Stay Cool and Healthy This Summer:
Avoid Ice Creams With Toxic Ingredients
recipes have changed considerably since the days of old fashioned
ice cream parlors. We're now subjected to a slew of toxic ingredients
in almost every type of ice cream found in parlors, restaurants
and grocery stores. From economy to premium brands, there is
often no escape from the chemical concoctions in our favorite
frozen treats. So what ingredients should you avoid and why
are they so deadly?
cream is primarily composed of water (from milk and cream).
The lethality of current formulations don't come from these
basic constituents, but from the gamut of sweetners, flavorings,
emulsifiers and stabilizers. After all, the industry relies
on increasing shelf life and having the most smooth or creamy
ice cream over time, so preserving these consistencies is the
key to sales.
By volume, 30% to 50% of ice cream is air whipped into the mix
during the early stages of the freezing process. "There
are no real chemical reactions that take place when you make
ice cream," says H. Douglas Goff, an ice-cream expert and
professor in the department of food science at the University
of Guelph, in Ontario, "but that doesn't mean there isn't
plenty of chemistry."
Richard W. Hartel, professor of food engineering at the University
of Wisconsin, Madison, explains that "when you bite into
ice cream, how the flavor is released into the mouth probably
is a function of structure." Initially, the milk fat exists
as tiny globules in the milky starting mixture. Milk proteins
on the globules' surface work as an emulsifier to keep the fat
in solution. To make the ice-cream structure, these fats need
to be destabilized so that they coalesce into larger networks.
"When two partially crystallized fat globules come together,
like in ice cream, they form a partially coalesced structure,"
Hartel explains. "We sort of envision them as grape clusters,
with some connectivity, but the crystalline fat prevents complete
makers use an emulsifier that replaces the surface proteins
and aids in forming the network. Egg yolks were originally used
as this destabilizing emulsifier, but now, ice-cream manufacturers
use toxic substances such as mono- and diglycerides as well
as the sorbitan ester Polysorbate 80.
Polysorbate 80 has been found to negatively affect the immune
system and cause severe anaphylactic shock which can kill. According
to Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, Volume
95, Number 6, December 2005 , pp. 593-599(7), "it is
of current relevance as a 'hidden' inductor of anaphylactoid
reactions", and "Polysorbate 80 was identified as
the causative agent for the anaphylactoid reaction of nonimmunologic
origin in the patient. The study included a pregnant woman who
suffered anaphylactic shock after being given a IV drip of multi-vitamins
containing polysorbate 80.
In addition to this, there have been studies in Food and Chemical
Toxicology which showed that Polysorbate 80 causes infertility.
Baby female rats were injected with polysorbate 80 at days 4-7
after birth. It accelerated the maturing of the rats and caused
changes to the vagina and womb lining, hormonal changes, ovary
deformities and degenerative follicles.
According to the World Intellectual Property Organization, which
is part of the United Nations, scientists from the organization
are developing vaccines specifically to damage fertility as
a method of contraception. A suggested ingredient for the vaccine
is Polysorbate 80 (also known as tween 80). As it is a preferred
ingredient, scientists are obviously aware of its ability to
on the irresponsible actions of supplement companies who continue
to use hydrogenated oils and magnesium
stearate as flowing agents. It seems that ice cream manufacturers
are just as careless in their use of hydrogenated oils.
Mono-diglycerides remain the most widely used emulsifiers in
food production. They are called mono-digylcerides because they
are made from oils that have a high mono saturated fat content,
but they are still hydrogenated. They are hidden trans
fats where an alcohol (in this case glycerol) has been combined
to form an emulsifying agent.
One of the largest food oil producing companies worldwide is
Gillco. With the exception
of their distilled non-hydrogenated monoglycerides (not incorporated
in ice cream applications), a large variety of their emulsifiers
are hydrogenated and this is stipulated on the company's fact
sheet for each product.
Make no mistake, mono-diglycerides are not nutritious in anyway.
Their only purpose is to improve volume, uniform structure and
develop the right meltdown characteristics. Regardless of their
quantity, the inclusion of hydrogenated oils in any food product
is only detrimental to our health and their adverse effects
are well documented. Avoid any ice creams (or any food products
for that matter) with mono-diglycerides.
As one of the most
prolific preservatives in the food industry, it is difficult
to find an ice cream without potassium sorbate. However, it
is not only recommended to avoid this chemical, it's a necessity
to eliminate it from our foods. The food industry and its scientists
will parrot endless myths that potassium sorbate is not a health
threat because of its safety record and non-toxic profile. This
could not be further from the truth.
Food and chemical toxicology reports have labeled potassium
sorbate as a carcinogen, showing postive mutation results in
the cells of mammals. Other studies have shown broad systemic
and toxic effects on non-reproductive organs in animals. No
long term studies have ever been initiated on either animals
or humans, so there is simply not enough evidence to theorize
what could happen after years of ingesting this preservative.
