How to choose the healthiest ice cream this summer

As the warmer days arrive, we eagerly reach for ice cream. The choice is vast, with numerous coffee shops, ice cream parlours, and stands offering a wide array, not to mention the variety of options in store freezers. So how do we choose the best, the healthiest, and what should we avoid? An expert explains.

On a stick, in a cup, Italian or scooped? From an ice cream parlour, a coffee shop, or a small stand from a friendly vendor? The choice is difficult, especially regarding price, taste, quality, and potential health impact. Clinical dietitian Karolina Topolska resolves all doubts on the portal zywienie.medonet.pl.

The dietitian explains that when choosing products, attention should be paid to their ingredients. And the longer the list, the worse it is. Store ice creams contain large amounts of simple sugars and additives such as colourings, stabilisers, and preservatives. The specialist adds that an alternative is to make ice cream at home, which gives one hundred per cent knowledge about the final product's ingredients.

Ice cream from parlours or coffee shops is also an option, but again, the most important is the ingredient list (you can ask the seller for information about the ingredients of ice creams available for sale). The dietitian advises choosing venues offering artisanal products instead of those based on ready-made factory products. It is also worth reaching for sorbets.

"To sum up, homemade ice cream is a great idea. However, do not dismiss products found in recommended ice cream parlours. The key is to pay attention to the nutritional composition of the ice cream and to keep it as short as possible. Of course, moderation in consumption is also essential," concludes the specialist.

1. It's best to choose ice cream from small manufacturers made with eggs, milk, cream, and fruits rather than ready-made mixes in powder form.
2. An employee selling automatic or scooped ice cream should wear protective gloves. Ice cream should be served in untampered plastic or cardboard packaging or a wafer cone through a napkin.
3. Avoid ice cream with unnatural colours and lacking proper consistency, such as distorted or too soft.
4. Do not buy ice cream that appears to have been stored at too high a temperature.
5. Avoid those with clear frozen water lumps when buying automatic or scooped ice cream. Their appearance may result from thawing and refreezing. Such ice cream poses a health risk and should not be consumed.
6. It's worth knowing that you always have the right to ask the seller for information about the ice cream ingredients and potential allergens. For our health's sake, the employee is obliged to provide the necessary information.