Tag: Calorie Content

The Best-Kept Secrets About Ice Cream

Fans of ice cream will be pleasantly surprised to learn that two of the most common myths about this product are not based in fact. First, ice cream is not a high-calorie diet disaster; and second, ice cream is actually better for you than its substitutes. It is a good idea to dispel these popular misconceptions, for you can not only enjoy ice cream, you can also appreciate knowing that it is good for you.

Many people believe that ice cream is high in calories, and therefore believe that it is a treat which should be avoided. While calorie content varies, depending on which particular brand and style you prefer, the brands and styles you can find in your local grocery store are considerably lower in calories than one might think. It is not necessary to sacrifice taste and enjoyment, for the regular varies of ice cream do not contain a caloric count that is significantly higher than the “light” or “diet” types.

For example, Breyer’s, which is one of the most popular brands of ice cream, has only 140 calories per serving in their all-natural vanilla flavor. While one might be skeptical about additional tasty morsels in ice cream, Breyer’s natural rocky road only has 160 calories per serving. And while the Blue Bunny brand entices you to its product with wonderful enhancers, even their Bunny Tracks delight, which is said to be “chunky and gooey” will not sabotage your wish to eat healthy treats, at 170 calories in each serving.

For those who prefer their ice cream to be portable, many of these treats are also well within the range for calorie-counters. An Edy’s ice cream sandwich, for example, contains only 150 calories; and there are only 180 in each Blue Bunny neapolitan ice cream sandwich.

Ice creams which are listed as light or diet do not generally have a lower enough calorie content to make it a factor. Most serious ice cream fans will be happy to know that they do not need to sacrifice flavor, taste, and the better consistency of their favorite product for the sake of lower calories. Schwan’s light vanilla, for example, contains 120 calories per half-cup serving, while their regular vanilla is only 140; Perry’s light vanilla has 110 calories, but their premium White Lightning has only 170 calories.

In addition to concern about calories, many people who love ice cream also believe it to be unhealthy in general, and opt for less enjoyable substitutes. While those who have been advised by their physicians to limit their intake of fats and sugars due to medical conditions, should follow their doctors’ advice, people who are in good health and do not have such limitations can note that ice cream substitutes are not generally more healthy than traditional ice creams.

The most well-known ice cream substitute is called ice milk. While many believe that this product is significantly more healthy than traditional ice cream, the only differentiating factor is that ice milk contains less than ten percent milk fat, whereas ice cream is required to contain at least ten percent, and many of the better brands range up to sixteen percent milk fat. Gelato, the Italian style of ice cream which is increasing in popularity in many areas, also does not have a much lower fat content– up to seven percent, as opposed to regular ice cream’s required ten percent. Other than ice cream products which are specially made fat-free or sugar-free for those who have medical conditions which necessitate this, the ingredients in regular ice cream and the process by which it is made make it not only a good choice for one’s enjoyment, but also a healthy one.

Ice Cream For Children

When eaten in moderation, ice cream is a very healthy food for children. Most children, however, would not be impressed by hearing about the health benefits, calorie content, or ingredients of ice cream, so it is up to the adults to present this food in manners which will interest them the most. This is not to say that many children need much encouragement to eat ice cream, for it is generally a favored treat without requiring any explanations!

First, and above all, children will automatically be drawn to ice cream simply because it tastes good. As a treat which has withstood the test of time, being popular to children of every generation, today’s youngsters have many more varieties and forms of ice cream to enjoy than children did in generations of the past. With ice cream, a child can select his favorites from such forms as ice cream sandwiches, ice cream bars, sundaes, cones, and the ever-popular scoops. All of these forms fit nicely into a child’s active lifestyle, as they are easily portable. Children who might dislike taking the time to sit at the table to eat a snack appreciate being able to take a hand-held ice cream bar or ice cream sandwich along to wherever they are going.

Children also like the fact that there are so many flavors of ice cream to choose from. Although it is a rare child who does not have one particular favorite, the elements of variety and of choice have an important appeal to most youngsters. While he may love chocolate, and, likewise, choose chocolate ninety-nine percent of the time, having thirty other flavors from which he can choose if he so desires is a factor which children like. Having choices is something which all children appreciate; and ice cream certainly fits that category!

Anything which is presented as a learning experience, when presented in an interesting manner, is something which most children enjoy. Considering the fact that ice cream has been a popular part of American life for more than two hundred years, there is plenty of information that children will like to learn about. As each youngster has his own particular field of interest, you have the opportunity to present the subject in the range which most interests your child. For example, one child will be greatly interested in hearing that Dolly Madison served ice cream at the President’s inauguration dinner; another child would like to hear about what types of ice cream his favorite celebrities prefer; and other children will be more interested in learning the details of how, when, and where ice cream was originally invented.

