Is Ice Cream Really That Bad For You? The Answer May Surprise You.

When it comes to flavor and satisfaction, ice cream is a clear 10 out of 10. But it’s also packed with sugar, calories and sometimes artificial additives, so from a health-conscious perspective, it feels like something you should only eat once in a while ― and certainly not every day.

What if you did eat ice cream every day, though? Would it actually destroy your health? We asked some registered dietitians, and here’s what they had to say.

Is it ‘bad’ to eat ice cream every day?

Tamar Samuels, a registered dietitian and co-founder of Culina Health, is hesitant to label any food (or the frequency with which one eats it) as “good” or “bad.”

“Doing this can trigger feelings of shame, guilt and fear, potentially leading to an unhealthy relationship with food,” she said. Plus, everyone has their own nutritional needs that can vary wildly from person to person.

Maggie Michalczyk, a registered dietitian and founder of Once Upon a Pumpkin, had a similar take.

“I don’t like classifying one type of food as ‘bad’ or that you are ‘bad’ if you eat XYZ, but as we know, there are more nutritious foods and less nutritious foods out there,” she said. “Ice cream is a calorie-dense, high-sugar, high-fat food that can be enjoyed in moderation in a healthy diet.”

There are many ice creams on the market with many different nutritional profiles, so it’s always important to read labels. But for the sake of generalizing, know this: One 2/3-cup serving of Häagen-Dazs vanilla bean ice cream contains 32 grams of sugar and 13g of saturated fat. The American Heart Association’s recommended daily limit for added sugar intake is no more than 36g for men and 25g for women. And as far as saturated fat goes, the AHA recommends no more than 13g per day