Ice Cream Diet: Weight Loss Fact or Fiction

Overview

Fad diets cost a dozen cents, and many of them are ineffective for the same reason that they are ineffective. The ice cream diet is a plan, it is true that it seems very good - and it probably is.

There are several forms of this diet, but none are particularly innovative. So how will they work and be successful?

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Book version

The Original Ice Cream Diet is based on a book written by Holly McCard in 2002. The basic idea is: add ice cream to your daily routine and you will lose weight. But in reality, today's diet has little to do with the weight loss benefits associated with ice cream.

Dietitian Joe Bartel explains: “This is a calorie-restricted diet. "Every time people are on a calorie-restricted diet and eat fewer calories than they burn throughout the day or lose more weight than they did before the plan."

The diet suggests that you can add creamy sweet treats to your daily life and still lose weight. This is not because ice cream has a magical ability to lose weight, but because it is limiting calories.

In addition to ice cream, dieters are offered low-fat, high-fiber meal plans. They have been told to eat more vegetables and fruits, which is healthy advice.

What is the verdict?

"Something must be said to allow dieters to be treated like ice cream every day," Bartell said. "When people don't feel deprived and enjoy something they like, they will be determined to eat to lose weight."

Clearly, there is a chance it could backfire. Bertel cautions that by "approving" ice cream in the diet, you can think of it as a food that will not affect your weight loss efforts.

The ice cream diet comes down to calorie restrictions.

"Anyone who eats 1,200 calories a day will lose weight in the short term because the body will be in a calorie deficit," he says. "It's not because of the lack of calories and ice cream."

Are there any risks?

Eating ice cream is never healthy. And consuming large amounts of ice cream while on a calorie-controlled diet carries a much greater risk than being overweight.

Is unstable

A drastic drop in calories can lead to fluid loss, which creates the magic of weight loss when you look at the scale, but not as much in the case of a real change.

Weight loss is not permanent and dieters will regain weight when they return to their normal daily diet.

Bartel added that not all foods identified as healthy are actually healthy and that many types of "pure" diets are potentially dangerous because they promote extremely low-calorie intake.

It is not healthy

A single cup of vanilla ice cream can contain 273 calories, 31 grams of carbohydrates, 14.5 grams of fat, and 28 grams of sugar.

Even nonfat milk-based ice cream is "no sugar added" with at least 6 grams of milk sugar (lactose) per cup, and no fiber.

"This frozen dessert is still high in saturated fat and sugar and should be considered a dessert," said Bartel. And although milk-based ice cream does not contain calcium, he creates healthy alternatives, such as Greek yogurt.

Also, the high-calorie content of ice cream leaves very little room for dense and nutritious meals for low-calorie meals. This can lead to nutritional deficiencies over time.

So what is the right "diet"?

A healthy, well-balanced diet rich in vegetables, fruits, fatty proteins, and whole grains is often the healthiest way.

This common-sense approach combined with regular practice and minimal hype can get you the lasting results you want.

Occasional treats like ice cream are good when you eat a healthy diet but should never be the basis of your daily routine.