Suzanne Marlatt Stewart
When you eat ice cream, does your mind drift into a mix of taste, texture, and emotional memories? The smooth or chunky texture can trigger sensory recall. l remember bicycling to the nearby drug store fountain for a bowl of my favorite flavor, sitting on the deck with my parents having an ice cream root beer float, or a special treat at sleepovers with friends.
From a nutritional and psychological perspective, ice cream can also bring to mind several things based on research from the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources:
* Comfort and joy—it’s often linked to happy moments, celebrations, or stress relief, thanks to its ability to stimulate dopamine and serotonin release
* Social connection—sharing ice cream is a common way to bond with others, creating shared memories
* Health trade-offs—while it’s a good source of calcium, vitamins A, D, and B12, and contains some protein, it’s also high in added sugar and saturated fat, so moderation is key
* Cultural and seasonal associations—in many places, ice cream is tied to summer, festivals, or National Ice Cream Month
* Long-term habits—some people enjoy it daily or nightly as part of a ritual, but experts caution that overconsumption can contribute to weight gain, insulin resistance, or heart disease if not balanced with other healthy foods
I recently read an article online from Science Insights that I found interesting.
“Ice cream lights up the brain’s reward system more intensely than most foods. The combination of sugar, fat, and cold creates a sensory experience that hits on multiple levels at once: neurological, physical, emotional, and even nostalgic.”
“Cold food on a hot day feels good for obvious reasons, but the cooling sensation of ice cream may do something subtler. The vagus nerve, the longest cranial nerve in the body, runs from the brainstem all the way down to the gut and plays a central role in the parasympathetic nervous system, the body’s “rest and digest” mode. Cold applied to the throat and neck area can stimulate this nerve, which lowers heart rate and activates a calming, anti-inflammatory response.”
Renowned physician Ezekiel J. Emanuel argues that life is not a competition to live the longest and that “wellness” shouldn’t be difficult; it should be an invisible part of one’s lifestyle that yields maximum health benefits with the least work. Dr. Emanuel cuts through the chase with wit and good humor. In his book Eat Ice Cream, Six Simple Rules for a Long and Healthy Life, he writes the following:
“Ice cream is a good dairy product; it’s got protein, its saturated fats are in a globule, so it doesn’t affect you as much as saturated fats in meats and other things. Plus, you typically do it socially with someone else. And you know, being happy is a very important part of living a long time.”
My motto … Be more social, live a fulfilled life, and enjoy your favorite ice cream.
Suzanne, a resident of SaddleBrooke, is an independent writer and speaker. Email: spiritualoccasions@outlook.com.