Tag: Chocolate

Celebrate Ice Cream – National Ice Cream Month

If you are looking for an excuse to celebrate and eat ice cream, you’ve found it! You can eat ice cream, guilt-free, every day during the month of July to celebrate National Ice Cream Month. National Ice Cream Day is always celebrated on the third Sunday in July.

President Ronald Reagan, in 1984, proclaimed July as National Ice Cream Month. President Reagan recognized that over 90% of Americans enjoy ice cream. He encouraged Americans to celebrate ice cream’s nutritional values as well as the fun that families share while eating it. Many memorable occasions have been celebrated while enjoying ice cream treats.

When ice cream became popular in America in the 1930’s, a Laurel and Hardy movie in 1931 called “Come Clean” included a little skit in an ice cream parlor. Stan and Laurel go into the shop to order ice cream and confusion results when Stan tries to pick what flavor to order. The flavors (including chocolate) he asks for are unavailable. He ends up saying that he will take it without chocolate. The humorous skit became a favorite and long-remembered scene.

Besides being a subject for movies, ice cream has been the topic of many recipe books and children’s story books. Two examples of children’s story books about ice cream are “Simply Delicious” by Margaret Mahy and “Isaac the Ice Cream Truck” by Scott Santoro. Both are very colorful and fun books with ice cream being the central theme.

In “Isaac the Ice Cream Truck”, Isaac feels less important than other big trucks but finds out that he is important after all. In “Simply Delicious” Mr. Minky manages to carry an ice cream cone home to his son while riding his bicycle through a jungle full of very hungry creatures.

America celebrates ice cream in many other ways. There are ice cream socials and there are even internet blogs devoted to the topic of ice cream. Ice cream has even made it into the Guinness Book of World Records. In 1988, in Alberta, Canada, the largest ice cream sundae in the world weighed 55,000 pounds. (Calorie count was not given.) Then, also in 1988, the largest ice cream sandwich was made in Dubuque, Iowa. It was 2,500 pounds. Baskin-Robbins got in on the fun by making a 9,000 pound ice cream cake.

While some may celebrate ice cream in the public forum, many celebrate in the privacy of their own homes . . . in the middle of the night. Dipping into the ice cream tub as a midnight snack is done by one of every five ice cream eaters, mostly ages 18 – 24; and, those midnight snack ice cream bandits are more men than women.

Those middle-of-the-night ice cream-eating men are also the ones who are licking their ice cream bowls clean. Only 8% of women admit to licking ice cream bowls clean and 13% of men admit to licking ice cream bowls clean. Elvis Presley may have been an ice cream bowl licker because some of his favorite snack times were drinking chocolate milkshakes and eating peach ice cream.

Celebrating ice cream is not left only to humans. 5% of people who eat ice cream share the tasty treat with their dogs, cats, birds and other pets.

Ice cream has been evolving for over 2000 years from the simplest form of ice topped by fruit to its current creamy textures, many forms and flavors . . . and to think ice cream even has its own special day as well as an entire month to celebrate!

Be Cool With Ice Cream!

More than two centuries ago, Thomas Jefferson loved vanilla ice cream; in the present-day, it is the best-selling flavor of ice cream in the United States. Tried-and-true, there is simply nothing outdated, old-fashioned, or boring about “plain old vanilla”! Times change, of course, and changing times mean new fads and trends– some of which fade quickly, but others which hold out in their popularity. This fact is as true about ice cream as any other trend; and there have been many trends in what is made and what is preferred in ice cream ever since it first came to America. Attempting to assess and cater to the wishes of the people, ice cream manufacturers have come up with nearly-endless varieties of ice cream products, ranging from basic products to those which are more than slightly odd.

While there are numerous ice cream products sold in a variety of forms, such as bars, sticks, sundaes, and many others, the widest range of variety can be found in the basic in-a-box containers at your local grocery stores and in-a-scoop at ice cream shops. With the assumption that every person is different, and that every person desires newness and change, there is seemingly no end to the varieties which you can now choose from. Perhaps it may be thought odd, though– or perhaps not– that those who patronize such wonderful establishments as Baskin-Robbins 31-Flavors still have a distinct preference for vanilla!

One of the newest types of ice cream, although it has been around for awhile, are the “designer” styles. Mostly popular amongst the younger generation, attraction to specific brand-names is the main focus. Ben and Jerry’s is one of the most popular brands. Ben and Jerry’s best-selling ice cream, “Cherry Garcia,” is nearly a staple amongst the younger crowd. Some of Ben and Jerry’s other top-ten ice creams boast names such as Chunky Monkey, Coffee Health Bar Crunch, and New York Super Fudge Chunk. If you cannot find an ice cream that suits your personal tastes, Ben and Jerry’s welcomes you to suggest a new style for their consideration.

