Ice creams
In most cases, premium ice cream — which is processed to be richer and creamier than regular ice cream — is also higher in sugar, fat, and calories.
Interestingly, while low-fat or no-sugar-added products are often promoted as healthier, these choices may contain around the same number of calories as regular ice cream.
Additionally, products without added sugar usually harbor sweeteners like sugar alcohols, which may cause digestive distress, including bloating and gas, in some individuals
Nowadays, your typical scoop of ice cream provides around 250-350 calories and over half your daily allowance of saturated fat without even taking into account the ice cream cone, syrups and sprinkles that you may add into the mix. Even more shocking though is the fact that over 50% of the calories in ice cream come straight from its high fat content – with the rest coming from carbohydrates.
Although indulging in the occasional ice cream every now and again won’t have too much impact on your heart health, consuming it on a more regular basis may eventually impact your heart health.
With an average fat content of anywhere between 7 and 22 grams, eating too much of this high saturated fat food (milk fat is predominantly cholesterol, a saturated fat) could see ‘bad’ cholesterol levels in your blood begin to soar – leading to a build-up of fatty deposits in your arteries which increases your chances of heart disease and stroke.
Ice cream’s high sugar content is similarly bad for your heart health – since consuming too much sugar is associated with a higher risk of contracting cardiovascular disease (CVD).
Excess consumption of foods that are high in dietary cholesterol can increase your blood-cholesterol levels and increase your risk of heart disease. A 1/2-cup serving of vanilla ice cream contains 25 mg of cholesterol. The USDA recommends consuming less than 2,300 mg of cholesterol each day to avoid increasing your blood-cholesterol levels, and less than 1,500 mg a day if you are over 50 or have a history of heart disease or diabetes. While a serving of vanilla ice cream does not place you in danger of reaching the USDA’s recommended limit, the Institute of Medicine does not set recommended dietary allowances for this substance and advises limiting it as much as possible. Your body produces about 1,000 mg of cholesterol a day on its own.
Sugar is an empty calorie. It contains caloric value, but contributes no other nutrients to the diet. You can eat all the sugar you want and reach your daily caloric requirements, but you still need to consume additional calories to meet your other nutrient needs. Therefore, sugar can significantly contribute to weight gain and, ultimately, cardiovascular disease. Sugar’s immediate impact on blood-glucose levels can also result in diabetes.