Ice cream, yes, that’s a dangerous word. You need only think it and your mouth starts watering, but your mind conjures all sorts of unpleasant images, mainly those of you in a fat suit with a pathetic spoon in your chubby hand.
But you don’t have to be afraid anymore. The specialists have churned out both the psychological and the physical positive effects of ice cream. Moreover, the consumers’ increased knowledge of the nutrients in various foods and their even more increased interest in healthy products and lifestyles caused the ice cream manufacturers in America to come up with new ways to satisfy these needs.
A group of researchers at Institute of Psychiatry in London demonstrated through MRI scans that ice cream can stimulate the pleasure zones in the brains of those who savor it. We’re not sure what flavors they used on their subjects, but it is sure that the eating of the ice cream activated areas in the cortex known to turn on when people enjoy themselves. Unfortunately, this special dessert does not cure psychosis, but it creates it.
The effects on the physical health are even greater. A panel of European nutritionists agreed in another study that it is better to eat tempting foods like ice cream in order to maintain a healthy diet. Also, ice cream is a good source of calcium, phosphorus and protein and large intakes of calcium have been proven to stave off the fats and help you lose weight faster. Of course, you have to be balanced in eating this treat because regardless of all the good effects, the regular ice cream still has loads of non saturated fat and sugar.
But the new trends brought in the new improved, no fat, lo far or low sugar ice creams for refrainers, health-addicts and even vegans. You want low fat? There you go! You want no fat? Well, that’s a bit tricky, but it can be done. How about no sugar? You bet! But you wanted triple cherry mango prune with walnuts flavor. Chances are you are going to find it somewhere. However, the non-saturated fats, artificial additives, stabilizers and emulsifiers that have been packed into the cream to give it this particular taste will probably add another love handle on your hips and will make you cringe if you inspect the data on the back of the tub.
If you want to get a good taste and ingest as few calories as possible, your best bet is to get a sorbet or a frozen yoghurt nowadays because most of them are fat-free or low fat and contain about 150 calories a serving as opposed to the 300 that a usual ice cream has. An ice cream with lots of fruits is always a good choice because the high content of fruit lowers the amount of sugar. A more expensive product is better, because it is known that manufacturers of cheap ice cream use hydrogenated vegetable fat, which is believed to cause the clogging of the arteries and other heart problems.
It’s up to you to choose between a nice, creamy Godiva that uses quality ingredients and still can give you a double chin in a matter of minutes, or a brand that is dedicated to serving light, maybe less calorific, maybe less healthy ice cream.
