Ice cream, with its irresistible taste, often earns a perfect score for satisfaction. However, its high sugar, calorie content, and occasional artificial additives make it seem like a treat best enjoyed sparingly. But is indulging in ice cream every day really as bad as it seems?
Is Daily Ice Cream Consumption Really a Bad Idea?
Tamar Samuels, a registered dietitian and co-founder of Culina Health, cautions against labeling any food, or how often we consume it, as strictly “good” or “bad.” She explains that such labels can lead to negative emotions like shame, guilt, and fear, which might contribute to an unhealthy relationship with food. Samuels emphasizes that nutritional needs differ greatly from person to person.
Maggie Michalczyk, a registered dietitian and founder of Once Upon a Pumpkin, shares a similar perspective. She avoids classifying foods as “bad” and emphasizes the importance of understanding that some foods are more nutritious than others. Ice cream, she notes, is a calorie-dense, high-sugar, high-fat food that can be part of a healthy diet if consumed in moderation.
The nutritional content of ice creams varies, so it’s essential to read labels. For example, a 2/3-cup serving of Häagen-Dazs vanilla bean ice cream contains 32 grams of sugar and 13 grams of saturated fat. The American Heart Association recommends limiting added sugar intake to 36 grams per day for men and 25 grams for women, with a maximum of 13 grams of saturated fat per day for a 2,000-calorie diet. This means that just one serving of ice cream could nearly max out your daily limit for both sugar and saturated fat.
But that doesn’t mean you need to cut out ice cream altogether.
Ice Cream Has Some Health Benefits
Registered dietitian Edwina Clark acknowledges that while ice cream is high in saturated fat and sugar, it can still be part of a healthy diet when consumed daily. In fact, ice cream offers certain health benefits.
“A scoop of ice cream each night, as part of an otherwise healthy diet, is unlikely to harm your health,” Clark says. “Ice cream provides calcium, magnesium, and B12, and often brings enjoyment and nostalgia, which are important aspects of food.”
Yes, Ice Cream Can Be Good For You
Unlike many sweet treats, ice cream has some surprising health upsides. Michalczyk points out that the protein and fat in ice cream can slow the absorption of sugar, which is better for blood sugar levels than something like gummy bears, which are mostly sugar and can cause a spike in blood sugar. Ice cream also offers a small amount of protein and calcium.
Samuels adds that milk and cream in ice cream are good sources of vitamin A, which supports eye health and immune function. These dairy products also contain choline, a vital nutrient for early brain development and metabolism. Additionally, the higher fat content in ice cream can increase satiety compared to desserts that are primarily high in sugar and refined carbohydrates. However, this depends on the fat content and dairy source of the ice cream.
Recent research also suggests that consuming whole-milk dairy foods, despite their high saturated fat content, doesn’t increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. However, it’s important to note that this research mainly focused on healthier whole-milk dairy products like milk, cheese, and yogurt, rather than ice cream.
See Also: Why Is Gelato so Expensive?
What About Non-Dairy Ice Cream?
Are non-dairy ice creams a better choice? Michalczyk notes that they are not necessarily healthier. Non-dairy ice creams are often still high in sugar and fat, and they may contain artificial sweeteners, sugar alcohols, preservatives, thickeners, and other additives to replicate the taste of traditional ice cream.
Clark highlights that the nutritional content of non-dairy desserts varies depending on the base, which can be almond, cashew, soy, oat, or coconut milk. Like regular ice cream, non-dairy frozen desserts are typically high in saturated fat and sugar, making them more of an indulgence than a dietary staple.
Portion Control is Key
Whether you prefer non-dairy or traditional ice cream, all three dietitians agree that portion size is crucial if you plan to eat ice cream every day. Clark recommends limiting yourself to a half-cup serving per day for most people. However, she notes that there are situations where larger portions might be necessary, such as for individuals who need to gain weight or have high-calorie needs.
It’s also important to consider your overall diet. If you consume a lot of sugar throughout the day, adding ice cream might not be the best idea. Finally, Samuels advises choosing ice cream made with whole ingredients, whether dairy or non-dairy. “Stick with products that contain whole food ingredients you recognize, like sugar and vanilla,” she says.
