Ice cream and other frozen summer treats

The American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) recently published an article in their summer 2011 newsletter about summer frozen treats. Here are some ways to distinguish between these desserts and how healthy they are.

1. Ice cream - typically the highest in fat of frozen treats. Some brands can have up to 18 grams of fat and 150 calories per serving (1 serving is half a cup and we tend to eat much bigger servings than that).

2. Gelato - Italian ice cream that tends to be lower fat because it's made with more milk and less cream. It is more dense so the amount of calories is similar to ice cream.

3. Frozen custard/soft serve - less fat typically than ice cream, but has eggs added in for a richer flavor. It is also more dense, like gelato. Soft serve is usually frozen custard.

4. Light and low-fat ice cream - light ice cream has at least 50 percent lower fat or 1/3 lower calories than regular ice cream. Light doesn't always mean healthier, one brand's version of light may be similar to the regular version of another brand. Low-fat means that it has no more than 3 grams of fat per 1/2 cup serving. Some may have more sugar (depending on the flavor and additions), which adds more calories.

5. Double, triple, slow, and smooth churned - churning creates a creamier product with less fat. They also tend to be lower in calories.

6. Sherbet - a mixture of sorbet and ice with extra milk fat and sugar.

7. Frozen yogurt - low in fat or even fat-free and made with yogurt instead of cream.

8. Sorbet - a fruit puree, made from whole fruit with added sugar and usually contains about 110 calories per half cup.

9. Frozen whole fruit bars - some may contain nothing but whole fruit which keeps the calories low and contains some nutrients from the fruit. Some can have as few as 30 calories. Read the ingredient list to see what's been added to the fruit bar.

Regardless of what you choose, make sure you compare the nutrition labels between different types of ice cream or brands. Pay attention to the serving size, calories, and fat. Calories and fat can add up very quickly when serving sizes increase. If you are ordering a frozen treat from a restaurant or ice cream shop, get the smallest size possible.


Source: AICR Newsletter, summer 2011, issue 112, page 5.