However, based on short-term carcinogenic and toxic effects,
is it worth the risk to find out?
are a plethora of serious concerns with sodium
benzoate. It can convert into lethal carcinogenic poison
when combined with absorbic acid. Professor
Peter Piper, a professor of molecular biology and biotechnology,
tested the impact of sodium benzoate on living yeast cells in
his laboratory. What he found alarmed him: the benzoate was
damaging an important area of DNA in the "power station"
of cells known as the mitochondria. "These chemicals have
the ability to cause severe damage to DNA in the mitochondria
to the point that they totally inactivate it: they knock it
out altogether." he stated.
"The food industry will say these compounds have been tested
and they are complete safe," he said. "By the criteria
of modern safety testing, the safety tests were inadequate.
Like all things, safety testing moves forward and you can conduct
a much more rigorous safety test than you could 50 years ago."
Sodium Benzoate, as most other preservatives, should not be
ingested in any quantity. This toxin is banned from all foods
and drinks for children under three, and is currently being
phased out of all Coca-Cola products.
colors and flavors such and blue 1, blue 2, yellow 5, yellow
6, red 3, red 40, and others are found in many types of ice
cream, especially commerical varities. Artificial flavor means
it is derived from a chemical made in a laboratory and has no
nutritional value. Researchers have determined that artificial
colors (especially when paired with sodium benzoate) increase
levels of hyperactivity in preschool and older children within
the general population. They
have also been found to provoke asthma attacks and have links
to thyroid tumours. Coincidently, artificial colors are very
prevalent in ice cream products which are directly marketed
Every single artifical color in the food industry has some kind
of detrimental health effect. These include neurotoxicity, organ,
developmental, and reproductive toxicity and cancer.
Carrageenan is another emulsifier and stabilizer. It comes from
algae or seaweed extract common in the Atlantic Ocean. It is
typically extracted from natural sources using powerful alkaline
Carrageenan is often touted as 100% vegetarian and natural.
does that mean it's safe? Just because something comes from
a natural source does not mean that it is safe. There are also
natural sources of MSG
which are chemically identical to the artificial brands. These
are equally poisonous to humans as those marketed in the food
Several studies on humans have demonstrated
that digestive enzymes and bacterial action convert high weight
carrageenans to dangerous low molecular weight carrageenans
and poligeenans in the human gut. These carrageenans, even at
low doses, have been found to destroy human cells and are linked
to various human cancers and digestive disorders.
Carrageenan has also been found to impair and depress cell-mediated
immunity and cause the proliferation of tumour growth. The mechanism
responsible for carrageenan-induced immune suppression is believed
to be its selective degenerative effect on white blood cells.
It is also
important to understand how overrun calculations affect the
concentration of ingredients in ice cream. This is never stated
on the label of any brand. Overrun is the percentage increase
in volume of ice cream greater than the amount of mix used to
produce that ice cream. In other words, if you start off with
1 litre of mix and you make 1.5 litres of ice cream from that,
you have increased the volume by 50%. Economy and standard brands
of ice cream are the lowest quality and have the greatest percentage
of overrun (greater than 100% and as high as 120%) meaning they
will require an increased percentage of emulsifiers to increase
their volume than higher quality brands. This keeps manufacturing
costs low since there is a smaller quantity of medium to higher
quality ingredients used for every litre of final product.
Premium and super-premium brands have a lower percentage of
overrun (less than 90% and as low as 25%) and don't use as many
emulsifiers in their formulations. This results in the highest
body and quality of ice cream. It also means that more nutritious
ingredients typically make up for the volume. This increases
manufacturing costs due to a greater quantity of high quality
ingredients used for every litre of final product.
If your store brand or parlor ice cream melts rapidly, that's
a good sign as it likely has a low overrun and little fat destabilization,
which means a lower percentage of toxic emulsifiers and stabilizers.
When made with wholesome and natural ingredients, homemade ice
cream will always melt quickly. There is simply no healthy way
to keep the fat from destabilizing naturally.
Keep in mind that any frozen treats that are made with dairy
products and engineered to be low fat (i.e. frozen yogurt, low-fat
ice cream) will typically have the highest overrun and emulsifier/stabilizer
percentages. Here's a breakdown of brands, fat content, solids,
overrun and cost:
* Fat content:
usually legal minimum, e.g., 10%
* Total solids: usually legal minimum, e.g., 36%
* Overrun: usually legal maximum, ~120%
* Cost: low
* Fat content:
* Total solids: 36-38%
* Overrun: 100-120%
* Cost: average
* Fat content:
* Total solids: 38-40%
* Overrun: 60-90%
* Cost: higher than average
* Fat content:
* Total solids: >40%
* Overrun: 25-50%
* Cost: high
overrun percentages are found in ice creams that use guar gum
and xanthan gum, typically in a 3:1 ratio respectively.
gum is produced by fermentation of glucose or sucrose by the
Xanthomonas campestris bacterium. One of its most remarkable
properties of is its capability of producing a large increase
in the viscosity of any liquid by adding a very small quantity
of gum, usually less than one percent. For this reason, it is
used as an emulsifier in a very large percentage of ice creams
around the world.