While the phrase “Dove Bar” often brings to mind a basic, albeit delicious, ice cream bar where the only choices offered are whether you prefer milk chocolate or dark chocolate coating, Dove also offers chocolate fans a tempting variety of ice cream flavors. Although the calorie content in Dove ice cream is a bit higher than in most of the other popular brands, you may still wish to indulge in such tasty treats as Triple Chocolate (at 340 calories per serving), Unconditional Chocolate (300 calories per serving), Chocolate and Brownie Affair (310 calories per serving), or Vanilla With a Chocolate Soul (300 calories per serving). For those with an on-the-go active lifestyle, Dove also makes its original and flavor varieties in ice cream miniatures.

If you crave a sense of “different,” there are many options which easily fall into this category. While you may be saddened to learn that Ben and Jerry’s Peanut Butter and Jelly, Bovinity Divinity, and Miz Jelena’s Sweet Potato Pie ice creams are no longer in existence, ice cream manufacturers continue to seek out the unusual tastes of their consumers and supply equally-unusual new flavors which will cater to such tastes. As “being cool” is frequently taken to mean being as outrageous as possible, you have the choice of such unusual treats as Mashed Potato and Bacon ice cream, Chili Con Carne ice cream, Tuna Fish ice cream, and Horseradish and Beer ice cream. Or, you can remain cool by conforming with the majority of the American population, and select the flavor which has remained at the top of the best-selling list for more than two hundred years: vanilla.

All About Ice Cream

Ice cream, America’s favorite treat, has been around for a very long time. It is believed that some form of ice cream dates back to 200 B.C. Folk lore has it that in the 1st Century, Roman Emperor Nero ordered his slaves to bring ice from the mountains to make his iced mixture with fruit topping.

Another form of ice cream was made by King Tang of China (A. D. 618-97). He combined ice and milk. From China ice cream was brought to Europe when, in the 1200’s Marco Polo had brought an ice cream sorbet recipe back with him to Europe from the Far East. The recipe called for the ingredients snow and milk. Ice cream was later imported from Europe to the United States where it was served by Presidents George Washington and Thomas Jefferson to their guests.

In New York City, in 1776, the first ice cream parlor was opened. The word ice cream was started by the American Colonists. They first called it “iced” cream and it was later shortened to “ice” cream. In 1777 Philip Lenzi, a confectioner, placed the first newspaper advertisement for ice cream in the New York Gazette.

When First Lady Dolly Madison was in the white house from 1809 to 1817, she served ice cream to guests. Ice cream was even served to immigrants as part of their meal when they arrived at Ellis Island.

The hand crank ice cream maker or freezer was invented in 1846 by Nancy Johnson. Today, ice cream is still made using the basic method of the hand-crank ice cream freezer. In 1848 a similar ice cream freezer, the Johnson Patent Ice-Cream Freezer was patented. By 1850 ice cream had become a popular treat. It wasn’t until 1851 that Jacob Fussell’s Baltimore Company began to manufacture and market ice cream commercially.

It isn’t clear who or when someone realized that mixing the cream in a small pewter pot inside of a larger pot filled with salt mixed with ice would lower the temperature of the ingredients. The wooden freezer bucket and paddles would open the way for the larger-scale manufacture of ice cream. Historians disagree on when the ice cream cone was invented. It has been said that the ice cream cone was invented in St. Louis, Missouri in 1904 when on July 23 Charles E. Minches thought of making a pastry cone and filled it with two ice cream scoops. The ice cream cone first appeared at the St. Louis World’s Fair later in the year where, historians believe, there were more than 50 ice cream cone vendors.

Historians also believe that before the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair, metal and paper cones were being used. England was also already selling edible ice cream cones. Another theory is that prior to the 1904 World’s Fair, an ice cream vendor from New York City had grown tired of customers pilfering his serving dishes, so he invented an ice cream cone in 1896.

In 1926 Clarence Vogt came up with a process of continuously freezing ice cream for the commercial manufacturing of ice cream. By the 1930’s ice cream had a huge increase in popularity and many flavors of ice cream and sherbets had become available.

By the 20th Century many flavors of ice cream were being sold on a large scale in grocery stores, supermarkets and ice-cream franchises. With the many flavors of ice cream available in supermarkets and eateries, vanilla is still America’s favorite and chocolate is the second favorite flavor of ice cream.

