Ice cream: a love affair with fat and sugar

Federal standards decree that ice cream must be made with a minimum of 10 percent cream, milk or butter fat. Manufacturers may add various other ingredients, as well as enough air to double its volume. In general, the least expensive ice creams contain the minimum 10 percent fat and the maximum air, while the premium commercial brands have double the fat and half the air. Read on to learn everything you need to know about the unhealthy ingredients in ice cream.

It is fat that gives ice cream its smooth texture; manufacturers of nonfat and low-fat ices and frozen yogurts compensate for the lack of fat by increasing the sugar — by up to twice the amount — and beating in less air. Therefore, although these products contain less fat, in the end they are not necessarily lower in calories.

• Both soft ice cream and ice milk are three to six percent fat and 30 to 50 percent air. ­
• Sherbets are usually made with a small amount of milk fat and milk solids or, sometimes, egg white.
• Fruit ices, on the other hand, tend to be made with fruit pulp or juice, sugar and water, with the possible addition of pectin or ascorbic acid.
• Most of these products contain about 200 calories per 250 grams (one cup). Even 125 millilitres (a half cup) of fat-free frozen yogurt with artificial sweetener has about 80 calories.

Ice cream has substantial amounts of calcium and protein, as well as some vitamin A and riboflavin. The price for these useful nutrients, however, is a large helping of saturated fat, with its adverse implications for heart disease, certain cancers and other conditions.

• Fruit sorbets — which are high in sugar but fat-free — are a better choice when you want to end a meal with a frozen dessert.
• Low-fat frozen yogurt is a good substitute for ice cream; 125 millilitres (a half-cup) topped with fresh fruit and toasted wheat germ can satisfy cravings for a frosty treat and supply useful amounts of calcium, vitamins and fibre.

Storing ice cream presents a problem in the form of "heat shock." When ice cream is removed from the freezer, its surface melts. When the ice cream is refrozen, ice crystals form, resulting in a crunchy texture that terrifies ice cream lovers.

• The problem can be countered by adding microcrystalline cellulose, a highly purified wood derivative that sops up the water as ice cream melts and prevents it from refreezing into crystals.
• Cellulose is indigestible and comes out in the wash, as it were.
• Guar gum, locust bean gum or carrageenan, all from plant sources, can also be used for the same purpose.
• Other additives used in ice cream include emulsifiers such as lecithin, mono- and diglycerides or polysorbates that make for a smooth texture by dispersing the fat globules.

• Choose regular over premium ice creams; small instead of medium or large cones; single instead of double or triple scoops and avoid toppings.
• There is such a wide variety of tempting toppings available — chocolate, caramel or hot fudge syrups; chocolate, candy or cookie pieces; sprinkles; marshmallows, nuts and whipped cream — that you can easily spend over 100 calories on toppings alone.
• And beware of the cone you choose: a sugar cone has about 60 calories while a chocolate-dipped waffle cone has more than 200. What could start out as a simple 175 calorie dessert can end up having as many calories as a full-course meal.

Keep this guide in mind to know exactly what you're getting from ice cream and other frozen desserts. Also, be sure to check the internet for calorie count and fat gram content of ice cream from the major chains.