Summer: time for holidays and relaxation. Whether they are by the sea, in the mountains or by the lake, holidays are always a good reason to discover new destinations and savor tasty typical dishes, away from the frenetic pace of everyday life. In this period the desire for fresh seasonal dishes increases, thanks to the great heat, but the undisputed protagonist of the summer is always the inevitable ice cream. With fruit, cream, chocolate, every summer we find a wide range of flavors in Italian ice cream shops.
Certainly the love relationship between man and ice cream is as old as the world. There are several stories handed down over the centuries regarding his birth. Many of these are borderline between legend and fantasy. Already in the Bible we find traces of a fresh dish, based on fruit and ice or snow, very similar to ice cream. Indeed, it seems that Isaac prepared, for his father Abraham, a drink based on goat's milk and ice to cool off on the hottest days.
In 500 BC cold drinks were prepared in the city of Athens based on honey, lemon and pomegranate juice mixed with snow or ice. The Romans, on the other hand, introduced it to their banquets at the time of Nerone when they decided to make fruit salads and fruit desserts with honey and snow to cool off in the hot season.
In 2000 BC in China instead they were prepared a mix of pureed fruit and milk associated with other dairy foods. More precisely this compound was made with milk and rice cooked with spices, which was then placed in the snow to make it solidify. A mixture was obtained which was very similar to an ice cream of our times.
In Italy, the first drinks similar to ice cream were described in Sicily in the XNUMXth century thanks to the Arabs. These brought cold drinks to the island, called "sherbet", very similar to our local sorbets, made with lemon, pomegranate, orange, cherry and tamarind distilled fruit juices combined with snow from Etna and the mountains in the area. Everything was mixed with cane sugar from Persia and placed in containers to solidify. From here was born the first compound ancestor of Italian artisan ice cream.
The first complete recipe of Italian artisan ice cream dates back to 1565, the year in which milk, cream, egg white, snow, salt, sugar and lemon were associated with the sorbet. We meet at the court of Caterina de' Medici thanks to the architect Bernardo Buontalenti. These ingredients, mixed together, lead to the creation of a compound very similar to today's ice cream, obtained after pasteurization and creaming of the various ingredients.
From this basic recipe we start to create infinite flavors of ice cream. Every year new flavors of ice cream are offered and more and more master ice cream makers are offering sweet-savory, lactose-free, vegan flavors and for different types of intolerances. All to satisfy all palates, even the most demanding.
Loved since ancient times but demonized in modern times by dieticians as one of the sins of the throat enemy of the line for some time now however, a revaluation of it is in progress, even it has become the main element of a diet, a real redemption
It seems that losing weight with ice cream is no longer just a utopia. StEach of all, in fact, is losing weight without giving up the sins of gluttony. In the summer, giving up ice cream is really difficult, but you can eat it while still losing weight.
First thing to point out is that this diet can only be followed for one week. It's based on a low-calorie diet and provides about 1100-1200 kcal per day and is suitable for women and men of all ages. It can also be followed for a few more days, to react to the summer heat, but the advice is not to exceed seven days.
It was designed by Professor Pietro Migliaccio, dietician and nutritionist, author of the Manual of Human Nutrition and pioneer of scientific dissemination of healthy eating. The professor assured that with this diet it is possible to lose two or three kilos with gusto. Following his death in 2020, his daughter, Silvia Migliaccio, Secretary of the Italian Food Society, continues to be an advocate.
It is therefore a "fast" diet and must be followed for a week. Ideal for adults and young people, but be careful if you are diabetic. In any case, before starting this diet, the advice is in general for all diets that you intend to follow, you should always ask your doctor for an opinion, who will assess whether it is compatible with your state of health and daily activity.
The goal of the ice cream diet, as mentioned, is do not exceed 1100-1200 calories per day. The diet is not very drastic and wants to leave behind the pleasure of ice cream, excessively demonized in the past by dieticians. This, in fact, is also rewarding from an emotional and psychological point of view and provides valuable nutrients for the body. One of the main meals or a snack should be replaced with ice cream. ice cream replaces the meal and does not complete it.
Also pay attention to the type of ice cream you choose. There are nutritional differences between a fruit ice cream and a cream one, for example, where the latter is high in fat. Cream-based ice creams contain proteins of high biological value, while fruit ice creams are rich in mineral salts and vitamins.
Waffles, on the other hand, conceal not indifferent caloric pitfalls, as they are rich in starches. It would be advisable to eat one, maximum two a day, and count the calories so as not to exceed the maximum daily limit set.
La Professor Migliaccio recommends replacing the lunch meal with ice cream and not exceeding a 200 gram portion. You can also choose flavors based on milk and eggs. This meal will provide approximately 350-400 calories. As a snack, the portion should be halved so as not to exceed 100-150 calories, as this is not a main meal.
It goes without saying that the ideal would be to choose fruit-based sorbets or ice creams to keep the calorie intake lower, being on a low-calorie diet to lose weight. Furthermore, fruit ice cream, compared to cream ice cream, contains fibre, vitamins and antioxidants, which increase the sense of satiety.
For the other meals it is recommended to eat plenty of seasonal fruit and vegetables, preferably steamed or raw, to preserve their nutritional characteristics. You must not exceed with the use of fats. Choose extra virgin olive oil and do not go beyond a spoonful per meal. Combine your diet with regular light physical activity. Ideal is to take a walk after eating ice cream. The walk lowers blood sugar, helps good mood and gives you relaxing moments during your holiday.
Ultimately, the ice cream diet is a tasty and refreshing diet, but not suitable for those who need to lose a lot of weight. The food plan must always be customized according to your needs with a nutritionist to look together for the diet that best suits your needs, taking into account your health and lifestyle.
