Most people love to have a little ice cream as a treat on a hot day, but sometimes ice cream can be too much of a treat. It is important to pay attention to what type of ice cream you are consuming and what toppings you add to your ice cream. Otherwise, you might be having a very unhealthy snack.
Nutrition
A half cup of chocolate ice cream contains 143 calories, 22mg of cholesterol, and 7g of fat, 4g saturated. The same amount of vanilla ice cream has 137 calories, 29mg of cholesterol and 7g of fat, 4g saturated, according to the Nutrition Data website. Ice cream does contain some nutritional benefits, including calcium, protein and minerals, including magnesium, phosphorus and potassium.
Types
You can find different levels of fat in ice cream. FDA regulations say that to use the claim "reduced fat," the ice cream must have 25 percent less fat than regular ice cream; "light" ice cream must contain 50 percent less. "Lowfat" and "nonfat" varieties are categorized a little differently, with a half cup of the former containing no more than 3g of fat and the latter no more than 0.5 g. Woman's Day warns consumers to be careful of "reduced fat" and "light" ice creams, as they can still be high in fat and calories if the original type they are being compared to is high in fat.
Toppings
Many people add a tremendous amount of calories by adding toppings to their ice cream. The toppings available are endless, including nuts, fruit, candy, hot fudge, caramel, butterscotch sauce and whipped cream. Keep in mind that you are adding calories to your ice cream with each item you add. Try berries or small amounts of nuts instead.
Considerations
A study by the Center for Science in the Public Interest found that the amount of fat and calories in store-bought sundaes can go through the roof. By adding chocolate-dipped ice cream cones, specialty ice cream, and numerous toppings, the study found that the calorie count went as high as 820 to 1,270 calories and 26g to 38g of saturated fat in one sundae. Also, part of the danger of ice cream is that there are so many designer flavors to choose from. Many varieties include chocolate, nuts, peanut butter, and cookies mixed into the ice cream, bringing the calorie counts from 300 to 360 calories and fat counts to around 20g in a 1/2 c. serving.
Alternatives
Low-fat and nonfat varieties of ice cream, sorbet or frozen yogurt are better options than high-fat ice cream, according to the Center for Science in the Public Interest. Portion size is another factor to watch. Most of the nutrition information is for half-cup servings of ice cream, although most people eat more than that in one sitting.
Member Comments