Cold Comfort

The new crop of modified, healthy ice creams may not be as nutritious as they claim to be

At a time when people are driven by fitness and drawn towards health food, the food industry has taken upon itself to feed the frenzy. Small wonder then that new products are launched every week pegged on this craze, the latest being a range of wellness ice creams. Not all products are, however, as healthy as they claim to be and it8217;s important to know whether they deliver what they promise.

Ice cream is a frozen dessert, containing flavoured cream, milk products and sugar, and as such is a high-calorie, high-fat and high-sugar food, usually flavoured with artificial colours, flavourings and stabilisers.

A 100 ml one cup of ice cream usually comprises 10-15 gm fat, 15 gm sugar and about 4 gm protein, adding up to about 200 kcals, but may vary for different brands and in different countries. The new modified versions are either low-sugar, sugar-free, low-fat or fat-free, with natural flavourings and fresh fruits, probiotics, even high calcium, especially for kids. Here8217;s what some of the new ice creams have to offer.

Fat-free ice creams may be low on fat, but their calorie content might be the same or higher due to the high sugar content.

Sugar-free ice creams can be deceptive as sugar is usually substituted by fructose or high fructose corn syrup, which contains the same amount of calories as sugar. Excessive intake of fructose also worsens insulin resistance which can cause obesity, diabetes and cardio-vascular condition.

Probiotic ice creams: Probiotic is a Greek word meaning 8220;for life8221;. The good bacteria, or probiotics, promote immunity, help lower triglycerides and bad cholesterol, improve digestion, enhance mineral and vitamin absorption and keep us healthy. Some of the good sources of these bacteria are fermented dairy products like yogurt, buttermilk chaach and ice creams.

These bacteria can be produced in high numbers in the ice cream mix, and unlike in several commercially prepared yogurts, they are not killed when stored. But if the sugar content of the product is too high, then this benefit is diluted.

Story continues below this ad

Calcium-enriched ice creams: These provide more calcium per serving compared to the regular ones. As inadequate intake of calcium is common among children and they love ice creams, this is a good option, provided sugar and fat are controlled. The current crop of calcium-enriched ice creams do promise low fat and low sugar, but remember, ice creams are no replacement for milk.

Homemade ice creams: These can be provided an extra dollop of nutrition and variety by using natural fruits, less fat and sugar. Still, ice cream is not a substitute for a healthy diet including milk, vegetables, fruits, pulses and whole grains.

Kulfis: The traditional Indian ice cream without artificial flavours and stabilisers, frozen, thickened milk and nuts can give any ice cream a run for its money. The commercially prepared ones add other ingredients, including khoya, and can be sweetened with pureed fruits. The kulfi varieties include almond, saffron, cheekoo, elaichi, strawberry, mango, rose, coconut, jamun and fig almond.
_the writer is a former senior nutritionist at Escorts. She heads the Centre of Dietary Counselling and also runs a health food store. She feels that for complete well-being, one should integrate physical, mental and spiritual health. According to her: 8220;To be healthy should be the ultimate goal for all.8221;