Raise your hand if you haven’t done it at least once. If not more. Bite the bottom of the cone to eat the chocolate topping. In recent years, however, the first fruits have come under scrutiny due to a Dutch study by the University of Utrecht. To demonize them, it was Bert Weckhuysen, Professor of Inorganic Chemistry, who explained from conference to conference in 2016 how harmful this part of the industrial ice cream cone is to health. And every summer it sounds the alarm again with lots of scientific documents. explanation ? Here she is.
Bert Weckhuysen: The tip of the ice cream cone hurts
The tip of the ice cream cone hurts, says Weckhuynsen, after which the hydration process, which allows chocolate to maintain a consistency between the solid of a chocolate and the runny of a melted chocolate, causes the tip to actually change into a saturated fat concentrate . To put it bluntly, those that raise bad cholesterol.
A major health hazard, according to Weckhuynsen, who recalls how the WHO recommends consuming 10 percent of daily calories from saturated fat when really needed. It would therefore be excellent if these fats could be replaced with polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats: those found in fish (bluefish, salmon, cod, trout), leafy greens and nuts, for example; in vegetable oils (corn, sunflower, soy, grapeseed) and in all other nuts (almonds, pistachios, hazelnuts, peanuts).
No more chocolate dots?
Not only has the confectionery industry not backed down, but over the years it has rolled out chocolate cones (without ice cream) that consumers like.
Many nutritionists also turn up their noses when it comes to health. We have plenty – explains Francesca Beretta, Scientific Nutritional Biologist, author of the book (available on Amazon). – A dream life in three months. The Mediterranean diet for couples (www.giulapancia.it) -. I believe that every statement needs to be contextualized appropriately. The reason we eat dessert, in this case an ice cream cone, is to cuddle. With this in mind, and considering the time of year, consuming just a few of these per week does not preclude proper nutrition. As long as we are aware that we voluntarily make an exception to the rule. The famous Sgarro.
So no demonization? Criminalizing the top of the ice cream cone packaged as unhealthy food is, in my opinion, gross hypocrisy. The whole-packed ice cream cone from the leading company in Italy’s nutritional table contains 330 calories per 100g of product, of which 23g are simple sugars, the worst, and 13g saturated fats, with a list of ingredients not suitable for a healthy diet. At the same weight, an apple provides about 45 calories. So if we want to reward ourselves with that one snack because, honestly, we deserve it, let’s enjoy a good ice cream. On the other hand, when we strive for a balanced diet, we focus on other foods: fresh fruit, potato chips that we make in an air fryer, kefir, and so on. I find this crusade against the 10-15 grams of hydrogenated fat at the top of a packaged ice cream cone just as ridiculous as the people who choose biscuits full of butter and simple sugars but categorically without palm oil. Let me be clear: I agree that saturated, trans and hydrogenated fats are toxic to our bodies. However, this does not mean that it is right to rail against a single element when the quality of a food is determined by the balance of its components. Balance, this is expressed in the nutritional table. So to the direct question: does the chocolate topping on a wrapped ice cream cone hurt? I answer yes, as does all industrial ice cream. I repeat: the difference is the quantity. If you want to treat yourself to one in between, you don’t have a guilty conscience: eat the tip too. From the next meal onwards, return to a healthier routine.
August 12, 2022 (change August 12, 2022 | 16:10)
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