Soft Ice Cream During Pregnancy: What You Should Consider

Soft ice cream during pregnancy is not a good idea for a number of reasons. Although the ice cream is made from pasteurized milk, expectant mothers should avoid it. We tell you why that is and how you can still satisfy your cravings for sweets.

Soft ice cream during pregnancy may contain Listeria

As the name suggests, soft ice cream is particularly soft and fluffy. This is due to the air that is worked into the milk mass.

• Even if highly heated milk and pasteurized egg products are used for the ice cream, germs and bacteria can form again during storage – for example listeria.
• The ice is stored in the ice machine at around -6 degrees Celsius. Since listeria also multiply at temperatures below 0 degrees and even in the absence of oxygen, the risk of infection is high here.
• If the ice machine is not cleaned thoroughly every day, the lack of hygiene is an additional risk. There is also a risk of salmonella here.
• Listeria is usually not a problem for healthy people. However, if you contract listeriosis during pregnancy, it can have health consequences for your baby, such as organ damage. There is also a risk of miscarriage or premature birth.

It is better not to use soft ice cream during pregnancy. Bacteria such as listeria or salmonella are sometimes found in soft ice cream. If you eat contaminated soft ice cream during your pregnancy, this can become a health risk.

Soft ice cream can promote gestational diabetes

In addition to the possible germ load, soft ice cream has another disadvantage.

• The product contains a lot of sugar and, accordingly, a large amount of calories. On average, 100 grams of soft ice cream consist of 14 grams of sugar. Danish soft ice cream even has a sugar content of 35 grams.
• High-calorie and high-sugar foods can promote gestational diabetes and should therefore only rarely be on your menu.
• Tip: Freeze fresh fruit. If you fancy an ice cream, put the frozen fruit in a blender and make a refreshing smoothie. There is no need for extra sugar if you also use naturally sweet fruit like pineapple, pear or banana. You can also make healthy ice cream yourself without much effort.