Ice Cream and the Calorie Count

We all love ice cream. But have you ever eaten a little too much ice cream and felt guilty about it? Hey, we’ve all been there. To err is human and to err with ice cream is natural. In fact, if you’ve ever downed a pint of ice cream during one sitting, then glanced with a wince at the calorie and fat count listed on the container, you’re not alone. And it probably won’t be the last time you sneak a peek. However, those labels may look different the next time.

Late last month, the Food and Drug Administration announced plans to overhaul the system of nutrition labeling. This represents the first change in the labeling system in two decades. The FDA says the goal in revamping the labeling is to save consumers the hassle of trying to calculate the fine print. The proposed changes will apparently reflect America’s fondness for bigger food serving portions and sizes. Among the changes is increasing the print size calories counts on labels. In other words, you won’t need to squint anymore to read how many calories you just consumed. The FDA commissioner says the new labels will be more “user-friendly”. I guess it’s how you look at things.

Right now, half a cup of ice cream is considered a “single serving”. The new labels would increase the single serving size to one cup. They will also double the calorie count. The idea is not to make us feel bad about how many calories we are ingesting. It’s to make us aware of the amount of calories we are consuming. The new labels will also make clear what products have had extra sugar added to them.

This serves as a great reminder of this rule to live by: Everything in moderation. We love great, homemade ice cream in wonderful creative flavors. It’s just a good idea to be sensible when enjoying sweet treats.