How healthy is your ice-cream? Ice cream is a favourite summer time treat for a lot of people, especially children. What used to be and still can be a delicious treat when made with the right ingredients has become one of the most processed foods on our supermarket shelves. Not to mention the high sugar content!!
Commercial ice-cream is a reservoir of additives – at least 1200 different chemical stabilisers, emulsifiers, neutralises and artificial flavours and colours legally permitted.
For instance, one of Australia’s best loved ice cream brands contains some of the following additives:
160b – Potential effects – Irritability, head banging, headaches, sleep disturbance, restlessness. Prohibited in foods for children.
150d – Potential effects – Can cause asthma. Prohibited in foods for infants
341 – Potential effects – May lead to calcium deficiency. Prohibited in foods for infants
319 – (can be listed as an antioxidant) Recommended to avoid may be a carcinogenic. Can cause dermatitis, associated with birth defects, neurotoxic effects reported in animals. Prohibited in foods for infants.
All these ingredients are used to make ice cream more appealing to the human eye and to our taste buds, unfortunately none of these ingredients provide any form of nutritional value.
Rather than indulging in toxic chemicals, you can indulge this healthy and delicious version of ice cream.
Avo + Coconut popsicles
2 large ripe avocado peeled and diced
Juice of 2 limes
1 tbsp lime zest
1 1/2 cups coconut water
2 tbsp rice malt syrup (adjust to taste)
Blend all the ingredients in a food processor or a stick blender till it is thick and creamy. Spoon the mixture into the ice-cream moulds, then insert the sticks. Freeze for at least 4 hours. Enjoy !!
- For a chocolate hit, replace lime juice + zest with cacao.
- Replace rice malt syrup with dates for a caramel flavour.
- Add cacao nibs, coconut flakes, mint, berries – you can get really creative here.