The ‘ice cream paradox’ — how the treat can actually be good for your health

I scream, you scream, we all scream for the surprising benefits of ice cream.

With Sunday marking National Ice Cream Day, plenty of chains are offering up freebies, including one beloved franchise.

And experts are giving the scoop on how the sweet summer treat can actually be good for your health.

Widely regarded as the epitome of an unhealthy food, ice cream contains a high amount of sugar, fat and calories.

Consuming too many foods with added sugars and unhealthy fats increases the risk of diabetes and heart disease, though pulling out a pint of Ben & Jerry’s might do the opposite.

In what researchers have dubbed the “ice cream paradox,” it appears that those who regularly ate roughly half a cup of ice cream each day had a lower risk of metabolic disease, despite the added fat and sugar.

What’s more, several large observational studies have found a link between regular ice cream consumption and a lower risk of type 2 diabetes or cardiovascular disease.

While the exact cause is unknown, the link may be explained by whey protein in dairy that benefits glucose or blood sugar regulation.

But before you head to the freezer, it’s not the sugar and fat in ice cream that’s preventing diabetes.

Rather, scientists believe that people who enjoy an occasional treat like ice cream as part of an otherwise disciplined, active lifestyle may be healthier overall.

“You get what’s called reverse causation, where … people who are less well and worried about their glucose tend to avoid ice cream, and so that could be why ice cream seems protective,” Dariush Mozaffarian, director of the Food and Medicine Institute at Tufts University, told ABC Australia.

Scientists also note that observational studies don’t show that ice cream has a protective effect on health, only that there’s an association between the two.

And there’s a large amount of research showing the opposite effect — that eating ice cream has a negative effect on health.

The mixed findings simply show that nutrition research often varies depending on the people studied and the context.

When it comes to diet, balance and moderation matter most.

Generally, people should fill up their plates with half fruits and vegetables, a quarter lean proteins and a quarter of whole grains.

Including an occasional sweet treat while following a nutritious meal plan could reduce cravings and help boost weight loss.

You don’t even have to look far for “healthier” ice cream options, with brands like Halo Top offering fewer calories and sugar and more protein.

And consumers looking for foods they can enjoy without the guilt is not a new concept, as seen before with the frozen yogurt trend serving up a better-for-you frozen treat.