“Running through the sprinklers; chasing down the ice cream truck; riding bikes with friends around the neighborhood; swinging so high the poles lifted up out of the ground; picking blueberries; catching fireflies.” (from Facebook)
I miss being a child during the summer. Such happy, carefree days. Life is so complicated and scary now. Ice cream takes me back to those days and gives me comfort and peace, even for a little while. And that is why I eat some every day!
Always loving ice cream, my memories are laden with ice cream stories. Waiting for what seemed like hours with my twin sister on the front lawn for the Good Humor man to arrive at our house. Would I choose a chocolate eclair or a strawberry shortcake?
When we were my grandson’s age (about 10), my dad would play pinochle every Tuesday night at his friend’s ice cream shoppe. We would stay up really late waiting for him to bring hot fudge sundaes with coffee ice cream, wet walnuts, whipped cream and a cherry on top. That was heaven!
Or the trips to Carvel (yes, it was around then) to try this newfangled brown bonnet which we loved. Now, however, I am an ice cream purist–no hot fudge, or toppings to spoil the taste for me. This summer it may be a soft ice cream twist from Ralph’s, jamocha fudge from Friendly’s, homemade butter pecan at Strong Island or left to my own devices at home, some Talenti Wild berry gelato from Whole Foods, or if desperate, a premade cone. If it’s cold, creamy and satisfying, I am there!
My adult children (and boyfriend) make fun of me and say “mom is in the ice cream zone” when I get this faraway look on my face and they can’t reach me. It’s as if I am in a joyful trance! Life is difficult today and I am one who would rather eat my calories than drink them. Two good friends, one of whom is facing some health challenges, agree that a daily dose of ice cream does wonders to improve your mood.
In fact, neuroscientists at the Institute of Psychiatry in London scanned the brains of people eating vanilla ice cream. They found an immediate effect on the parts of the brain known to activate when people enjoy themselves, including the orbitofrontal cortex processing area in front of the brain. Just one spoonful lights up the happy zones of the brain in clinical trials!
But is it unhealthy to eat ice cream daily, as my son keeps reminding me? I found information to the contrary, thank goodness. You can eat ice cream every day and still lose weight. ( I have a vision of many women jumping in the air right now). That creamy goodness which brings us sheer joy and comfort can be good for us if part of an otherwise healthy diet.
According to an ABC News article, women who had one scoop of low fat ice cream a day lost 26% more body weight than those who didn’t, due to the calcium in the frozen dessert. Eating foods rich in calcium help to keep your body strong and your metabolism running well.
Ice cream contains vitamins and minerals. Milk and cream are good sources of calcium, vitamin D, riboflavin, vitamin A and phosphorus. It depends on the flavor you choose, as well. Vanilla beans have antioxidants as well as small amounts of calcium, manganese, potassium, zinc and iron. Dark chocolate is loaded with antioxidants and has flavonoids to protect your heart, oleic acid to lower cholesterol levels, and phytochemicals which fight off free radicals.
Moreover, ice cream stimulates the brain. A study conducted in Tokyo demonstrated that having ice cream for breakfast increases dopamine levels in the body making us more alert and awake. It gives you energy, as it is packed with sugar containing glucose, a key nutrient providing our bodies with fuel to get us through the day. ( Sugar is good for us????????)
According to this article, the calcium in ice cream helps build strong bones and teeth. Our bodies do not naturally produce calcium. As a form of fermented dairy, it helps to protect the body from gastrointestinal and respiratory infections. The stronger your gut, the stronger your immune system will be.
As we all know, ice cream makes us happier and comforts us. It is sometimes prescribed for people who suffer from Seasonal Affective disorder in winter. It produces serotonin, the feel good hormone.
According to the blog post at littlethings.com, ice cream boosts your libido because it is high in phosphorus which gives tissues oxygen, maintains our PH balance and libido. It states that full fat ice cream increases your chances of fertility. One study revealed that women who consumed one or more servings of high fat dairy had 27% fewer ovulation issues.
Now, I am not a doctor, nor do I know for sure if this article is exaggerated or even “fake news”. But I do know that ice cream is good for the psyche and the soul, and we all could use a bit of that right now. As Charles Shulz proclaimed, “Life is like an ice cream cone. You have to lick it one day at a time.”
Ahhhhh ice cream!!! I too have great memories of ice cream. When we were growing up there wasn’t an ice cream truck but we used to make homemade ice cream in the summer and it was soooo good. It was always vanilla but we didn’t care because it was like a taste of heaven. When Jeremy was growing up we also used to make ice cream and those were very happy times too. There was something about turning the crank for what seemed like hours and putting in some rock salt to make the ice melt a little faster so we could turn the crack faster… I miss ice cream. I don’t get to have it here so when I am back to Florida I buy the lactose free Breyer’s 🙁 I can polish off a half gallon in a couple of days you can count on that. For the last years of my Dad’s life every night before bed my Dad got a big bowl of ice cream. The smile on his face was the best. He couldn’t remember anyone’s name but be remembered that ice cream was his favorite part of the day. Thanks for making me smile xoxo
Hi Debby. You were lucky that you had homemade ice cream. Like your dad, Rich’s mom loves her chocolate ice cream. Sometimes it is the only food she will eat. When I next see you, we will have to indulge. After we go to Maria’s and have our guacamole and chips and special sangria. I look forward to that!
Nothing better than ice cream!
I love indulging with friends and love taking my grandkids out for ice cream. But reading your post also reminded me that when my grandparents visited in the summer and the ice cream truck came by, they would always buy ice cream for me and all my friends. Thanks for helping me tap in to that beautiful memory!
Hi Karen. I can’t wait until we can all go out for ice cream together! I’m glad the post brought up some good memories for you. Thanks for your always positive, kind comments. They are much appreciated!