Introduction: In the hot summer, delicious ice cream is an irresistible temptation for many, but people also worry about consuming too many calories, creating a dilemma where they want to try it but hold back. So, how can you eat ice cream healthily? What are the taboos to keep in mind? You can find the answers in this guide to healthy ice cream consumption!
How high are the calories in ice cream?
According to data, consuming one 50-150g serving of ice cream per day provides only 100-300 kcal, which is just 1/10 to 1/15 of the daily caloric intake from a regular diet. Generally, it won't cause weight gain, but portion control is essential. Of course, manufacturers can also develop various low-fat, low-sugar ice cream products to meet consumer health needs and alleviate their concerns.
Three tips for controlling your ice cream intake
1. When your stomach is empty, sugar absorption becomes easier, making it quite "dangerous" to eat high-calorie, high-sugar foods! Therefore, try to eat ice cream after a meal. After eating, the satiety center is stimulated, so you won't overindulge, and even a small amount will be satisfying.
2. When choosing an ice cream variety, pay attention to the ingredients on the packaging and prioritize those with lower calorie content. Additionally, you can choose in the following order: shaved ice, popsicles, and solid ice cream, as their calorie, sugar, and fat content increase progressively.
3. Don't eat too much ice cream—only one per day. Keep the calories from ice cream under 200kcal for the day. If you exceed 200kcal or are worried about consuming too much, then just eat half!
Four major taboos for eating ice cream
1. Don't eat too much at once
Consuming too much at once can lead to adverse reactions. It can easily cause abdominal pain in children, angina in middle-aged and elderly people, and gastroenteritis, laryngeal spasm, and nutritional deficiencies in the general population. It can also potentially damage teeth.
2. Don't eat it too quickly
Eating too quickly can easily stimulate the constriction of visceral blood vessels, leading to local anemia and weakening the digestive and antibacterial functions of the gastrointestinal tract. This can promote the occurrence of gastroenteritis, cholecystitis, and even hepatitis. Some people may also experience headaches due to the sudden, adverse stimulation of the trigeminal nerve. Therefore, people with gastrointestinal diseases or cholecystitis should not eat too quickly to avoid stimulating visceral blood vessels, causing local anemia, and weakening the digestive and antibacterial functions of the gastrointestinal tract, leading to gastroenteritis, cholecystitis, or even hepatitis.
3. Don't eat it before or after a meal
Eating ice cream before or after a meal can affect your appetite. Because ice cream is cold, it causes blood vessels in the gastrointestinal tract to constrict, thereby affecting their digestive and absorption capabilities and the absorption of various nutrients. If you want to eat it, it's recommended to have it between meals.
4. Do not refreeze melted ice cream
Melted ice cream should never be put back in the freezer and then eaten. The recrystallization process will destroy the ice cream's original quality and nutritional value.
Seven groups of people who should not eat ice cream
1. People trying to control their weight
Most ice creams on the market have high sugar and fat content, and it's these high-sugar, high-fat characteristics that can lead to weight gain. Additionally, some ice creams contain trans fats, which can also contribute to obesity. Studies have shown that the ability of trans fats to cause obesity is 3-4 times that of saturated fats, and they tend to accumulate as abdominal fat.
2. Pregnant women
In fact, the water, milk, fat, sugar, and food additives in ice cream, within a certain amount, will not adversely affect fetal development. The reason pregnant women are advised to avoid ice cream is mainly because their digestive juices and enzymes decrease, and gastrointestinal function weakens. The low temperature of ice cream can cause sudden constriction of gastrointestinal blood vessels if consumed in excess, leading to symptoms like abdominal pain and diarrhea. Furthermore, modern medical research indicates that the fetus is very sensitive to cold stimuli. When a pregnant woman consumes too much cold food, the fetus may react with restlessness.
3. Children
Ice cream is a high-sugar, high-fat food that can easily lead to obesity in adolescents. Additionally, children are more sensitive to the various food additives in ice cream. Eating ice cream before a meal can affect a child's appetite and thus their main meals. If children often eat ice cream, it can weaken their spleen and stomach function, leading to poor eating habits.
4. Diabetics
Ice cream is a high-sugar food that can cause a rapid increase in blood sugar in diabetic patients, exacerbating their condition. Therefore, it is not recommended for diabetics to eat.
5. People with poor gastrointestinal function
The low-temperature stimulus can worsen their condition, so they should be cautious when eating ice cream.
6. People with weak constitutions
Because ice cream can affect appetite, people with weak constitutions may find their appetite further diminished, making their constitution even weaker.
7. People with chronic pancreatitis or cholecystitis
Those with chronic pancreatitis or cholecystitis should not eat ice cream because it is a high-fat food.
How to choose ice cream
1. The ingredients and processes for ice cream can vary greatly. When purchasing, first check if the manufacturer is listed on the packaging.
2. Ensure the ice cream has been properly stored in a freezer at -18°C or below.
3. Check if the outer packaging is intact, with no leakage or damage, as this could lead to secondary contamination by microorganisms.
4. Verify that the product's expiration date is within the period you plan to consume it.
5. When choosing cold treats, don't be tempted by "colorful" options! The more vibrant and colorful the ice cream, the more artificial colorings it likely contains. Try to avoid such products as much as possible.
6. Finally, check the product's shape. If it has deformed, it could be because the product melted during transport or storage and was then refrozen. This could also lead to excessive microbial growth and a poorer texture.
7. It is recommended that consumers choose products from well-known, large companies, as their quality is more guaranteed.