Is it healthy to eat ice cream every day?

Half of the annual consumption of ice cream in Spain takes place during the months of June, July and August.

In fact, to be more exact, it is estimated that Spaniards consumed

, 4% more than in the same period of the previous year.

Having an ice cream to refresh ourselves or, even, to 'wash down the food', is a ritual to which we devote ourselves with devotion when the heat tightens but, beware, because this is not, by far, the healthiest choice:

"Water ice creams and ice creams based on milk or cream have a

(sucrose, glucose, etc.), which represents

. Two small balls of ice cream or an ice lolly contain about 25 grams of sugar, the equivalent of four dessert spoons of sugar", explains Mariona Bolfegó, collaborating professor of the UOC's Health Sciences Studies, dietitian and expert on the master's degree in Nutrition and Health of the UOC.

To better understand the magnitude of those

that a serving of ice cream normally provides, it should be noted that they represent the

sugar intake recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) in adults and children.

To which should be added, another important point: a study by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), published this year, concludes that the consumption of added sugars and free sugars should be as low as possible as part of a diet nutritionally adequate.

For this reason, both Balfegó and Montserrat Rabassa, also a collaborating professor at the UOC's Health Sciences Department, advise, within the framework of a healthy diet such as the Mediterranean diet and the vast majority of current dietary guidelines,

that can be found in products such as ultra-processed ice cream, among others.

ICE CREAM AND DIABETES

Experts from the Center for Innovation in Childhood Diabetes at Hospital Sant Joan de Déu (CIDI) point out that both

.

Whenever possible, they advise reading the nutritional label to know what components it has and what type of sweetener it uses.

They also point out that

since they usually contain quality ingredients and the amount of sugar is taken into account during their preparation.

The UOC experts, in the same line, point out the importance of knowing how to choose the type of ice cream well, due to its

.

"Sugars, fats and the additives they contain can also contribute to increased body weight, blood glucose or the risk of heart disease. In this sense, the contribution of sugars and saturated fats must be taken into account of ice cream, as well as the rapid increase in blood glucose and insulin levels", explains Balfegó.

According to Rabassa, we must bear in mind that the body does not respond in the same way when consuming an

-which is basically made of water, sugars and dyes- than when consuming milk or cream.

"In the case of ice cream,

. In contrast,

ice cream this process is not as fast:

due to the nutritional composition (proteins, fats, etc., which come mainly from milk)," he clarifies.

FEW INGREDIENTS

When choosing an ice cream, whether it is water or milk, it is important

used to make it.

"For this reason, ultra-processed ice creams must be avoided as much as possible, because they include sugars, fats, salt and additives. They use various ingredients, such as

r", say the UOC professors.

"These hyperpalatable commercial products, which contain various ingredients that make them tastier,

, because they stimulate the brain's reward system," Rabassa remarks.

To avoid this, the teacher gives advice that also serves as a guide to choosing the healthiest option: "

; it means that it is less processed."

For the experts, if you want to

, controlling the ingredients that are added and avoiding sugars or unhealthy fats.

For example, you can use crushed and frozen fruit (strawberries, blueberries, melon, etc.), milk, yogurt, pure cocoa, nuts, avocado or dates, among others.

"A

can be quite caloric, but it has nothing to do with an ultra-processed ice cream; the type of fats and sugars is not the same," adds Balfegó.

As a healthy alternative, the expert also advises opting for

, with a base

, which can now be found in supermarkets

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