Hide and Seek: Are You Ingesting Foods Rich in Calcium

Hide and Seek: Are You Ingesting Foods Rich in Calcium or Not?

Weak bones and brittle teeth. Perhaps if not given utmost care, it might develop to osteoporosis or complete destruction of teeth.

You will prevent further damage to your bones and teeth if you will only be well informed of the foods that might help you maintain good bones and teeth. One way is to ingest foods rich in calcium.

Calcium is needed by the body due to the following reasons:

” During pregnancy, it helps proper formation of bones and teeth of the baby.

” With proper calcium intake, it keeps your muscles to function well.

” It prevents or aids possible emergence of blood clotting.

” Nerve impulses are transmitted properly with the help of calcium.

The above-mentioned benefit of calcium promotes a healthy well being. To achieve a fit and nourishing diet, you need to be well knowledgeable of the foods that will help you obtain your goal. Foods rich in calcium are one of those.

Foods rich in calcium can be classified into two groups. The first group is under the dairy products category.

Milk and milk products are major sources of dairy products. You are aware that a woman has the capability to produce milk, which is highly nutritious for her newborn infant. Furthermore, adults can obtain milk from secretion of female animals such as goats, cows, sheep and other farm animals. You can consume the secreted milk of female farm animals.

Another option to have sufficient supply of milk is through ingesting milk products. Cheese and butter are good milk products. Other essential milk products are the following:

” Yogurt
” Ice cream
” Nonfat, condensed and evaporated milk

Non-dairy products are the second group category for foods rich in calcium. However, not all non-dairy products can give you significant amount of calcium that your body needs. Some noteworthy non-dairy products are:

” Spinach
” Broccoli
” Sardines
” Salmon
” Tofu

Ready-to-eat items such as pizza, instant oatmeal, macaroni and cheese, breads and cereals also contain calcium.

Indeed if you eat foods rich in calcium it is most likely that you will obtain good bones and teeth as well as healthy well-being. On the other hand, too much calcium intake can also cause harm. Henceforth, it is recommended that you update yourself with the suggested servings of food before you indulge into it. It is best to consult a nutritionist or dietician regarding this matter.

Frequently Asked Questions About Calcium Deposits

Overly calcium deposit can cause the hardening of some small parts of the bone and soft tissue. The deposits usually start soft but will harden in time. The most common occurrence of calcium deposits is found on the part of the shoulder.

Usually, they do not give problems to the affected person, but as the size of the deposit increases or become sore, they will surely give serious pain. The following are the frequently asked questions and answers that can help explain the concept of calcium deposits.

What cause calcium deposits?

In most cases, the cause of this deposit is still unknown. Most sufferers ask if they should change their diet in order to lessen calcium intake. This can be possible, but it is not recommended as a form of treatment. Normal patients, senior citizens and menopausal females should have a balanced diet with at least 1000 mg. calcium supplements.

Who are usually affected by hyper calcium deposits?

It usually happens in women ages 35 to 65. However, it can also happen to men too, although not as prevalent.

Do calcium deposits cause problems?

Calcium deposits do not give any possible symptoms. It is only when the deposit increases it size that it becomes severely painful. However, there can be times that smaller deposits can also cause pain especially if they become inflamed and as the calcium salt leak from a cut to the sensitive tissue.

If I have calcium deposits on my shoulder, will it injure my shoulder?

Sometimes, calcium deposits can result to erosion which might damage a part of the tendons rotator cuff. However, some calcium deposits stay on the exterior part of a rotator cuff tendon and can only give trouble whenever it is painful and infectious.

How hard are calcium deposits?

At first, calcium deposits are as soft as a toothpaste or cream, but as the time pass by and it is still in your body, they will dry up and turn into chalk-like texture. They are not as hard as the rock though, but they can surely give pain to the affected person.

Is there a treatment for calcium deposits?

Yes there is. The acute swelling can be remedied with an ice pack and should take a rest from movement using a sling. Oral medications are also available for treating calcium deposits. A cortisone injection can help a sufferer lessen the pain he or she feels within a few hours.

Should it be removed, instead?

If the affected person already experiences two to three consecutive episodes of severe painful symptoms or if the deposits have already become increasingly large, an arthroscopic surgery will be recommended for the patient to remove the deposits.

Calcium deposits will not kill you, but the pain will make you wish it will. So, if you already feel that you already have the disorder, its high time that you see a doctor and ask for an effective cure.