Is it healthy to eat an ice cream each and every day of summer? Science already has an answer

In a balanced and varied diet it is not difficult to find a hole for occasional whim, a sweet dessert or a Snack from time to time. Now, finding balance is not always easy, even more so when we often receive news that they point out that foods like ice cream They are healthy, something that seems to contradict our most basic ideas about nutrition. So is this true? How often can I eat ice cream?

First, bad news: no, eating ice cream is not especially healthy. As with the consumption of certain alcoholic beverages such as wine, the fact that some study finds positive properties in any of its converters, does not necessarily imply that a food will be healthy.

Here it is important to address several issues issues. The first is that there may be other components that cancel the positive effect detected. In the example of wine, its alcohol content tends to counteract the impact of compounds such as polyphenols. A key question to ask ourselves here is if we can obtain the beneficial compounds of a source that does not contain the harmful compounds.

It is also relevant to attend to what aspect of health a certain study refers. Analysis can be carried out focused on A specific aspect of healthsuch as the incidence of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes or cancer. It is therefore important to understand that what can be good for one aspect of our health may not be so much for another.

Interpreting the results of a study is important, but sometimes the methodology can also give us important clues when making this interpretation. An example we have In an article for The conversation Written by Duane Melor, expert in Medicine and Nutrition of Birmingham Aston University.

Although it is an interesting result, some factors must be taken into account, the first, the fact that ice cream represents a small element of the diet and that sometimes other variables can play a bad pass.

Melor In a doctoral thesis published in 2018 and focused on the heart effects of dairy products. The thesis, the expert indicates, included a study in which it was observed that, among the study population (composed of people with type 2 diabetes), those who consumed ice cream no more than twice a week showed a 12% lower risk of suffering from cardiovascular diseases, compared to those who did not consume this sweet.

Although it is an interesting result, some factors must be taken into account, the first, the fact that ice cream represents a small element of the diet and that sometimes other variables can play a bad pass.

“It is important to note that this bond between ice cream and heart disease only becomes apparent when other aspects of people’s health are taken into account, including how healthily they ate,” MELLOR EXPLAIN IN YOUR ARTICLE. “This suggests that eating A generally healthy diet It is possibly more important when reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease in people with type 2 diabetes, compared to eating ice cream. ”

Establishing causal relationships in observational studies such as this is difficult and mellor gives us an example of why. A person with problems prior to the study may decide to stop consuming ice cream to improve their diet. This implies that this person will be seen for the purpose of the study as a person with a worse level of health despite leading a seemingly healthier life.

If there is a marked trend, that is, if there are numerous cases like this, the results of the study may present biases.

Practice and theory

Ice cream are usually high caloric food in sugar and in fat. This, as we point out at the beginning, can fit perfectly into a balanced diet, but it does not mean that a food is healthy. He sugar consumption It has been linked to very different problems that cover from oral health to an increased risk of cancer, also through diabetes.

Fats and excess calories can also facilitate the appearance of overweight or obesity. While this is not a health problem in itself, it is a risk factor in the appearance of diseases and disorders, including cardiovascular diseases.

There are also studies that point in this direction, some of them cited by Melor in their piece. A study Made by an Italian researchers team and published in 2019 in the magazine Nutrientsdetected that greater ice cream consumption was linked to the appearance Non -alcoholic fatty liver diseasesomething that is not exclusive to this food, but we must also take into account when making our nutritional decisions.

We explained before something that we must take into account is whether we can find healthier alternatives. Part of The benefits that can give us ice cream come from milk, thanks to elements Like calcium either The probiotics. That is, non -sugary yogurt (or less sugary), cheese, or milk can give us some of these nutrients, turning them into alternatives that may perhaps fit more into a daily diet.

So how much can I eat ice cream? There is no clear response, it depends on factors such as the type of ice cream we are consuming (the nutrients that each type of ice cream provides can vary) and the size of the ration, our diet and countless factors such as our weight or our state of health.

If we wanted Consume ice cream every day We should make sure first to have A varied diet (and healthy lifestyle habits), consume reduced amounts and eliminate other added sources. And still nothing guarantees that this cannot lead to other problems such as the aforementioned fatty liver disease.

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