June is National Dairy Month, and what better way to celebrate than
with ice cream!! So we’ll use this as an opportunity to throw some
little-known facts about everyone’s favorite dairy treat.
1. The origins of
ice cream go way back to the 4th century B.C. when the Roman emperor
Nero ordered ice to be brought from the mountains and combined it with
fruit toppings. In 1847, the first hand-crank ice cream maker was
developed.
2. Some of the most unusual flavors of ice cream ever made are
avocado, garlic, azuki bean, jalapeno, and pumpkin. Perhaps the most
unusual of all, hot dog flavored ice-cream made by our own Arizona Farm Bureau Member, Udder Delights.
3. About 90% of American households eat ice cream, according to the Dairy Food Association.
4. Ice cream has been a proven comfort food in times of angst…time and time again. A study
of the U.S. ice cream industry reported in 2009 that the industry
blossomed through the Great Depression after the 1929 stock market crash
and became a niche household happening after World War II. The current
national recession has not affected the ice cream industry with sales
increasing over 20 percent from the summer of 2008.
5. Having trouble deciphering the difference between
ice cream, sorbet, yogurt and custard? Here’s how to tell: Ice cream is
made from milk fat and milk solids. Sorbet is non-dairy and usually
high in sugar, yogurt is usually tart with low or no fat milk
substitute, and custard is rich and smooth with lots of egg in it.
Here’s a frozen yogurt recipe from Arizona Farm Bureau member Shamrock Farms!
6. Ice cream has molecules in it that can defeat the messages in the brain that tell our stomach “OK, you’ve had enough.” A study
by the UT (University of Texas) Southwestern Medical Center found that
foods high in fat can send fatty acids to the brain that become
resistant to insulin and leptin, two hormones that involve weight
regulation. A way to combat that insatiable desire for ice-cream is to
know how much to eat: 3 cups of dairy each day.
7. More Americans prefer vanilla ice cream over any other ice cream. After that comes chocolate, cookies n’ cream, strawberry and chocolate chip mint.
If you’re looking for an Arizona Farm producer of dairy products and
ice-cream, including recipes that feature dairy products, head on over
to our website at Fill Your Plate.org.