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Does an ice cream a day keeps the doctor away? Not quite, but at least it is healthier than the bagel we might have had for breakfast. A new study from Massachusetts’ Tufts University assures ice cream is a healthier choice than a multigrain bagel or saltine crackers.
According to the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy experts at Tufts, they used a “Food Compass” to rank food from 1 to 100 based on nutrition.
Researchers found that an ice cream cone with nuts and chocolate ice cream is in position 37, while a multigrain bagel with raisins ranks 19 and saltine crackers a 7. Fritos chips are a 55, and a nonfat cappuccino ranks at 69.
“Once you get beyond ‘eat your veggies, avoid soda,’ the public is pretty confused about how to identify healthier choices in the grocery store, cafeteria, and restaurant,” said Dariush Mozaffarian, the study’s lead. “Consumers, policymakers, and even industry are looking for simple tools to guide everyone toward healthier choices.”
The study also measured vegetables and fruits. Sodas score 27.6, while 100 percent fruit and vegetable drinks rank at 67. Researchers assured seafood is healthier than poultry and beef.
“With its publicly available scoring algorithm, Food Compass can provide a nuanced approach to promoting healthy food choices–helping guide consumer behavior, nutrition policy, scientific research, food industry practices, and socially based investment decisions,” said Renata Micha.