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The ice-cream it is the food par excellence of the summer. And not only that: if chosen with awareness, based on the ingredients it contains, it can offer a good one nutritional intake, refreshes on sultry days and is gratifying on the palate. But be careful not to confuse it with a meal, warns the Dr. Valentina Schirò, nutritional biologist specialized in Nutrition SciencesAnd.
“Due to its nutritional composition – explains the expert – we cannot consider ice cream as a meal replacement balanced, because it lacks some fundamental components such as fibers, but also for the excess of simple sugars and fats, especially in the case of cream ice cream. The situation worsens in the case of ice cream fruit because, in addition to having a high glycemic index, they are absent proteins, fats and fibers “.
However, it is possible to place it in the context of a healthy diet. The nutritionist explains how to choose it, when to eat it and what is the ideal dose if we are on a diet.
Which one to choose
“A distinction must be made between gelato alla cream and ice cream fruit precisely because of their different composition ”, says Dr. Schirò.
- Cream ice cream (portion of 100g – 200Kcal approximately)
“Thanks to the presence of simple sugars he was born in lactose, cream ice cream – he explains – is a considerable source of added simple carbohydrates equal to about 36%. The presence of lipids, about 56%, is also particularly high thanks to the presence of cream. The protein content (about 8%) is on the other hand. Not to be underestimated is how this type of ice cream represents a source of minerals, especially calcium, zinc, phosphorus and selenium, but also of vitamins like those of group B and vitamin A “. - Fruit ice cream, milk free (100gr portion – about 130 Kcal)
“The contribution in carbohydrates it is also in this case high (34%) and is due to the presence of added simple sugars and fructose. The contribution in water is high (65%). Obviously absent are fats, proteins and minerals such as calcium. The presence of other minerals such as magnesium, potassium, and vitamins, especially A, C, depends on the type of fruit that will be used for the preparation of the dessert “.
“In both cases – continues the expert – calorie intake varies notably if other ingredients such as dried fruit, fresh fruit in pieces, dehydrated fruit, biscuits and waffles, but also vegetable oils especially in the case of industrial ice cream.
The choice depends exclusively on personal taste, but if we do not want to overdo the calorie intake, the most obvious one will be that of fruit ice cream possibly artisanal. In the latter case, it is always necessary not to exaggerate in the frequency of intake: 1, maximum 2 times are the recommended weekly doses.
Otherwise, if we want to pamper ourselves with ice cream, but want to maintain a balanced diet, it is preferable to enjoy it as dessert at the end of the meal (possibly fruit) in the course of which we ate a good amount of fibers which will help us slow down the absorption of simple sugars and fats. Alternative is to taste it as snack, mid-morning or mid-afternoon, either fruit or cream, especially when our day will be intense from the point of view of energy expenditure ”, advises the nutritionist.
Ice cream between tradition and innovation
With a consumption growth of 14% since the beginning of the year, estimates that show optimism for a sector that has strongly suffered the restrictions resulting from the new Coronavirus health emergency, theSIGEP Observatory has defined the ice cream of summer 2021 as a real “SPA” for the palate where tradition and innovation meet, but with an eye to new ingredients from nature.
Like the ice creams of Rimini Sonia Balacchi, who at Sigep achieved the title of World Pastry Champion. Among its novelties, the Natura Sandwich Gold, with apricot, orange and biscuit bread saffron filled with Kefir ice cream mango, pineapple, maca and candied ginger; Natura Sandwich Purple with berry biscuit bread filled with Kefir ice cream, red grapes, beetroot, black carrot and Goji berries; the Natura Sandwich Green, lactose-free and vegan, with lemon and banana biscuit bread filled with kiwi sorbet, avocado, apple and moringa.
Petals and berries, on the other hand, come thanks to Giancarlo Timballo, Maestro from Friuli, president of the Gelato World Cup. “We – he declared – work for short periods with the dandelion, which in Friuli is a typical plant of the territory. But we also work with rosehip or poppy petals, then it’s up to sea buckthorn and juniper. We work the petals first and then the berries, with the infusions we prepare the variegations. This is how the variegated dandelion ice cream comes out poppy. Ingredients that require patience and careful processing, with which for years I have interpreted my attention to the health aspects of ice cream “.
Eugenio Morrone, a Calabrian transplanted to Rome, on the other hand, focuses on simple combinations that arouse curiosity. “Today – he said – out of 25 flavors, 13 are sorbets and 12 creams. Water, sugar and pistachio – it’s simple and it works. I go to visit the nurseries for the basil that I combine with Sorrento lemon and cinnamon. I find sage, which I pair with Smith apple and pineapple, which I work with high solids content, with a cream-like texture. There peppermint, what a cold job. The classic coffee or zabaglione remain in the hearts of the Romans. But there is the exploit of the raw almond which divides the podium with the pistachio and the cocoa mass“.
The ideal dose
Ice cream yes, therefore, in summer but also during the rest of the year. Provided that do not exaggerate, especially if you are on a weight loss diet. There ideal dose? “The average one – especially if we have to stay on a diet is that of a glass of 100 ml”, Concludes the nutritionist.
“Typical” menu of the day
BREAKFAST: Tea without added sugar; wholemeal bread; jam with no added sugar
LUNCH: Grilled vegetables; grilled or baked fish (eg sea bream or sea bass); mixed raw vegetable salad; cup of fruit ice cream. Dressing: extra virgin olive oil and aromatic herbs
DINNER: Salad of shredded chicken, cherry tomatoes and basil; whole grain bread. Dressing: extra virgin olive oil and aromatic herbs
SNACKS: Tea, without added sugar, with mint and peach leaves (cut into small pieces) or natural yogurt or cream ice cream (especially for the most intense days and possibly in the middle of the morning).
