cream with the sugar, then add the fruit to the mixture, mix gently, transfer to a mold and freeze.
Berry sorbet
Fruit ice cream lovers will love it.
Photo: istockphoto.com/SMarina
Ingredients:
500 g of your favorite berries; 250 ml of water; 200 g of sugar.
Preparation:
Rub the berries through a sieve and boil the water and sugar to dissolve. Mix the syrup with the berry puree. Pour the mixture into molds and put in the freezer until completely frozen.
Enjoy!
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