Today, July 21st is the celebration of National Ice Cream Day. Started by Ronald Reagan 30 years ago, it is celebrated on the 3rd “Sund..ae,” in July.
And, in fact, all of July is celebrated as National Ice Cream month with Vanilla in 1st place, Chocolate in 2nd and a tie breaker for 3rd between Mint Chocolate chip and Cookies and Cream.
Q: “We all scream for ice Cream,” but is it healthy?
There have not been many studies that look at ice cream and health but there was a large observational study done over a 20-year period, Nurse Health Study by Harvard University that tracked the impact of life style risk factors (including diet) and health and found that those who ate ice cream no more than twice a week appeared to be 12 % less likely to develop heart disease. However, this was after taking into account the risk of having diabetes and other health problems.
There are also negative studies including one Italian study that may show a link between ice cream and fatty liver, heart disease and diabetes. This makes sense as ice cream is rich in saturated fats and heavy refined sugars that can increase “bad,” cholesterol or LDL worsening your chances of heart disease especially if eaten in large servings on a regular basis.
Another interesting study out of a nutritional journal looked at how our brain reacts to small and large amounts of ice cream. It was found that ice cream (milkshakes made with Vanilla ice cream and thick syrup) activated or turned on the pleasure sensors of our brain (called dopamine) but as more ice cream was eaten it took more to create the same amount of pleasure or satisfaction.
This response is similar to the effect of drug addiction on the brain. The same response was not seen with chocolates, cookies, cakes, or French fries.
Q: I love ice cream, and some studies say it is good for you and others bad what should I do?
I say today is National Ice Cream Day so enjoy your scoop of ice cream, milkshake or cone. Dairy products are in general good for you but read the labels and consume in moderation ideally no more than 2 servings per week.
Best to choose ice cream that is low in saturated fats or cholesterol free and if possible, and reach for healthier options including sorbets, frozen yogurt, or ice pops.
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