Play the Game of Cones
Learn how ice cream can be good for you. Vote for your favorite ice cream shop and find recipes for frozen treats you can make at home.
Last week, hospital staff were treated to an ice cream truck outdoors and frozen treats inside the cafes as a cool nod to summer. While we know excess fat and sugar can have negative long-term effects on health, is there a place for frozen treats in an otherwise healthy diet?
Korinne Altieri, RD, of Falmouth Hospital weighs in on summer's small indulgences.
Q: We often hear about what’s not great, nutritionally, about ice cream – fat and sugar – but are there benefits? Any nutritional or psychological benefits from your points of view?
A: Ice cream is a good source of energy. I also like to say -- and I believe -- there are no “bad” foods. Ice cream is rich in carbohydrates, fats and protein, which are all essential for our body to produce energy.
From a psychological standpoint – indulging in a treat like ice cream can help curb certain cravings you may be having. If you completely avoid certain foods, you will end up wanting them more, which may lead to binge eating. Allowing yourself a treat, like ice cream, is completely fine in moderation.
Q: How much ice cream is too much ice cream – is it acceptable to indulge once a week/month?
A: I always say, “everything in moderation.” I think eating ice cream once a week is perfectly fine.
Q: What other frozen treats are better, nutritionally speaking, in the summer time?
“Better” or other frozen treats include:
- Frozen yogurt (can be found with less fat and higher protein)
- Frozen fruit popsicles (made from just fruit juice, no added sugar)
- Smoothies (fruit, greens, protein source)
- Acai bowls
- Homemade ice pops
Q: Do you have a recipe or trick for a hot-weather treat?
A: I make smoothies frequently in the summertime – especially if I am spending the day at the beach, I love to pack a smoothie, which usually include spinach and/or kale, any frozen berries, frozen banana, Greek yogurt, and chia /flax seeds. You can add whatever you please to these smoothies, but I always make sure I include a protein (Greek yogurt or Pb), Fiber (spinach/kale, berries), carb (banana, berries), good fats (seeds and nut butter).
Recipes
The American Heart Association has a library of recipes to enjoy year-round. Below are a few fun summer takes.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup frozen blueberries
- 2 cups frozen peach slices
- 2 cups packed, fresh spinach
- 1 cup fat-free milk
- 1 teaspoon honey
Ingredients:
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 1/2 pounds ripe strawberries, hulled and halved
- 5 cups ice
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups 2 percent low-fat plain Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons chopped, unsalted almonds
- 1/2 cup chopped mango
- 1/4 cup blackberries or raspberries, chopped if large
- 1/2 cup blueberries
Game of Cones
Vote for your favorite ice cream shop -- or name your own hidden gem! Email your vote to pulse@capecodhealth.org with the subject line ICE CREAM.
- Ben & Bill’s Chocolate Emporium (209 Main St., Falmouth)
- Caffé Gelato Bertini (46 South St, South Yarmouth)
- Cape Cod Creamery (5 Theater Colony Road, South Yarmouth; 716 Main St., Dennis; 645 Iyannough Rd, Hyannis)
- Four Seas Ice Cream (360 S. Main St., Centerville)
- Ice Cream Cafe (5 S. Orleans Road, Orleans)
- Ice Cream Sandwich (66 MA-6A, Sandwich)
- Ice Cream Smuggler (1555 MA-6A, South Dennis)
- Kate’s Seafood & Ice Cream (284 Paine’s Creek Road, Brewster)
- Katie’s Homemade Ice Cream (568 Main St., Hyannis)
- Lazy Sundaes (1370 MA-28A, Cataumet)
- Lewis Brothers Ice Cream (310 Commercial St., Provincetown)
- Penguins Ice Cream Igloo (517 MA-28, West Yarmouth)
- Polar Cave Ice Cream Parlour (22 Falmouth Road, Mashpee)
- Schoolhouse Ice Cream (749 MA-28, Harwich Port)
- Smitty’s Homemade Ice Cream (538 Falmouth Road, Mashpee)
- Somerset Creamery (1268 MA-28A, Cataumet)
- Sundae School Ice Cream (381 Lower County Road, Dennis Port; 606 MA-28, Harwich Port)
- Sweet Caroline’s Ice Cream (177 MA-130, Forestdale)
- Twin Acres Ice Cream Shoppe (21 MA-6A, Sandwich)
- Whistle Stop Ice Cream Shop (422 Shore Road, Pocasset)
