CLAIM: An instagram post claims that eating ice cream can be a healthy food. It suggests that moderate consumption of it as part of a balanced diet might even help protect against heart disease. 

FACT: False. While ice cream contains some nutrients, studies suggest that high consumption can raise the risk of cardiovascular disease. Doctors caution that the viral claim is based on observational data, not proven cause-and-effect. They noted that ice cream’s high sugar and saturated fat content make it far from a heart-protective food. 

An instagram post claims that eating ice cream can be a healthy food. “Ice cream may protect you against heart disease,” read the post.

The caption of the post read that observations from nutritional studies, which include data from Harvard researchers, showed that moderate and consistent consumption of dairy-based ice cream was linked to a lower risk of cardiovascular disease compared to those who avoided it entirely. The post claimed that ice cream provides calcium and vitamins. It also claimed that experts emphasised that this does not make ice cream a “healthy food”, but it can fit well as a treat within a balanced diet in moderation. 

The post has been shared by the account named biologyexplaining.io and has been shared over 18000 times. The post has over 2.3 lakh likes and over 200 comments. It has also been reposted over 650 times 

What are studies saying?

A study published in the International Journal of Food and Nutritional Science offered a caveat. The study acknowledged that ice cream supplied calcium, phosphorus, and several vitamins. It was noted that lactose in ice cream aids calcium absorption. 

The review stated that ice cream may be “unhealthy food for many individuals,” due to the high fat and sugar content. “Ice cream is stored at low (-18C) storage temperature, contamination can occur at different stages and results in public health impacts. Ice cream is high in sugar (20.7/100g) and fat (16.0) which is very high and leads to health problem in public,” the study noted. 

A cohort study, published in 2023 in the journal Nutrition Research and Practice, followed a total of 8,009 middle-aged and older Korean adults, aged 40-69 years, who were examined on how milk and dairy consumption related to cardio-cerebrovascular disease risk. 

The study found that “milk consumers exhibited a 23% lower risk of cardio-cerebrovascular disease incidence than non-milk consumers.” It also noted that “High yogurt consumption was associated with a 29% lower incidence risk.” Ice cream, however, showed the opposite association: “High ice cream consumption was associated with a 70% higher risk of cardio-cerebrovascular disease incidence,” the study reported.

This directly challenges the post’s claim that dairy-based ice cream specifically lowers cardiovascular risk.

What do doctors suggest?

Prof. Dr Babu Ezhumalai, senior consultant in interventional cardiology at MGM Healthcare, Chennai, said the viral claim lacks scientific backing. He explained that the ice cream finding comes from observational nutrition studies, which show an association rather than a cause-and-effect relationship.

“People eating small amounts of ice cream may differ in many other ways: overall diet, weight, exercise, income, medication use, or reporting accuracy. A reported lower cardiovascular risk does not mean ice cream protects the heart,” Dr Ezhumalai emphasised.

He pointed out that regular ice cream is high in added sugar and saturated fat, which the American Heart Association links to raised LDL cholesterol. He advised limiting added sugar to about 6% of calories.

Dr Ezhumalai cautioned, “Small amounts of ice cream may fit into an otherwise healthy diet, but it should not be promoted as heart medicine or a heart-protective food.”

Although ice cream contains some calcium, it is not an ideal calcium source, Dr Ezhumalai said, as it is packaged with sugar and saturated fat. “Milk, plain yoghurt/curd, and unsweetened or low-sugar yoghurt are generally healthier dairy choices,” he pointed out. “The AHA specifically lists full-fat ice cream among foods to avoid or limit, while favouring fat-free or low-fat dairy options,” Dr Ezhumalai said.

He also noted that there are no randomised controlled trials to define what “moderate consumption” even means, and no major cardiovascular body endorses such a claim.

Also read: FACT CHECK: Do diet drinks really raise heart disease risk by 20%?