Ice cream good for children, but ...
JAKARTA (JP): Ice cream is good. But don't eat ice-cream and foods high in fat like hamburgers, pizza or fried rice on the same day.
"Ice cream has enough protein," Dr. Walujo Soerjodibroto, an expert of nutrition from the University of Indonesia, told a seminar on ice cream Saturday.
Given that ice cream is also high in fat, Walujo suggested that people do not eat ice cream and foods high in fat on the same day.
The nutrition in a cup of ice cream is equivalent to the nutrition of two-thirds of a glass of milk. It provides 300 calories with between 20 and 30 grams of fat, according to Walujo.
The ideal amount of fat for a person to consume in one day is 35 grams. More than 60 grams of fat in a day can be harmful, he warned.
Ice cream is a good "snack" because it provides enough nutrition and eating ice cream will not give children diarrhea.
"But we still do not recommend ice cream for those over- nourished or others with generative diseases like obesity, hyperlipidemia, hypercholesterolemia and coronary heart diseases," Walujo said.
Ice cream is popular among people in big cities. But the consumption of ice cream in Indonesia is very low compared to other countries.
Caroline van der Kerkhoff from Unilever said that the consumption of ice cream in Indonesia is one gram per capita per day, while in Europe it is six grams per capital per day.
Mulyono Martoatmodjo from an ice cream industry said that the consumption of ice cream in Europe is seven liters per capita per year, in Canada 15.5 liters, in Australia 17.5 liters, in New Zealand 19.5 liters and in the U.S. 22.2 liters.
Many Indonesians do not eat ice cream, not only because they cannot afford it but also because they have a misperception about ice cream. A lot of people believe that eating ice cream is not healthy and it will cause problems like obesity, cholesterol- related diseases, flu and respiratory problems.
"There is no scientific evidence to prove that ice cream can affect the respiratory system," Walujo said.
But he noted that in Indonesia, which is hot and humid, there is a slight possibility that ice cream could cause asthma in those allergic to steam.
Caroline said that even though ice cream is good, there are some weak points to ice cream, including the fact that it has a high fat content and is high in sugar.
"This needs balancing... like eating fruits," she said.
The history of consuming ice dates back to 350 BC during Alexander the Great's rule, according to Mulyono. The people made refreshing drinks from the essence of grapes in a cooling process. During Rome's Emperor Nero's time, people made refreshments with ice, the essence of various fruits and honey.
In the 13th century, Marco Polo brought fruit flavored ice from Asia to Europe. The Italians then modified it into what people call water ice. In 1846, ice cream was developed by Nancy Jackson from the U.S. and was later patented by William G. Young. The industry of ice cream was first developed in Baltimore, Maryland in 1851. (sim)