As a polysaccharide,
one of the problems with this food additive is that it is typically
made from corn. People who have corn allergies may not be aware
that these additives can cause diverse reactions when consumed.
Moreover, a very large percentage of corn around the world is
modified (GM) which is then reflected in the production
of many types of xanthan gum. GM foods are a
cause for great concern.
Some people develop an allergy to conventional xanthan gum,
with various gastrointestinal symptoms such as bloating, gas,
and diarrhea. Even consumption of a very minor amount can lead
to days and days of recovery and many trips to the bathroom.
For others a xanthan reaction can also precipitate migraine
headaches and skin itchiness.
Plant sourced organic xanthan gum is non GM and non corn-derived
without any chemical reproduction in a laboratory. Some people
who develop reactions to synthetic xanthan sources and then
consume organic sources experience no symptoms at all.
the xanthan gum is not labeled as organic, avoid the product.
Guar gum is an emulsifier, a firming agent, a formulation aid,
stabiliser, a thickener and even a plasticizer. It is a natural
hydrocolloid that is obtained from the ground endosperm of the
guar plant. When untreated ice cream melts and refreezes, grainy
ice crystals often form. Guar gum has the natural ability to
bind with water molecules, preventing them from forming the
The gum functions dynamically and synergistically with xanthan
gum by increasing the viscosity of ice cream.
use of conventional guar gum as an ingredient in non-prescription
diet aids was officially banned in the early 1990s in Canada
and the U.S. The guar gum would bind with liquids in the stomach
and swell, causing a feeling of satisfying fullness. However,
this mass of swollen guar gum would also cause dangerous intestinal
and duodenal blockages, as well as abdominal cramps, nausea,
flatulence and diarrhea. Guar gum was declared unsafe and ineffective
for use as a non- prescription diet aid, but then allowed in
small doses in the food supply.
Conventional and synthetic guar gum has been linked through
studies to a high molecular weight agent that can cause occupational
rhinitis and asthma. Its ingestion may also cause a significant
reduction in the absorption and bioavailability of calcium,
iron, and zinc.
Organic guar gum containing a high quantity of soluble fiber
can be a very good aid to both irritable bowel syndrome and
diarrhea. The soluble fiber present in organic guar gum dissolves
in water though it is not digested. Moreover, when fully organic,
this natural laxative contains no harmful chemicals as found
in synthetic and conventional versions and thus has no side
If the guar gum is not labeled as organic, avoid the product.
Lecithin or Soya Lecithin
Healthy sources of soy lecithin have many benefits and are a
source of choline. It helps dissolve fat and cholesterol and
can help regulate your kidney, liver and gallbladder function.
problem is, just as corn, a very large percentage of soy lecithin
is produced from soy which is GM
and unfermented. Fermented
soy is the only soy fit for human consumption. Unfermented
soy has been linked to digestive distress, immune system breakdown,
PMS, endometriosis, reproductive problems for men and women,
allergies, ADD and ADHD, higher risk of heart disease and cancer,
malnutrition, and loss of libido.
If you can contact the food manufacturer and firmly source the
soy lecithin and confirm it's non GM and fermented ...fantastic,
otherwise stay away from any food product with this additive.
Commerical Varieties and Making Your
the largest ice cream chains in the world such as Baskin-Robbins,
Ben & Jerry's, Dairy Queen and Häagen-Dazs all use
the above toxic ingredients in their flavours. All local ice
cream parlors also include them in their formulations. There
are literally hundreds
of other conventional ice cream manufacturers and brands
around the world. With the exception of companies that emphasize
organic all-natural products (i.e. Mapleton's),
we have yet to find one ice cream producer that does not use
any of the above ingredients in their manufacturing process.
These days, there is only one way to eat healthy ice cream....make
it yourself. Here's how:
Borrowed from "Nourishing Traditions" by Sally Fallon:
* 3 egg
* 1/2 cup
* 1 tablespoon
* 1 tablespoon
* 3 cups
heavy cream, preferably raw, not ultrapasteurized
yolks and blend in remaining ingredients. Pour into an ice cream
maker and process according to instructions. (Remember to choose
the highest quality ingredients you can find like raw cream,
eggs from pastured chickens, or at least organic eggs, and organic
(grade B, if you can find it) maple syrup. Pure vanilla extract
and arrowroot powder or flour can be found in most health food