I love Ice Cream

Who doesn’t love a scoop of ice cream on a hot summer day (or any day, really)? Whether it’s classic vanilla, rich chocolate, or caramel, it is a treat that brings joy with every bite. But if you’re mindful of your nutrition, you might wonder—can ice cream be part of a balanced diet? The good news is that enjoying ice cream doesn’t have to mean sacrificing your health goals. In this blog, we’ll explore the nutritional aspects of ice cream and ways to combat food cravings.

Nutrition Benefits of Ice Cream

Milk protein is an excellent source of protein! A protein is made of essential and non-essential amino acids. The essential amino acids need to be provided in the diet because our body cannot make them. The good news is that ice cream contains all these essential amino acids making it a great protein food! Ice cream (and most dairy products) is also a rich source of minerals, calcium, and phosphorus for bone health. It may help prevent osteoporosis, improve muscle contraction, and increase energy production. Also, like milk, ice cream contains vitamin A and B-vitamins essential for eye health, increased immune function, and skin health.

Other nutrition components of Ice cream

Keep in the mind the three macronutrients are fat, carbohydrate, and protein. Ice cream contains 3-4 times the amount of fat than milk and also has a high ratio of carbohydrate (sugar) compared to the amount of protein. Unfortunately, regular ice cream at the supermarket and likely at your favorite ice cream shop is considered an energy-dense food rather than a nutrient dense food. An energy-dense food is any food that contains more energy (or calories) and less overall vitamins and minerals (nutrients) with other examples as deep-fried foods, cakes, chips, and candy. A nutrient-dense food provides higher amounts of vitamins, minerals, and essential nutrients, usually lower calories, such as spinach, brown rice, carrots, and berries. However, there are some foods that are considered both nutrient and energy-dense such as avocados, nuts, and olive oil! Now reverting back to ice cream, as mentioned before they do contain protein, vitamins, and minerals, but unfortunately, most commercial ice creams fall in the energy dense category due to the amount of calories. But! Nutrition is not all for one, one for all! One food is not going to make a difference compared to your overall diet pattern!

Ice Cream Example scenario

Let’s take an example. Let’s assume person A and person B are the same in every way for height, weight, physical activity, and meals. Person A decides to eat ice cream 2 days per week and Person B decides to eat ice cream 5 days per week (same servings). Now let’s say each serving of ice cream is 200 calories. That would mean person A eats 400 calories of ice cream per week and person B eats 1000 calories of ice cream per week. If this pattern continues for one month (4 weeks), person A will eat 1600 calories of ice cream per month and person B will eat 4000 calories of ice cream per month. I summarized the total calories from ice cream alone up to one year in the table below.

Just for your knowledge, 1 lb. is equal to 3500 calories. The new table below now summarizes how much weight gain person A and person B if the calories were converted to pounds of weight gain.

So, if all other circumstances are the same between person A and person B, then the energy dense food ice cream could cause a weight gain over a year. This same concept behind ice cream could be applied to other energy-dense foods. For example, eating an extra day’s worth of fast food per week for a year. And by no means does that mean ice cream is bad!!!!!! Let me say that again. THIS DOES NOT MAKE ICE CREAM BAD! This means that if you have a pattern of eating more ice cream over a week/month/year then you are more likely to gain weight from excess energy, especially if you are low physical active.

What to do First

Do not throw away the ice cream in your freezer, do not look at ice cream like it’s “bad” and do not prevent yourself from getting ice cream with your friends. The FIRST step you should take if ice cream is of concern is to GRADUALLY decrease your ice cream. For example, honestly tell yourself how much and how often you eat ice cream. Let’s say you eat ice cream 10 times in January, just try getting it down to 9 times in February. Or if you eat ice cream every day, try one day with a smaller portion size. Believe me when I say to NOT CUT IT OUT ALL TOGETHER. Don’t be a hero and do a dramatic “no ice cream ever starting now.” I’ll tell you from experience as a dietitian that cutting it cold turkey won’t work but a gradual decrease will be much more efficient!

What to do Next

Okay let’s just say you absolutely cannot cut out ice cream and you are very concerned about your calorie intake. The next solution is to reduce the amount of energy dense foods during your meal so you actually have room for dessert. For example, have you ever eaten so much at dinner and you’re so full that you can’t eat another bite? Except dessert. Let’s try this, instead of eating 100% of dinner then having ice cream, try eating 90% of dinner then have ice cream. Don’t cut out the vegetables of course, but eating only until you’re full or 90% of what you normally eat for a meal so then you have room for that ice cream dessert.

Ice Cream Alternatives

Let’s face it, nothing can beat a lactose-based ice cream. But if you must find some alternative, here are a few suggestions.

1. Greek yogurt “ice cream” – put Greek yogurt in the freezer
2. Blend cottage cheese with fruit then freeze it
3. Frozen fruit blends – blend bananas, cocoa powder, peanut butter or whatever you want
4. Chia seed pudding
5. High protein ice creams

Combat Food cravings

1. Identify Triggers: Recognize situations, emotions, or patterns that lead to cravings (like stress or boredom), and find alternative ways to cope, such as taking a walk or practicing relaxation techniques.
2. Plan Balanced Meals: Eat regular meals with a balance of protein, healthy fats, and fiber-rich carbohydrates to help keep blood sugar levels stable and reduce hunger.
3. Stay Hydrated: Sometimes thirst is mistaken for hunger. Drink a glass of water or herbal tea when a craving hits, and wait a few minutes to see if it subsides.
4. Eat Mindfully: Pay attention to what you’re eating and savor each bite. Avoid distractions like watching TV or scrolling through your phone while eating.
5. Portion Control: If you indulge in a craving food, do so in moderation. Take a small portion to satisfy the craving without overindulging.
6. Keep Trigger Foods Away: Avoid stocking your kitchen with foods you tend to crave to prevent easy access.
7. Chew Gum and/or floss: Chewing gum and flossing can distract your mind and reduce the desire to eat.
8. Sleep Well: Poor sleep can increase cravings for sugary and high-calorie foods. Prioritize quality sleep to help regulate hunger hormones.
9. Reach Out: If emotional stress drives cravings, talk to a friend, join a support group, or seek professional advice from a dietitian or therapist.
10. Be Patient: Gradually reducing the consumption of highly processed foods may help lower their appeal over time.

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References

Deosarkar, S., Kalyankar, S. D., & Khedkar, C. D. (2016). Ice cream: Composition and health effects. In Caballero, B., Finglas, P., & Toldrá, F. (Eds.), Reference module in food & health (pp. 385–390). Elsevier. https://doi.org/10.15436/2377-0619.20.2678

Legassa, O. (2022). Ice cream nutrition and its health impacts. International Journal of Food and Nutritional Science, 11(2). https://doi.org/10.15436/2377-0619.20.2678

Have any additional questions on ice cream or similar subject? Send me an email and let me know: [email protected]