What could be better than treating yourself to a refreshing ice cream on a hot day? But how many calories does the cold treat bring with it? And what is actually contained in ice cream? Statistics show that every German eats around eight liters of ice cream a year. 85 percent of the ice cream consumed by Germans is produced industrially. The rest is produced in ice cream parlors. As a rule, they still produce ice cream according to their own recipes. In the meantime, however, people can choose between more than 70 ice cream flavors.
The most popular ice cream flavors
According to a new survey, the favorite ice cream flavors of all respondents are stracciatella and chocolate, with 14 percent each. Thirteen percent each prefer nut ice cream or yogurt ice cream. This is followed by lemon and vanilla flavors with 8 percent each.
Ice cream has a temperature of around -4 °C when eaten. It warms up to around +18 °C in the mouth. Once in the stomach, it almost reaches our body temperature. So you don’t have to be afraid of a “cold stomach“.
Ingredients of ice cream
The main ingredients are milk or milk products, as well as sugar and eggs. In addition, water, butter or vegetable fat, and colorings and/or flavorings play a role. For the special flavors, fruits, cocoa, nuts, chocolate, etc. are added. Depending on the variety, ice cream also contains some vitamins and minerals:
- Ice cream is made from sugar, milk, cream or butter. Ice cream must contain at least ten percent milk fat, which makes the ice cream nice and creamy and soft.
- Milk ice cream consists of 70 percent milk and thus has a lower fat content than ice cream. The high milk content is healthy, because milk contains a lot of calcium – which strengthens bones and nails.
- In cream ice cream is 60 percent whipped cream. This ice cream is therefore with 17 percent fat also very high in calories.
- Fruit ice cream consists of sugar, water, fresh fruit, fruit pulp or fruit juice, with a fruit content of at least 20 percent.
- Sorbet contains even 25 percent fruit content, unless sour fruits such as lemons are used for it. Then the fruit content is 15 percent.
- Soft ice cream is a foamed ice cream, which is sold immediately after it has left the freezer.
Calories in ice cream
The caloric value of ice cream is between 100 and 500 kilocalories per 100 grams. Low-calorie are fruit ice cream and sorbets and yogurt-based varieties. Chocolate and nut ice cream are high-calorie fun. A popsicle with a chocolate coating comes in at almost 300 kilocalories. The mostly high energy content of ice cream is due to the sugar and fat content: Cream ice cream contains 17 percent fat, ice cream about half that. Milk ice cream – mostly used for popsicles – contains about 3 percent fat, soft ice cream up to 6 percent.
The sugar content varies, depending on the ice cream variant. However, it is always higher than in normal-temperature foods because cold foods are perceived as less sweet. Ice cream contains around 20 percent sugar, while fruit ice cream contains as much as 24 percent. The good news is that nutrition experts consider four to five scoops of ice cream per week harmless for people of normal weight. Ice cream varieties with a high fat content, such as cream or nut ice cream, should be avoided by anyone who needs to watch their calories.
5 Facts About Ice Cream – Steve Buissinne
Can ice cream cause headaches?
According to a report in the British Medical Journal, one in three people feel a sharp pain in their head just seconds after the first lick. This headache is also triggered by ice-cold drinks in warm weather, for example.
Normally, this cold headache is not too bad and subsides quickly. So nothing stands in the way of the occasional enjoyment of a refreshing ice cream.
Ice cream already tasted the ancient Greeks
Ice cream is by no means an invention of modern times. Already 2,000 years before Chr. a cooled food was manufactured. However, from glacial ice or snow, to which fruit pulp and milk were added. The Greeks mixed an exclusive food of the gods from the snow of Olympus, honey, fruit juices and wine. It was not until the 16th century that it was possible to produce cold artificially as well, thus freezing ice and keeping it in this state.
