We all scream for ice cream…
Written by Barbie Broschart
Q: I love ice-cream in the summer. I probably eat it every day so the other day I bought sugar free ice-cream, is that better for me?
- Melissa, 28, Portsmouth, New Hampshire
A: Ice cream is by far my all time favorite dessert, especially in the summer. The creamy, cold treat is delicious, refreshing and may be one of your best dessert choices because it does contain calcium and some protein. The problem with ice cream is it is high in calories, fat and sugar for a small serving. To eliminate some of the sugar, people often choose sugar-free ice cream instead. But, let me let you in on a little secret – sugar-free does not mean carbohydrate-free and all carbohydrates when they are digested turn into sugar (glucose). Not to mention, sugar-free foods usually use sugar alcohols as sweeteners, which can cause digestive distress if eaten in large quantities. According to the FDA, sugar-free is defined as a claim that may be used on a food that contains less than 0.5 g of sugars, per reference amount customarily consumed and per labeled serving. It’s important when choosing sugar-free ice cream to read labels because they still contain calories and fat. Often times I hear patients complain too that when they eat sugar-free foods they are not satisfied. I say, just go for the real deal if you can stick to a ½ cup serving. If not, try to get a low-fat version. I usually tell my patients to keep their discretionary calories (a.k.a. treats) to about 100 and no more than 200 calories. Here are some more tips when buying ice cream:
Keep it simple: The more extravagant the flavor the higher the calories and fat. Steer clear of ice creams with added goodies like Snickers and cookie dough. Instead add a teaspoon of chopped nuts or some fresh fruit – your waistline will thank you! If you must get a more decadent treat try to get something that is already portion controlled. I like Skinny Cows single serve ice creams.
Portion is key: A standard serving size of ice cream is ½ cup. If you want the real deal put it in a small bowl to make it look bigger. If you are feeling like you need some more, choose a low-fat ice cream instead and keep your portion to about 1 cup.
Be label savvy: Remember that if you are looking for a sugar-free food, that sugar-free is not the same as “no sugar added.” The term "no added sugars" (also worded "without added sugar") can be used if no sugar or sugar-containing ingredient was added during processing. It is also important to mention that "reduced/less sugar" can be used when there is at least 25% less than an appropriate reference food.
Watch the low-carb trick: An ice cream labeled low carb doesn’t mean it has low calories. ½ cup of carb smart ice-cream has: 90 calories, 6 g fat, 3.5 g saturated fat, 13 g carb, 4 g fiber, and 2 g protein. The definition of low calorie is something that has 40 calories or less per serving. So just because the ice cream is low-carb doesn’t mean you can “go to town” on the tub!
What’s your favorite healthy ice cream brand/flavor?
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