10 Reasons Why Ice Cream Is Bad For You

 Bad effects of ice cream

SHOULD YOU AVOID ICE CREAM?

There is only one explanation for your need for a frozen dessert. Is ice cream, however, unhealthy? Instead, you should pick from a wide variety of healthy options, yet... life is short.

That's exactly how everything played out. With a spoon in hand, you sat on the couch and indulged in a few spoonfuls of your preferred ice cream. Suddenly, you found yourself staring at an empty carton with Rocky Road splatter all over your chin. You wailed, "Not again. Is ice cream truly terrible for you, you thought as you debated going back to the freezer.

Each of us has experienced it, some of us more frequently than we'd like to acknowledge. Ice cream is incredibly creamy, chilly, and soothing. Delicious, too. Once you've had that first spoonful, you can't stop eating it. Yes, ice cream has a lot of sugar and is heavy in fat, but as it melts on your tongue, you don't think about those nutritional drawbacks.

Is ice cream unhealthy? Is it possible to indulge in it occasionally, guilt-free? Yes and again.

What Makes Ice Cream Harmful?

Is ice cream bad for you? An ice cream cone filled with scoops, perhaps. Is ice cream bad for you? is answered by its calories, sugar, and fat.

For those of us who yearn for a tub of the mint chocolate chip at the end (or beginning, middle, or beginning) of the day, be warned that this section may be gloomy. Given that, it's critical to understand what we put in our bodies, thus the following is the unpleasant reality about our go-to creamy treat.

There's a very significant drawback to ice cream. This delectable dessert should only be consumed in moderation due to the high sugar and fat levels as well as a component that may induce fatal gastrointestinal problems. Here are the specifics of the bad news, keeping that in mind.

1. Calories

Ben & Jerry's Caramel Chocolate Cheesecake Ice Cream Truffles have 300 calories in just a half-cup portion (105 grams). Would you like a full pint, which has four servings and is easy to wolf down? That translates to a staggering 1,200 calories. This is more than half of your recommended daily calorie intake of 2,000 to 2,500 calories.

2. Fat

The same Ben & Jerry's ice cream has 19 g of fat per half-cup serving, 10 g of which are saturated fats, the "bad" sort that increases LDL cholesterol. The American Heart Association advises us to limit our fat intake and reduce saturated fat, making sure it doesn't account for more than 5 to 6 percent of our total calories—or roughly 16 g per day for a person following a 2,000-calorie diet. Therefore, one serving of our selected sample goes beyond that sum.

3. Sugar

Sugar only has a positive effect on flavor. It causes us to absorb fewer vitamins and minerals, spikes our blood sugar levels quickly and can drain calcium from our bones. Additionally, consuming sugar worsens conditions including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and osteoporosis. For women, the American Heart Association advises a daily maximum of 24 g of added sugar, whereas for men it is 36 g. About 23 g of sugar is present in one dish of ice cream. (Read our article Why Is Sugar Bad for You to understand more about sugar's drawbacks.)

4. Carbohydrates

Ice cream contains a lot of carbohydrates, which, if not immediately burned off, can be stored as fat. Our glucose levels can be severely affected by excessive carbohydrate intake, which increases our chance of developing diabetes.

5. Trehalose

According to Dr. Francis Collins of the National Institutes of Health, this artificial sugar functions as a sweetener and a texturizing agent. Additionally, according to him in a blog post on the NIH website, it "depresses the freezing point of food," making it a useful addition to ice cream. The issue is that trehalose has been associated with an increase in potentially fatal infections caused by the common gut bacterium Clostridium difficile (C diff). Collins claims that certain store-bought ice creams have trehalose quantities of up to 11%.

6. Listeriosis

Listeria is a bacterium that has been increasingly discovered in ice cream products and can cause serious disease, especially in people with compromised immune systems.

Ice Cream's Health Benefits

There are strong arguments in favor of giving up ice cream given all of the aforementioned factors. Since maintaining a healthy and fit lifestyle requires a wise diet, however, if the idea of permanently removing this chilly delicacy from your menu offends you, we may be able to help you find one or two ways to enjoy it without feeling too bad about it. Even though we continue to urge "moderation," it is yet crucial to be realistic.

First, take into account the fact that ice cream might make you joyful (no shocker here). Serotonin, a neurotransmitter frequently referred to as the "feel-good hormone," can be increased by indulging in this indulgence. Carbohydrates are believed to play a role in this process.

Another benefit, according to registered dietitian and nutritionist Laura Hartung, located in Boston, is that "even though ice cream is calorically dense, it does give some nutritional value:

Magnesium, calcium, and potassium are all nutrients found in ice cream that support normal blood pressure levels. As we all know, calcium is necessary for healthy bones and teeth.

A half-cup serving of ice cream also contains 5 to 9 grams of protein, which can increase energy levels and make us feel fuller for longer.

Our favorite frozen treat also contains phosphorus, vitamin B6, vitamin A, thiamin, and riboflavin.

Let's face it, consuming a pint of Chunky Monkey won't do much to improve our nutritional status, but it will temporarily distract you from thinking about whether ice cream is healthy.

Ice cream consumption can enhance our ability to absorb calcium. In a short trial, Dutch researchers served milk and two varieties of calcium-fortified ice cream to 16 volunteers as part of their breakfast (please sign me up for the next study!). They wanted to know if adding extra calcium to ice cream would improve calcium absorption. They discovered that calcium from ice cream was just as easily absorbed as calcium from milk. Or, to put it another way, "Ice cream may be a good vehicle for delivery of calcium," as the researchers noted. Woo-hoo!

Is it still nutritious?

So, is it possible to have ice cream guilt-free? Of course, Hartung responds. "Ice cream in the proportion of half a cup can be incorporated into a balanced diet. With pals, have fun. accentuate the excellent sensory qualities and sweet, creamy flavors of ice cream.

However, moderation and portion management are crucial in everything. Those of us who find it difficult to put down the spoon may need to limit this dessert to once or twice a week, while some may be able to incorporate that half-cup into an overall balanced diet. One serving, one pint, or one day of ice cream consumption won't harm you, claims Hartung. "What matters is what you're doing consistently."

That being said, it could be healthier to choose a different dessert if eating ice cream makes you overeat or causes you to experience guilt or despair.