Impact of Chocolate Ice Cream on Health and Consumer Awareness

This report examines the negative health impacts of chocolate ice cream, highlighting the potential risks associated with its consumption, such as elevated copper levels and high sugar content, which may lead to various health issues. It also investigates consumer perceptions and awareness of ice cream as a functional food, exploring factors like consumption patterns, brand preferences, and knowledge of functional properties, including probiotics. The research, based on a quantitative survey, reveals a lack of awareness regarding functional foods and emphasizes the need for effective communication strategies to promote these products. The study also discusses the role of functional foods in human health promotion, categorizing them and providing examples of functional ingredients. Additionally, the report touches upon the use of ISPs (ice structuring proteins) in ice cream to improve its stability and nutritional value.

Fact Paper

In this present paper we will discuss the negative impact of chocolate ice-cream on the health of
information so that the chocolate ice-cream can be avoided by the consumers. The paper also
descibe, consumer awareness and perceptions towards ice cream as a functional food with
functional food properties was studied. A quantitative survey was conducted to explore public
knowledge about ice cream with functional food properties and attitudes toward such foods. Self-
administered questionnaires, focused on ice cream consumption, pack size preference,
knowledge of the foods with specific health benefits i.e. ice cream, availability of ice cream with
functional properties, whether they were interested to buy functional foods or were ready to pay
higher for a range of properties. Results indicated that 47% respondents consume ice cream
weekly and 31% occasionally. Havmor was found to be most popular brand and nearly 45% of
18 respondents preferred an ice cream with chocolate flavours. The subjects had significantly
lower knowledge about functional foods (33%) and ice cream available with probiotic (18%).
Advertisements and Newspapers were the main source of their knowledge about functional
foods. After counselling about functional foods and their health benefits, 85% respondents were
ready to buy functional foods and 66% were ready to pay higher for foods product with health
benefits. This research revealed that there is lack of awareness towards functional foods.
Effective communication strategies with the involvement of health professionals and community
based scientific programmes are needed to make a success of functional food products in the
market place.
Over the last several years, there has been observed distinct changes in the
understanding of the role of foods in human health promotion. The frontier of
scientific research has expanded from the primary role of food as a source of energy
and body-forming substances to the more subtle action of biologically active food

components on human health (Grajek et al, 2005). Such foods are known as
"Functional Foods" which have a similar appearance to conventional foods and
consumed as part of the normal diet (Wahba et al, 2006). Food can be considered
functional if it is satisfactorily demonstrated to affect beneficially one or more target
functions in the body, beyond adequate nutritional effects in a way which is relevant
to either the state of well-being and health or the reduction of the risk of chronic
diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases and osteoporosis (Diplok et al,
19
1999; Berner and O’Donnell, 1998; Dimer and Gibson, 1998; Pisulewski and
Kostogrys, 2003).
Functional foods are mainly categorised as (i) conventional foods with naturally
occurring bioactive substances such as dietary fibre, (ii) foods enriched with
bioactive substances e.g., probiotics, antioxidants, and (iii) synthesized food
ingredients introduced to traditional foods (e.g., prebiotics).
Probiotics and prebiotics, soluble fibre, omega-3 fatty acids, conjugated linoleic acid,
plant antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, some proteins, peptides and amino acids are
example of some of the functional food ingredients frequently mentioned in the
literature (Grajek et al, 2005). Probiotics are defined as ‘‘live microorganisms, as
they are consumed in adequate numbers confer a health benefit on the host”
(Charalampopoulos et al, 2003; Stanton et al., 2005). Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and
bifidobacteria; the most widely studied bacteria in the field of probiotic, are normal
flora of the intestine (Kociubinski and Salminen, 2006).

