A Dangerous Combination, Like Teenagers and Alcohol
11 
March 18, 2010
The results of this duo are not unprotected sex, but unwanted pounds. This terrifying image will probably haunt you all day long.
The spoon and the pint of Ben & Jerry's.
Recently, I visited the Ben & Jerry's factory in Vermont. The tour guide announced, "Here at Ben & Jerry's we believe a single serving is a pint."
Really? A pint is 960 calories and 36 grams of saturated fat - about 200% of your daily needs for saturated fat!
I began to look at the workers at the plant and noticed that (with the exception of our tour guide) that they all looked a wee bit chubby. But, all of America looks chubby with 7 out of 10 Americans either overweight or obese.
Cherry Garcia is their best selling flavor and (full disclosure) this container was empty when I photographed it. It does taste pretty good. It has a nice balance of flavors and I enjoyed eating it with my FAMILY of four.
I don't want to demonize Ben & Jerry's. It isn't helpful to say food is BAD. This is just ice cream - but I do think it is a bit addictive.
Before Ben & Jerry's, there was just vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry. Something about these flavors, Vanilla Heath Bar Crunch, Cookie Dough, Chunky Monkey gets in your brain.
My article:Would you Like To Add Some Heroin To Your Order? outlines an argument about how certain foods are addictive..
In Dr. Kessler's (former FDA commissioner under presidents Bush and Clinton), "The End of Overeating", he talks about a taste that combines salt, sugar, and fat that is addictive. Specifically, he talks about ice cream with mix-ins that trigger an addictive response.
So, how do you deal with Ben & Jerry's? Eat a little bit and not very often. The only way to do that is when you purchase some, get a big group together so it doesn't sit in your freezer.
Or try Haagen Dazs Snack Bar, they are 190 calories per serving and are discreet. No spoon here!
The End of Overeating: Taking Control of the Insatiable American Appetite
$25.95 $18.07
How do you deal with "out of control" ice cream cravings? Please share.
Want to read about snacks?
A Delicious and Reasonable Ice Cream Treat
3 Reasons to Avoid Ritz Crackers
This Food is An Instant Party in Your Mouth
Get new posts by email (it's free)
11 Comments:
A primary cause of food addiction are the chemicals they put in processed food, like "hidden" msg. These are proven addictive substances. Remember when the guy in the movie "Supersize Me" started getting withdrawal symptoms hours after a McDonalds meal? That's the chemicals! Ever wonder why their french fries are "as addictive as heroin?" It's not just the taste! Not even the world's greatest chefs can better the taste of McDonalds french fries - because they don't use chemicals.
stan on March 18, 2010
Who's to say if even our friends at Ben and Jerry's don't slip a few "taste good chemicals" into their ice cream? A friend of mine worked at a popular orange juice packer. He was a batcher and with his forklift he loaded the 55 gallon drums of sugar into the 100% pure OJ.
I'm just sayin...
parker394 on March 18, 2010
I don't buy the pints! If I had a taste for it, I would go to our local store and get a scoop. I have yet to visit the store but if I wanted to, I would get it and be done with it. I LOVE ice cream and I just know I can't afford to start eating it like I did as a kid or teen or even in my 20's so I just dont bother. It's not worth it :-(
Theresa on March 18, 2010
This is a picture (http://bit.ly/awEpYV) of the sugar content of 1 can of soda per day habit - annualized. Well, add to that ice cream, juice, candy, and more, and it becomes easy to figure out why Americans on average consume 170 pounds of sugar per year.
It ain't a pretty picture.
Ken Leebow on March 18, 2010
First, I LOVE Kessler's book. It's fantastic.
Second, I agree with you that we need to enjoy these foods IN MODERATION. Small amounts go a long way! What I DO like about Ben & Jerry's, however, is that the ingredient lists are generally quite simple. They tend to be natural, real ingredients, rather than a bunch of man-made chemicals. So in that sense, it's a little bit better than some other kinds of ice cream (though obviously that doesn't give license to eat it in large doses or on a regular basis!).
I'm also fascinated that your tour guide was pretty much the only non-chubby person you saw working there. Good marketing on their part, I suppose.
Sagan on March 18, 2010
Just wanted to mention that we should all stop using "chemicals" as though they are all inherently bad. There are lots of "natural" things that will kill you (anyone want a swig of this cyanide? It's natural - you can find it in apple seeds!), and lots of "chemicals" that we all use every day, and that help us. Like toothpaste, or painkillers. Or adding flouride to our water. The demonization of all all chemicals and beatification of all things natural is misplaced.
JustARat on March 20, 2010
Stan, I need to disagree with you regarding McDonald's fries. "Not even the world's greatest chefs can better the taste of McDonalds french fries"? I do not find McDonald's fries addictive. Rather, the last time I had them (only because I was with a friend who offered to buy me some) I thought they were bland and nasty. I've had MUCH better fries at so many other places.
Now, as far as B&J is concerned, I refuse to give up THAT addiction. I can certainly down a pint in one sitting, but my husband and I have tamed ourselves down to a 1/2 pint at a time. And so far, I wouldn't consider us to be a "wee bit chubby". If we do, maybe we'll cut down to a 1/2 cup at a time...
Vicki @ Piccolo Takes All on April 7, 2010
I used to eat close to a pint of B&J's in one sitting when I was a later teenager and lived in Burlington. Thankfully, I did not eat that much else after so indulging, so my weight wasn't an issue, but it was surely not a healthy way to eat. Also thankfully, at age 43, I just can't eat that way anymore. But in terms of how to manage my kids and their appetites, I always tell them there is no such thing as a 'bad' food, or a food that 'makes you fat.' Instead I focus on appropriate portion size. I always encourage them to look on the nutrition label to determine what 'one serving' is. In the case of B&J's, its half a cup, so a pint should be dessert for a family of four. (Also, I always serve ice cream out of a ramkin, to prevent over-serving myself/my kids). Much more frustrating for me is that it is now extremely hard to find a reasonable serving of ice cream at an ice cream stand. Try finding a place that will serve a 1/2 cup size ice cream on a cone. We end up having to share one CONE between the 3 or 4 of us, because there is nothing smaller. Talk about super sizing!
Robin on August 13, 2010
I agree with Robin. Nowadays, servings are huge and is probably why so many Americans are overweight. I just wish more companies would do smaller servings--I mean, is it really necessary to have a pint of ice cream? How about packaging them in smaller (Green) containers, I doubt anyone would notice a difference.
And since we're on the topic of ice cream, Lisa, have you ever tried Skinny Cow ice cream products?
Kathy on February 26, 2011
I have only two brands of ice cream that I enjoy. The first is President's Choice which is only made with real ingredients including Canadian milk. The other is Ben and Jerry's. I love Cherry Garcia but I have found that if I eat it out of the carton, I eat less than if I scoop it out into a bowl. I prefer though to buy the single serving cups of ice cream rather than a whole carton to keep ice cream as a treat and as built in portion control.
Kealee on September 15, 2011
Candice on March 18, 2010