Generally, sandwiches are a relatively healthy meal option. However, not all sandwiches are built the same.
Most people recognize that there is a big difference from something like a turkey sandwich on wheat bread compared to an ice cream sandwich. But, are ice cream sandwiches really unhealthy?
Let ‘s take a look at the nutrition and ingredients of ice cream sandwiches to give you understanding of how healthy or unhealthy they are.
Ice Cream Sandwiches Healthy?
Ice cream sandwiches are unhealthy. They are a dessert that should be consumed in moderation due to their calories, fat, added sugars, certain ingredients, and other factors.
Read on to discover why you should avoid or limit your consumption of ice cream sandwiches.
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Nutrition Facts
Let’s look at the nutrition facts of ice cream sandwiches to help illustrate the unhealthiness of these classic ice cream treats.
The table below shows the nutrition facts for the Publix brand of ice cream sandwiches to give you an example of the nutritional data of a brand. Many other ice cream sandwiches have similar nutritional data.
Firstly, consuming ice cream sandwiches may provide a small amount of calcium, but they offer minimal nutritional value beyond that. In essence, the nutrients found in ice cream sandwiches are overshadowed by the unhealthy nutritional aspects of this dessert.
In addition to lacking beneficial nutrients, ice cream sandwiches contribute empty calories, fat, cholesterol, sodium, added sugars, and carbs to your diet. If you do not consistently monitor your dietary intake, consuming foods like ice cream sandwiches can pose problems. This is particularly true when unhealthy foods are excessively consumed and contribute to overeating.
| Publix Vanilla Ice Cream Sandwich | % Daily Value | |
| Serving Size | 1 Sandwich (55g) | |
| Calories | 140 | |
| Total Fat | 5g | 6% |
| Saturated Fat | 3g | 14% |
| Trans Fat | 0g | |
| Cholesterol | 15mg | 5% |
| Sodium | 125mg | 5% |
| Total Carbohydrates | 24g | 9% |
| Dietary Fiber | <1g | 3% |
| Total Sugars | 12g | |
| Includes 10g Added Sugars | 20% | |
| Protein | 2g | |
| Vitamin D | 0mcg | 0% |
| Calcium | 50mg | 4% |
| Iron | 0mg | 0% |
| Potassium | 0mg | 0% |
Ingredients
Below are the ingredients for Publix ice cream sandwiches. While not all ice cream sandwiches contain the same ingredients, the ingredients below are similar to what you’ll find in many standard ice cream sandwiches.
Ingredients: Ice Cream (Buttermilk, Cream, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Corn Syrup, Sugar, Whey, Skim Milk, Contains Less Than 2% Of Natural Flavors, Guar Gum, Mono And Diglycerides, Xanthan Gum, Polysorbate 80, Cellulose Gum, Carrageenan, Annatto [color]), Wafers (Bleached Wheat Flour, Sugar, Caramel Color, Dextrose, Palm Oil, Corn Flour, Contains 2% Or Less Of Cocoa, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Baking Soda, Cornstarch- Modified, Salt, Mono And Diglycerides, Soy Lecithin).
We won’t go over all the ingredients but here are some key factors that contribute to the overall unhealthiness of ice cream sandwiches:
- Ingredients such as corn syrup, high-fructose corn syrup, and sugar contribute to the added sugar in ice cream sandwiches. Too much added sugar in the diet over the long haul can potential result in obesity, inflammation, diabetes, and other undesirable health issues.
- While additional research is needed on the safety of carrageenan, potential dangers of consuming it include bloating, allergies, colon cancer, irritable bowel syndrome, inflammation, and glucose intolerance based on animal/cell studies (source).
- Palm oil is a type of vegetable oil that is high in saturated fat. Eating too much saturated fat on a regular basis can lead to the increase risk of cardiovascular disease and weight gain (source).
- Cream is high and fat and calories making it unhealth when consumed in excess.
Summary
While sandwiches are generally considered a healthy meal option, ice cream sandwiches fall into a different category. Ice cream sandwiches are not a healthy choice due to their high calories, fat content, added sugars, and certain ingredients.
Although they may provide a small amount of calcium, the nutritional value of ice cream sandwiches is outweighed by their unhealthy aspects.
Consuming these desserts in moderation is recommended, since excessive consumption can lead to overeating and potential health issues. Overall, it is advisable to limit or avoid ice cream sandwiches for the sake of maintaining a balanced and healthy diet.