It’s that time of year when there is simply no substitute for a cold, creamy, and velvety-rich dish of ice cream. Unfortunately, ice cream is far from a superfood, loaded with calories, sugar, and bad fats. That said, it’s perfectly acceptable to enjoy an occasional “real” ice cream treat as part of a healthy diet. The key is moderation. If occasional is not in your vocabulary, there are many ways to include healthier frozen treats in your diet, on a regular basis. Here are some tips:
1. Shop for healthier ice creams. If only real ice cream will do, become a label sleuth in the supermarket. When shopping for ice cream, check the nutrition and ingredient labels carefully. There’s a huge difference between the super-premium and traditional ice creams. Here are the stats on a one-cup serving of super-premium ice cream versus traditional ice cream: Super-premium: A one-cup serving weighs in at 214 grams (g), 533 calories, 35 g fat, 44 g sugar, 7.5 g protein. Traditional: A one-cup serving weighs in at 132 g, 273 calories, 15 g fat, 28 g sugar, 5 g protein. That’s about 40 percent more ice cream by weight, and 260 more calories in the super premium.
2. Try frozen yogurt. Frozen yogurt is lower in fat than regular ice cream per serving, but you still need to think of frozen yogurt as a treat and eat it in moderation. You can quickly create a high-calorie dessert with more than one serving of yogurt and multiple toppings. The toppings sometimes can add up to more calories and fat than the actual frozen yogurt alone. The most nutritious toppings are fruit, sprinkles, dark chocolate, granola, almond slices, and chopped walnuts.
3. Make your own! Try eating homemade ice cream that’s simple to make and nutrient dense. Make your own dairy-free, practically fat-free frozen concoction by blending one special ingredient, a frozen banana. A banana is naturally sweet and forms a creamy and fluffy consistency when blended. Top your frozen treat with blueberries, which add texture as well as phytochemicals to decrease inflammation and vitamin C to maintain a healthy immune system.
Ingredients:
2 bananas (ripe), peeled and sliced
2 tsp of vanilla extract
1 cup of blueberries
1 tsp dark chocolate chips
Directions:
Freeze banana slices for about 2 hours or overnight. Place banana slices and vanilla extract in a food processor (or blender) and mix the ingredients until you have a smooth and fluffy consistency like frozen yogurt. Scoop out your “frozen yogurt” into a dish and top your treat with blueberries and chocolate chips.
Serves 2
Nutrition per ½ cup serving: With Blueberries and Dark Chocolate Chips (1 tsp): Calories: 182 kcal, Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 0 g, Carbohydrates: 41 g, Sugar: 25g, Dietary Fiber: 5g, Protein: 2g, Sodium: 4 mg
