Who can resist a rich ice cream in summer? Or two? Or three? ... The children adore them, and if they take them sporadically, it probably does not generate any doubt, but as they are asked daily ... oh, what a dilemma!
Offer them a daily ice cream? Won't it be bad for your health? Could the cold hurt your throat? Are there ice creams better than others? There can be many doubts that arise when our children ask us to consume ice cream on a recurring basis. We will try to solve them all, to be able to enjoy ice cream without regrets.
Does eating ice cream hurt your throat?
This is one of the main issues that concerns parents when we see our children devour ice cream in just two bites: "Take it slowly. Don't bite it and heat the little piece in your mouth before swallowing it.", we repeat them again and again.
And we fear that the direct cold that hits them in the throat can irritate it. But in these cases the solution is as simple as encouraging them to suck the ice cream instead of biting it, and to taste it slowly in your mouth before swallowing it.
AdvertisingBut what happens if our little one complains of a sore throat? Should we stop him from taking ice cream until the discomfort passes? Well, the truth is that no. It's more, cold helps in inflammatory processes, so taking an ice cream could help relieve throat discomfort.
Can eating ice cream cause tooth decay?
"Don't drink a lot of ice cream, itchy teeth"I remember what my grandmother told me as a child. And the fact that our children can suffer from cavities is one of the worst nightmares of parents.
The first thing to know is that tooth decay occurs when, after eating, the sugars in foods that have remained in the mouth are metabolized by bacterial plaque. In this process acids are produced that cause the pH of the oral cavity to drop, and this attacks the mineral structure of the enamel causing its demineralization, which is the first phase of caries.
To avoid the appearance of decay, a moderate consumption of sugary products (among which, logically, ice creams are found), as well as proper budodental hygiene, especially after the ingestion of this type of food.
What are ice cream made of?
In general, ice cream it is composed of water in a proportion of 50-60 percent (although in some types of ice cream the water becomes up to 90 percent), protein between 3-5 percent, sugars between 15 and 20 percent, and fat between 10 and 20 percent.
But not all ice creams are equals, and the quantities vary depending on the type we choose:
Creamy or milk ice cream
Creamy or milk ice creams are those whose basic ingredient is milk, milk fat and its derivatives, such as butter, cream, milk powder ... According to a study carried out by the OCU, cream ice cream contains at least eight percent fat, while ice cream whose main ingredient is milk contains a minimum of 2 , 5 percent.
Within this group we can also place the ball ice cream they sell in ice cream parlors, as well as those covered with chocolate (the typical "frozen chocolate"). According to the OCU, these ice creams contain enough saturated fats, and the chocolate cover is made with cocoa butter.
On average, creamy or milk ice creams provide approximately 15 to 20 percent of the total daily calories that children need, so its consumption must be sporadic and always within the framework of a balanced diet.
However, they have a point in favor and it is that when they are made with milk they provide calcium (between 99 and 148 mg / 100 grams), proteins and vitamin B, as explained by experts such as Carmen Vidal, doctor in Pharmacy and Professor of Nutrition by the University of Barcelona, in the study "The white paper of ice cream".
Ice cream
The poles, sorbets and slushies they are composed entirely of ice (water), and large amounts of sugar and dyes. Unlike the previous ones, this type of ice cream does not carry milk in its composition so they do not contain fat or cholesterol, although neither proteins.
The poles of fruit flavors, such as strawberry or lemon, are made from juice, although not exceeding five percent of its composition, its contribution of vitamins is really low. This percentage is somewhat higher in sorbets, which have up to 15 percent fruit.
Frozen yogurt
Frozen yogurts have become fashionable in recent years, and are sold as a nutritious and healthy alternative. But nevertheless, Nutrition experts warn that frozen yogurt should not be considered a regular food, for the amount of calories they have.
As the nutritionist Julio Basulto explains in this article, while 100 grams of a natural yogurt contribute 57 kilocalories, 100 grams of frozen yogurt contain 159 kilocalories, that is, almost triple.
This caloric intake is due to the fact that frozen yogurt has five times more sugar and twice as much total fat as natural yogurt. Therefore, its consumption should also be moderated.
How many ice cream can I give my son?
Thus, nutritionists warn that ice cream, due to its large amounts of sugar and saturated fats, should not be consumed as usual, although there is no problem in offering the child an ice cream on an occasional basis, provided that the rest of his diet is varied and balanced.
But we can offer you a healthy ice cream alternative if we make them ourselves, taking care of the ingredients we use and avoiding free sugars and excess fats.We can use the fruit as a base, and to give it more unctuousness resort to peanuts, peanut butter, grated coconut or seeds, as our Vitónica partners advise us. These ingredients would replace butter and cream, so we would improve the quality of fats.
We can also convert our ice cream into a protein source using ingredients such as fresh cheese, milk or plain yogurt without added sugar. And if we add to our ice cream a handful of toppings based on nuts, grated coconut, seeds or pure cocoa, we will be providing fiber, vitamins, minerals ... and an irresistible touch to our palate!
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