If you are lactose intolerant or just prefer to avoid dairy products, you may find soy ice cream to be a suitable substitute for regular ice cream. Although soy ice cream does not contain dairy, it can have a similar taste and consistency to dairy ice cream. If you plan on eating soy ice cream because it is healthier than dairy ice cream, you may be surprised to find that it is not significantly different in nutritional value from regular ice cream.
Calories
If you're on a reduced-calorie diet, dairy ice cream is healthier than soy ice cream, as the former contains 130 calories, while the latter contains 140. This difference is unlikely to make an impact on your goals to gain or lose weight; it would take just one minute of jogging or three minutes of weightlifting to burn 10 calories.
Fat
Soy ice cream is higher in total fat, as 1/2 cup contains 8 g of fat, while 1/2 cup of dairy ice cream contains 7 g of fat. However, soy ice cream is lower in saturated fat, with 1 g, compared to 4 g in regular ice cream. Saturated fat is a type of that may increase your risk of heart disease, as too much of this fat can increase your cholesterol levels. To reduce your risk of heart disease, the American Heart Association recommends limiting saturated fat intake to 16 g or fewer each day.
Carbohydrates
Dairy ice cream is lower in carbohydrates than soy ice cream, with 14 g compared to 17 g in soy ice cream. If you are on a reduced-carbohydrate diet, dairy ice cream can be preferable, although neither product is low in carbohydrates. Carbohydrates can actually be good for you, as they are your body's primary source of energy.
Sugar
Soy ice cream is healthier than regular ice cream in terms of sugar content. Each 1/2 cup serving of soy ice cream contains 11 g of sugar, while regular ice cream has 14 g. Sugar can be detrimental to your health because it promotes tooth decay, and a high intake of sugar may also increase your risk of heart disease.
Protein
Soy ice cream does not provide any protein, while 1/2 cup of dairy ice cream contains 3 g. Protein is a vital nutrient that your body needs to build and repair cells and tissues. However, 3 g is relatively insignificant, as it is half of the amount provided by one egg.
Lactose
Soy ice cream can be healthier for you if you are lactose intolerant, as it doesn't contain lactose, a dairy sugar. Dairy ice cream does contain lactose, so eating this type of ice cream can cause nausea, bloating and diarrhea.
References
- LIVESTRONG.COM MyPlate: Calories in Vanilla Ice Cream (Breyers)
- LIVESTRONG.COM MyPlate: Calories in Vanilla Ice Cream (Soy Dream)
- MayoClinic.com; Exercise for Weight Loss: Calories Burned in 1 Hour; December 2009
- American Heart Association; Know Your Fats; June 2011
- "Los Angeles Times"; Diets High in Added Sugar Raise Heart Disease Risk; Karen Kaplan; April 2010
- LIVESTRONG.COM MyPlate: Calories in Egg
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