Ice cream -- that summer indulgence -- makes childhood a little more perfect. Unfortunately for many children and adults, ice cream must be eaten in small doses because it takes so long to digest. Ice cream is mostly fat, and fat lingers in the stomach longer than other components before going through the rest of the digestive process.
Lactose
Lactose is a complex natural sugar found in dairy products. Humans produce an enzyme in the small intestine to break it down into simpler sugars that can be absorbed into the bloodstream. First, the lactose has to travel through the digestive system to get to the small intestine. Individuals whose small intestine does not produce enough lactase are not allergic to dairy; their system is lactase-deficient and it takes longer to digest it. In some cases, the intolerance is so serious that dairy foods cause pain, gas and bloating.
Fat
Another complex compound that must be digested in the small intestine is fat. Old-fashioned ice cream contains up to 16 percent fat -- that means that 1/2 cup of your favorite premium ice cream contains up to 12 g of fat for every 178 calories. One of those big, thick, chocolate-covered bars on a stick may contain 23 g and 327 calories. Ice milk has a lower fat content -- 1 g for 100 calories in a 1/2-cup serving. That fat sits in the small intestine while the liver and pancreas get enough bile and enzymes together to break it down and pass it on through the intestine to the bowel.
Sugars
In addition to lactose, sucrose and fructose are added to ice cream. Perhaps sorbitol or other artificial sweetener is added to reduce the calories of the confection. Sugars are complex carbohydrates that break down in the large intestine. One of the least pleasant side effects of this time-consuming reaction is gas. Artificial sweeteners may pass straight through or they may also break down in the intestine.
Other Ingredients
Ice cream is composed of ingredients that take time to digest, and its ingredients -- milk, fat and sugar -- are all complex compounds that take time to break down. In addition, other ingredients such as chocolate, egg yolks, fruit syrups and candies increase the digestion time of ice cream.
References
- Food and Drug Administration: Problems Digesting Dairy Products?
- National Diabetes Education Program (NIH): Your Game Plan to Prevent Type 2 Diabetes P33
- National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NDDIC NIDDK): Gas in the Digestive Tract
- NDDIC NIDDK: What I Need to Know About Irritable Bowel Syndrome
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