Health benefits in your bowl of dessert

Ice cream has more to it than meets the eye

Amongst the majority of people who are on a diet or health-conscious, ice cream has a bad reputation. This reputation undeserved as ice cream actually has many health benefits that most people are not aware of.

The dessert can be a very positive addition to your diet, especially if you are struggling with weight loss. Studies are now showing that a calcium-rich diet greatly assists in taking off unwanted pounds and, equally important, keeping them off after you have attained your desired weight. Although one may be tempted to rely on calcium supplements, getting your daily supply of calcium is best when it is achieved with foods which are rich in calcium.

In addition to helping lose extra pounds, ice cream will also aid in shedding body fat while keeping the body lean. If one is interested in the scientific aspect of how calcium intake is related to weight, the lack of sufficient calcium in the daily diet causes fat-producing hormones to be released. Each serving of standard ice cream will provide approximately eight per cent of one’s daily calcium needs.

Incorporating some ice cream into your diet can also help you lower and regulate your blood pressure. The relationship between blood pressure and the natural form of calcium found in ice cream shows that a regular intake of natural calcium in the diet will prevent high calcitriol levels, thus preventing the constriction of the walls of the small arteries. Eaten in moderation, ice cream will assist in this very important health benefit.

It has recently been proven that the calcium intake from ice cream will also lower your risk of colon cancer. Although the exact correlation has not yet been determined, research suggests that the manner in which calcium assists in inactivating the bile salts may be the factor. Calcium is also associated with lowering the risk of breast cancer.

The calcium found in ice cream also helps the health of bones and teeth. In making the bones stronger and denser, it is directly related to preventing osteoporosis, which affects many people in later life. As one of the main risks associated with osteoporosis are bone fractures, which can be quite serious in the elderly, a calcium-rich diet in one’s younger years will greatly reduce this risk.

Many physicians are now recommending a daily intake of 1,200 mg of calcium as a treatment for PMS. Women who have tried this regimen have reported it in the annoying symptoms associated with PMS. As up to 20 per cent of all women are regularly distressed by symptoms such as bloating and mood swings, many should be glad to learn that they can decrease the risk of these symptoms by up to 50 per cent simply by choosing a diet rich in calcium.

Although it contradicts the previously-established practice of limiting the intake of calcium in those who have suffered from kidney stones, one of the most recent, long-term studies has shown that a diet which is high in calcium is a good safeguard against recurrent kidney stones.

Although most women are aware of the need for additional calcium-rich foods during pregnancy for the sake of their developing baby’s health, it is generally not as well-known that calcium also greatly reduces the risk of both pregnancy-induced hypertension and premature births.

While people who have pre-existing medical conditions should not significantly alter their diets without first consulting their physician, it has been established that for most people a diet which is rich in calcium products, such as ice cream, will have numerous health benefits and learning that this favoured treat is a healthy food will surely lead to its fans enjoying ice cream even more.