Do you know how much ice cream the average American eats per year? 48 pints! Americans love their ice cream so much, in fact, more than any other country!
If you’re chasing after the ice cream truck every other day, or going through a pint of Ben & Jerry’s every 3 or 4 days, you’re going to pack on the pounds as quickly and unhealthily as if you were eating a whole pizza to yourself every Friday. The average pint of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream has 1,100 calories, and the average medium-sized pie has 1,600. And we’re just talking about one small pint! Add on a visit to your local ice cream shop or the ice cream truck, and you’re there.
The problem is, people don’t realize that there are 4 servings in one of those pints. Who is satisfied with one half-cup serving? It’s easy to finish one off in one, maybe two sittings. So, if you’re an ice cream fiend, you may want to start making healthier swaps.
What about frozen yogurt? Or sorbet? These may have less calories and fat than your average full-fat ice cream, but they are also usually loaded with sugar. A half-cup serving of Haagen Dazs Raspberry sorbet only has 150 calories, but also contains 36 grams of sugar. That’s nearly 150 grams of sugar in one pint!
Frozen yogurt is a little better, but shouldn’t be considered a health food, as many do. A serving of Pinkberry Original has 100 calories and 20 grams of sugar, which is what you’ll find at most self-serve fro-yo shops. But again, we’re talking about a ½ cup serving, and the cups you get hold two to four times that! At the self-serve shops, you get to make it yourself, which can be helpful or detrimental to your diet. Stick to the smallest cup size, and don’t overflow it, especially if you’re adding toppings. A spoonful of cookie dough, a sprinkle of candy chocolates, and a pump of caramel can add hundreds of calories to your otherwise favorable dessert. Grab a plastic spoon and fill it with one spoonful of your favorite topping. A little bit can go a long way!
It’s okay to indulge in your favorite frozen dessert now and then, especially during the hot summer months! Just don’t be tricked into believing frozen yogurt or sorbet is a health food, that a pint of Ben & Jerry’s is one serving, or that chasing down the ice cream truck will burn off what you’re about to eat. All things in moderation!