Most children love that which is familiar, and also that which is unique. With ice cream, they can have the best of both. Ice cream can be a source of delight at their special occasions, and can also be presented in ways which make for good, lasting memories. While ice cream on or with cake has been a standard at birthday parties and other family gatherings for generations, there are ways to make it even more enjoyable for the children. In addition to birthday parties and other expected events, you can host a “getting out of school for the summer” celebration, or a party for a specific holiday, and make ice cream a focused part of the festivities by assisting the children in making their own.

Whether you use a hand-cranked ice cream maker, or make the ice cream in plastic bags, children will greatly enjoy this experience which is not time-consuming, complicated or messy as one might think. Youngsters will love the unique taste of homemade ice cream, as it is decidedly different from the boxed type found in grocery stores, and they will enjoy being an active part of its production.

Although ice cream is a healthy part of a child’s diet, most youngsters prefer to eat it simply because it tastes good and it can be given to them in ways which will even increase their enjoyment!

Splenda Sweeteners- A Great Alternative for Sugar

Splenda sweetener is a no calorie sweetener that contains sucralose and some common food ingredients such as dextrose and maltodextrin. Still, because the amounts of these ingredients are not so high, the calorie content of splenda sweetener is not so high.

What separates this from the rest of the alternative sweeteners in the market is that splenda does not have aftertaste and it really tastes like sugar. This is why it has been used in cooking and in baking. You can also use it in your drinks.

Splenda sweetener can actually be bought in two forms, the granular and the packet. The granular are often used in cooking while the packets are used for travel.

As mentioned before, splenda sweetener is made from sucralose through a patented process that converts sugar into a no calorie sweetener. The process results in a sweetener that tastes like sugar but do not have the same calorie content as ordinary sugar. In fact, after consumption, sucralose will pas through the body without being converted into energy or calories.

Sucralose as an alternative for sugar has already been used in over 80 countries worldwide. In the United States, it has already been found safe by the United States Food and Drug Administration as well as the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA). Even the Health Protection Branch of Health and Welfare Canada, and Australia’s National Food Authority have found sucralose safe.

Because it is found to be safe, splenda can be used by anybody even those in delicate conditions like pregnant women and nursing mothers. This is actually a favorite post-natal way of avoiding calories and aids in the losing of weight. Still, before opting for splenda, mothers are asked to consult their pediatricians for their nutritional needs as people in their conditions may need some calories for energy.

Children can also use splenda. This is actually even recommended for children who are trying to lose weight or those that are diagnosed as obese. This will help them with their diet without necessarily giving up sweet meals that they love.

People with diabetes can also use splenda. In fact, numerous studies have already shown that sucralose and splenda for that matter is already suitable for people with that condition. Because sucralose is not recognized by the body as either sugar or carbohydrate, it is not metabolized and does not have an effect on the carbohydrate metabolism and insulin secretion.

Aspartame Sweetener- On the Questions of Safety

With American societys penchant for low calorie foods, the market has been plagued by all kinds of sweeteners that promises low to almost non-existent calorie content. One of the many kinds of sweeteners that are already flooding the market is Aspartame sweetener.

Aspartame sweetener is a non-caloric sugar substitute. This means that there is no calorie content, which is real good news for people with sweet tooth who still wants to diet.

Aspartame has actually been discovered way back in 1965 and is already been available in the market since the 1980s. The safety of this sweetener has already been established by both local and international committees and agencies. However, there have still been doubts on its safety up until now.

Aspartame has a powderish consistency. It is odorless and is approximately 200 times sweeter than sucrose or ordinary table sugar. It has already been used in so many products in the market and have actually even been marketed in brand names like Canderel and NutraSweet. When ingested, it does not enter the bloodstream but rather goes straight to the intestines and breaks down into three components, aspartic acid, methanol and phenylalanine.

Although the sweetener is relatively stable when dry, it loses its sweetness when it is combined with liquids or in temperatures above 30 degrees Celsius.

Still, despite being in the market for so long, questions about its safety is still being raised. The long-standing debate on whether it is safe or not has actually not been resolved. Some claim that aspartame sweeteners can cause headaches, epilepsy and even brain tumors. There are however no major study that has yet to support this claim.

In fact no link has been found between aspartame and cancer or gene damage. Many scientists have also disclaimed the suggested link between the headaches/epilepsy with aspartame.

Consumption of aspartame does not affect human reproduction and does not prevent conception. It does not lead to any nervous system disorders or any allergic reactions. There is also no evidence that aspartame can affect a persons behavior, cognition and mood.

People, however, could not care less. They still use aspartame. Europe for instance consume about 2.8 to 10.1 kilograms per body weight aspartame every day. This however is still quite low and way below the accepted daily food intake that is set by international agencies like the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO).