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Nutritional information
The Università degli Studi di Milano (University of Milan) was commissioned by AIIPA, (Associazione Industrie Prodotti Alimentari – Association of Food Industries) – Group products for ice cream - ACOMAG (Associazione nazionale Costruttori Macchine e Attrezzature per Gelato – National Association of Manufacturers of Machinery and Equipment for Ice Cream Production) and SIGEP from Rimini (the most important ice cream trade fair in the world) an analysis of some samples of homemade ice cream. The aim of this study was that of ascertaining the composition of the ice cream and to highlight the percentages and the quality of fats, sugars, proteins, vitamins, mineral salts and antioxidants contained in the various samples.
The aim of this research carried out by a team of experts headed by Professor Marisa Porcini, lecturer at the Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Alimentari (Faculty of Food Science and Technologies) and Professor Carruba, Director of the Centro di Studi e Ricerca sull'obesità dell'Università degli Studi di Milano (Centre for Studies and Research on Obesity of the University of Milan), was that of identifying the nutrition facts of homemade ice cream so as to be in the position of assessing whether or not ice cream can be considered a food which can be eaten by everybody.
The five flavours which, according to recent surveys, are the favourite flavours by Italians – namely chocolate, cream, hazelnut, strawberry and lemon – have been analysed. In order to have a balance between creams and fruits, various types of wild berries were added to the ice creams; wild berries are actually rich not only in vitamins but also in antocians and flavonoids – substances with antioxidant and healthy properties.
The finding that will make many people – both males and females – who do not want to give up the pleasures of palate but who, at the same time, keep a close eye on their weight, feel relieved is the fact that homemade ice cream – if compared to the vast majority of other desserts – has, given the same quantity, significantly less calories. This means that we should not feel guilty if we finish our dinner with a bit of cream or chocolate, but even more so with strawberry and lemon, ice cream.
The calories from a tiramisu, for example, are three-times the calories contained in a milk-based ice cream and seven-times those found in a fruit sorbet.
The figures say it clearly; 100 gr. of milk ice cream have 220 calories and 100 gr. of fruit ice cream have roughly 100 calories, while 100 gr. of dark chocolate has 542 calories, graham crackers have got 410 calories, Nutella has 537 calories, jam tart has 339 calories, snacks have something between 350 and 460 calories – depending on whether the snack is filled with jam or made with sponge cake – and pop corns have 383 calories.
More than that, homemade ice cream is one of the very few desserts that can be rightly considered a well-balanced food given that the breakdown of its composition features a high percentage of proteins, carbohydrate/sugars, fats: given 100 gr. of chocolate ice cream, for example, the composition is as follows: 4,3 gr. of proteins, 8,1 gr. of fats, 2,3 gr. of fibres, 23,6 gr. of total sugars. This is the reason why there is ground for considering ice cream a food which can replace a part of a meal, and makes the best possible snack; a snack which is perfect also for children because it is healthy, wholesome and a full-blown meal.
Homemade ice cream, furthermore, provides good levels of energy, it is easily digestible and its food volume is low – all these characteristics make it suitable for athletes. Proteins are necessary for the correct functioning of our body, fats are important especially in sports which require a long-lasting effort, carbohydrates represent a readily-available combustible plus which ice cream also has vitamins and mineral salts. Since the percentage of fats in lemon, strawberry and wild berry ice cream is almost down to zero, a small serving of fruit ice cream can be a perfect snack before starting an exercising session. Ice cream is healthy because it is made of fruit, it is light, highly digestible and thanks to the presence of almost exclusively sugars (average value: 27 gr. out of 100 gr., fats 0, proteins 0), ice cream is easily burnt away but at the same time it provides the right amount of energy. Milk ice cream, which contains carbohydrates, proteins and fats, is the right thing to eat after the race or competition.
One of the positive properties, highlighted by the findings of the research, of homemade ice cream is its good level of TAA (total antioxidant activity), this is true especially for chocolate, strawberry and wild berry ice cream – in which there is a considerable content of vitamins A and C. These vitamins prevent the natural formation of free radicals to which the cells of the human body are exposed and they also contribute to the prevention of degenerative diseases.
In addition, ice cream is an excellent ally in the diets of people who lack appetite such as the elderly. Behind its good taste there is a significant amount of mineral salts – such as calcium and phosphor – which contribute to strengthening of the bony tissue, and of vitamins A, B2 and C – which are important for the well-being of our organism. The results of the analysis show that in 100 gr. of milk-based ice cream the average value of its content of calcium is roughly 46,5 mg, while as far as phosphor is concerned the average value is 10,5 mg.
The secret of a good ice cream, both from the point of view of taste and of nutrition properties, depends not only on the experience and the cleverness of the ice cream producer, but it also depends largely on the choice of the ingredients. It is precisely the products used specifically for ice cream production (additives which convey ice cream its stability and the characteristics of the mix and in some cases the corrective aids / taste integrators) that give ice cream the creaminess, the texture and the silkiness we expect from it, albeit ensuring it retains its good qualities and, in some cases, enhance its taste. The use of compound ingredients enables the ice cream producers to offer maximum guarantees of full abidance by any hygiene-sanitary regulations, thus putting on the market a healthy and controlled product. Research carried out by the companies in the sector makes continual evolution and modernization a reality for the industry and it is aimed at offering to ice cream producers – and consequently the users, products which are increasingly healthy, good-tasting, diversified and some of which are specific for people who suffer from certain diseases and food intolerances (celiac disease, obesity, allergies to dairy products – just to name the most common ones).
To conclude: does ice cream fatten us?
If we compare its calories with the calories of other food, we can maintain that eating ice cream is less fattening than eating certain other products. Indeed, 100 gr. of ice cream account for approximately 200 kcal if compared to, just to give an example, 900 kcal of olive oil, almost 600 of chocolate and more than 300 of honey.
It goes without saying that the calories of ice cream depend on the ingredients that are used for preparing it: fruit ice cream has more or less 160 kcal while plain ice cream has got more or less 220 kcal.
Ice cream is perfect foodstuff in hyper nutritious diets and, by virtue of its digestibility and tastiness, it is recommended also in the diet of anorexics and people with digestion difficulties.
In fact, one of its main characteristics is the ability to stimulate the secretion of gastric juices and, because of the cold sensation it gives during its ingestion, it can also act as a mild painkiller.
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