Is ice cream bad for you?

Ice cream receives an unqualified 10 out of 10 for flavor and satisfaction. However, because it’s loaded with calories, sugar, and occasionally artificial additives, it seems like something you should only occasionally eat—certainly not every day—from a health-conscious standpoint.

However, would eating ice cream every day really be detrimental to your health? We asked some registered dietitians, and these are their responses.

Is eating ice cream every day “bad”?

Registered dietitian and Culina Health co-founder Tamar Samuels is reluctant to categorize food as “good” or “bad,” nor to suggest how often one should eat it. “.

“This may result in an unhealthy relationship with food as a result of feelings of guilt, shame, and fear,” the speaker stated. Furthermore, dietary requirements differ greatly amongst individuals and are specific to each person.

Founder of Once Upon a Pumpkin and registered dietitian Maggie Michalczyk held a similar opinion.

“As we all know, there are more and less nutritious foods out there, but I don’t like labeling one type of food as ‘bad’ or that you are ‘bad’ if you eat XYZ,” she stated. When consumed in moderation as part of a balanced diet, ice cream is a high-calorie, high-sugar, high-fat food. “.

Reading labels is always important because there are a lot of ice creams on the market with varying nutritional profiles. For the purpose of generalization, be aware that a serving of Häagen-Dazs vanilla bean ice cream, sized at 2/3 cup, has 32 grams of sugar and 13 grams of saturated fat. The recommended daily intake of added sugar is 25g for women and 36g for men, according to the American Heart Association. And for someone following a 2,000 calorie diet, the American Heart Association advises consuming no more than 13 grams of saturated fat daily. You essentially consume your daily allowance of sugar and saturated fat from that one serving of ice cream.

However, that isn’t always a good reason to throw out ice cream completely.

Although ice cream contains a lot of sugar and saturated fat, registered dietitian Edwina Clark says that ice cream can still be a regular component of a healthy diet. It actually offers a few health advantages.

As long as you eat a healthy diet overall, having a scoop of ice cream every night is not going to harm you, the expert said. In addition, ice cream offers calcium, magnesium, and vitamin B12 in addition to the important food qualities of nostalgia and enjoyment. “.

Talk a little bit more about those advantages.

No, what you just read is true: ice cream has some health benefits, unlike many other sweet treats.

“The protein and fat found in ice cream can help slow the absorption of sugar, which is better from a blood sugar standpoint than something like gummy bears, which are almost exclusively all sugar and will spike your blood sugar more,” Michalczyk said. “Eating ice cream also provides a small amount of calcium and protein. “.

The early development and metabolism of the brain depend heavily on choline, which is also present in these dairy products, the speaker stated. “Compared to other desserts, which are typically higher in sugar and refined carbohydrates, ice cream’s higher fat content may also result in increased satiety. Naturally, this is contingent upon the ice cream’s fat composition and dairy origin. ( ).

Additionally, despite their high saturated fat content, whole-milk dairy products do not raise the risk of cardiovascular disease, according to recent research. It’s important to note, though, that the majority of the research on this subject focused on whole-milk dairy products, such as milk, cheese, and yogurt, which are regarded as somewhat healthier than ice cream.

How about ice cream made without dairy?

Is non-dairy ice cream subject to the same regulations? Michalczyk stressed that it’s not always superior.

“Ice creams that aren’t dairy-based are usually heavy in fat and sugar,” the speaker stated. It should be noted that non-dairy ice cream can have a lot of extra ingredients added to it to make it taste exactly like the real thing. Preservatives, thickeners, sugar alcohols, artificial sweeteners, and other additives might be present in some. “.

Clark pointed out that the base has a significant impact on how nutritious a non-dairy dessert is.

“Almond, cashew, soy, oat, or coconut milk can be used as the base,” she explained. Nondairy frozen desserts, like ice cream, are usually high in sugar and saturated fat, making them more of a treat than a necessary part of a diet. “.

It matters how big you are.

All three dietitians agree that if you’re going to eat ice cream every day, portion control is the most crucial consideration, regardless of whether you choose the real thing or non-dairy variety.

“The most people should aim for one serving, which is typically a half-cup, per day,” Clark stated. However, in some circumstances—such as when someone needs to gain weight or has very high calorie requirements—more can be beneficial. “.

It’s crucial to consider your diet in its entirety. Ice cream is probably not the greatest addition if you’re consuming a lot of sugar during the day. For both dairy and non-dairy ice cream, Samuels concluded, try your best to select whole ingredients. “Remain with products that have ingredients you can recognize from whole foods, like sugar and vanilla,” she advised.

It seems like eating ice cream can be a part of a healthy diet, but did we just hear from three dietitians about this? We should rejoice over that!