Ice cream and summer go hand in hand. For me, ice cream triggers memories of walking to the ice cream shop one block from my house each summer. I don’t think we went everyday, but I do know that me, my brother, and our friends were some of their best customers. As I child, I never questioned what went into the ice cream. I just knew it was one of my favorite foods.
If you are currently losing weight on cancer treatment, ice cream can be an easy way to get more calories in less food, as long as you don’t have any sensitivity to cold foods. If you have a sore mouth or throat, ice cream may be one of the few foods that can soothe the discomfort. And if you simply don’t feel like eating solid foods, ice cream in the form of a protein shake is an easy alternative to a meal.
One challenge around ice cream is choosing which one to buy. From “all-natural” to “light” to “low-fat” to “carb-smart” to “sugar free,” having so many choices can be so overwhelming—especially when you don’t feel well—that you simply grab your go-to brand, or just walk away.
So where to begin?
And what about all that sugar and fat? It’s true—traditional ice cream is high in sugar and fat. The fat is also saturated—the kind of fat from animal products that can raise cholesterol; however, if you are losing weight on treatment, premium ice cream provides the most bang for your buck with about 300 calories per half cup. That’s pretty dense stuff.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m not promoting eating unhealthy high sugar, high fat foods like ice cream on a daily basis during cancer treatment. High fat, high sugar ice cream consumed occasionally throughout treatment for specific reasons (weight loss, sore mouth, poor appetite, etc) for a short period of time can be helpful and will likely not have an impact on long term health.
If you are post cancer treatment and concerned about fat and calories, consider naturally lower-fat frozen treats like frozen yogurts, sorbets or ice milk (which is more difficult to find these days.) Keep the portion small and aim for quality over quantity.
For the serious ice cream connoisseurs out there, check out my favorite premium brands below*. They are pricey, but loaded with good stuff and worth every penny (or dollar) and bite!
High Road Craft Ice Cream & Sorbet
*None of these brands asked me to advertise. I would recommend them all, as each uses quality ingredients and tastes amazing! If you have a quality ice cream or favorite ice cream recipe you’d like to share with others, send me an email and I will share next week!
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