Who has never fallen in love with a 100% chocolate magnum or a strawberry/vanilla ice cream? Everyone – or almost. Because this childhood memory, sweet as can be, embodies deliciousness par excellence. However, it should not be enjoyed at any time of the day. Here is the worst (and best) time to enjoy your ice cream, according to Alexandre Retion, dietitian-nutritionist.
What do ice creams and sorbets really contain?
Industrial ice creams are mainly composed of milk, cream, or a mixture of the two, which gives them a creamy texture. Sugar, natural or artificial flavors (vanilla, chocolate, cherry, etc.) are then added to sweeten and flavor the ice cream.
Sometimes, additional ingredients (not always good for your health!) complete the recipe, such as: M&M’S, chocolate chips, caramel flakes, crumbled cookies, etc.
Concerning sorbets, they are mainly composed of water, sugar and fruit (or sometimes fruit juice). Their composition, without dairy products makes them lighter and more refreshing than ice cream.
However, they still remain very sweet and often contain a significant amount of artificial flavors, stabilizers and thickeners.
Result ? When we eat ice cream or any other very sweet dessert, the body sees its blood sugar level rise considerably.
Ice cream: at what time of day is it not recommended to consume it?
Those who like to enjoy their cone between two meals, at snack time (4 p.m.), risk being disoriented.
“Indeed, if consuming ice cream in isolation – outside of a meal – is not a disaster for a healthy person, things are slightly different for a diabetic person. In this case, it is preferable to eat a sweet product at the end of the meal because it will have less impact on blood sugar levels”recognizes Alexandre Retion, dietitian-nutritionist.
In summary, in a non-diabetic person, “There is absolutely no problem with enjoying an ice cream as a snack, simply because you want it or because you are at the beach, for example. In someone who is not diabetic, blood sugar levels are regulated naturally and effectively after a meal.underlines the expert.
“My recommendation is therefore only aimed at people with diabetes: consuming ice cream as part of a meal allows you to better control blood sugar levels, because the presence of fiber, proteins and fats helps to slow down the absorption of sugars,” concludes the specialist.