offee, (as well as shellfish, liver, soy products, and some nuts and seeds), not only aggravates
many highcopper-related medical conditions, but it is responsible for creating new ones. At the
same time, copperis an important co-factor for angiogenesis (new blood vessel formation in
cancer), with most types ofmalignant or benign tumors, hemangiomas, fibroids, etc., being
associated with elevated copper levels. Dark, bitter chocolate has the highest catechin content,
but at the same time has also the highest copperlevel. Light or milk chocolate has the lowest
copper level, but also the lowest catechin content.What about the Cancer and Heart-protective
attributes of Catechins, which Chocolate products have become increasingly associated with?*
Risk factor for cancer, cardiovascular disease, mental health issues, joint degeneration, and
others. The health benefits gained by following a high flavonoid intake, and the resulting
decrease of some medical problems is eventually offset by steadily increasing copper levels,
which will inhibit flavonoid activity, and which will over time promote an increase in these very
same medical conditions!
Weight Gain is a frequent consequence of supplementing copper and iron, so in addition to the
extra calories encountered by consuming chocolate and cocoa products, one also has to deal with
the weight gain that can result from just the copper and iron content alone, which should be kept
in mind when reaching for that extra chocolate bar just for "Health Reasons."
By lowering Sulfur, high copper levels are a common cause or aggravating factor of
osteoarthritis, for which glucosamine sulfate or MSM are frequently supplemented. If
successful, they partly work by counteracting high copper levels and thus help to reverse or slow
cartilage or joint degeneration. Other than the effect of chocolate on an individual's mood,
elevated copper levels - by inhibiting sulfur - can adversely affect memory and concentration, so

progressive copper storage as a result of long-term high copper intake, combined with
increasingly diminishing sulfur levels can eventually contribute to, or lead to mental impairment
or dementia.(see also Acu-Cell "Copper & Chromium" and "Selenium & Sulfur"). The high
sugar content in chocolate increases Chromium requirements (chromium is an associated
tracemineral to copper). The resulting high copper / low chromium ratio creates an increased
risk for trabecularbone loss, and it can trigger or worsen blood sugar-related, and/or
inflammatory conditions that may raisethe risk or incidence of chronic tonsil infections,
recurring bladder infections, some forms of arthritis, or similar problems of the immune system
in prone individuals.
Chocolate contains theobromine and a small amount of caffeine, both being stimulants and
members of themethylxanthine family. Although it increases alertness, the obromine doesn't
have the same jittery effect onthe heart like caffeine. However, the obromine can be toxic or
even lethal to domestic animals such as dogs, cats, parrots and horses as a result of affecting their
kidneys, heart, and central nervous system. Another health risk and concern - particularly for
young children - are the high Lead concentrations in cocoa and chocolate products, which
according to the Environmental Health Perspectives (2005) [90], are supposed to be one of the
highest reported for all food items, although there have been challenges to these claims.[91]
From a clinical perspective, and putting aside the commercial hype that has been created of late
to boost the image of chocolate - people with the highest intake of chocolate either end up with
excessive copper levels, or elevated VLDL triglycerides (from all that sugar). On average, most
chocoholic patients test high in both.
ISP works in two ways; firstly the ISP can replace specific starches and other ingredients thus
reducing calorie, fat and salt content by up to 30 – 50 percent. This is part of Unilever’s

Sustainable Living Plan, which launched in 2010 is promoted as their “blueprint for sustainable
growth”. Their targets to improve health and nutrition include doubling the number of products
that meet the highest nutritional standards, in a bid to “help hundreds of millions of people
achieve a healthier diet”. Secondly ISPs help slow the melting of ice creams – great for hot
countries or those who like to savour their ice cream. Ice cream consists of an emulsion of air
cells, ice crystals, fat droplets and a combination of milk, sugars, water and fat glues the ice
cream together. The trouble is that ice cream is very thermodynamically unstable. So as soon as
it’s taken out of the freezer it begins to lose it’s shape as the air cells collapse and the ice crystals
grow.

References
Consumers’ perceptions and awareness towards ice cream as functional food with respect to
Ahmedabad City, India (PDF Download Available). Available from:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/285525680_Consumers'_perceptions_and_awareness_t
owards_ice_cream_as_functional_food_with_respect_to_Ahmedabad_City_India [accessed Jun
30, 2017].