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It should come as no shock that a chocolate-covered waffle cone filled with Chunky Monkey isn't diet food. But you may not realize just how fattening some of these more indulgent ice cream shop treats are.
Some pack more calories and heart-damaging fat than three McDonald's Quarter Pounders, according to the advocacy group Center for Science in the Public Interest.
One scoop of premium ice cream has 250 to 300 calories and a half-day's worth of saturated fat, says the July/August issue of the group's Nutrition Action Healthletter. But many people eat much larger servings, plus pile on extras. Some desserts contain as many as 1,200 calories and more than a day's worth of saturated fat, according to company-provided nutritional data and independent lab analysis.
Cold Stone Creamery's Mud Pie Mojo, coffee ice cream with goodies like almonds, Oreos and peanut butter, contains 1,180 calories and 26 grams of saturated fat, about what you'd get in two Pizza Hut Personal Pan pepperoni pizzas, according to CSPI.
"Ice cream is an indulgent dessert, and like any indulgence, is meant to be enjoyed in moderation," says Cold Stone spokesman Kevin Donnellan, "although we are fully aware that our scrumptious ice cream creations are a tempting treat that many find themselves thinking about on a daily basis."
The good news: Low-fat ice cream, sorbets and fat-free yogurt are available at many of those same shops.
Copyright 2003 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
