The Nutrition of Ice Cream

Ice cream is a favorite frozen dessert of many people. Ice cream is a milk product that can also be nutritious. Did you know that a 125 mL (1/2 cup) serving of regular vanilla ice cream can be a source of nutrients such as calcium and vitamin A? What nutrients does ice cream have? We can check out the Nutrition Facts table on the label to find out the answer.



In the USA, the nutrition of ice cream mainly includes: fat, sugar, proteins, water.

Fat: Greater than 10% milkfat and usually between 10% and as high as 16% fat in some premium ice creams. The difference in fat depends on how much milk fat the ice cream contains. Most of the fat in ice cream is hydrogenated oil and animal fat. These fats are saturated fat. Over 50 percent of the calories found in ice cream come from fat (unless the ice cream is fat-free or low-fat). The remaining percentage of calories comes from carbohydrates. Ice cream, however, contains less fat than many other less nourishing treats.

Sugar: The sugar used in ice cream is a combination of sucrose and corn syrup. There is a common misconception that low-fat or fat-free ice cream is better for you than full-fat ice cream. These "healthier" options generally contain even more sugar than their full-fat c-ounterparts. The reason for the increased sugar is that fat provides flavor, and when fat is reduced so is flavor. Ice cream manufactures have to make up for the loss of fat by adding more sugar.

Proteins: It is found in milk.

Water: There is 55% to 64% water, which comes from the milk or other ingredients.

Source: SNOWBALLMACHINERY