Eight questions about Zhong Xue Gao to solve your "ice cream anxiety"

Zhong Xuegao is on the hot search again.

It won’t melt if left at room temperature of 31 degrees for one hour, it won’t melt even with a lighter, it’s an ice cream assassin... In recent days, various topics have pushed the ice cream brand - Zhong Xue Gao to the forefront.

After all, it is something that is eaten. From the perspective of food safety, what secrets are contained in the "Ice Cream Assassin"? NetEase Health specially consulted Wang Xufeng, president of the Capital Health Nutrition and Gourmet Society, to find out!

>> What is the reason why Zhong Xue Gao does not melt and remains viscous at high temperatures?

Wang Xufeng: Most ice creams have the highest content of water, but Zhong Xue Gao has the highest content of milk and cream, which has a low water content, which is the fundamental reason why it does not melt. Moreover, it is ice cream after all, and its temperature is relatively low, so the melting process is slower when burning.

The reason why it remains viscous is that in addition to cream and coconut powder, it also contains thickeners such as gelatin, carrageenan, guar gum, etc. These thickeners have strong water absorption capacity and can retain moisture, so the ice cream will be thicker.

>> Are thickeners harmful to the body? How to identify foods with too much thickener?

Wang Xufeng: Thickeners are legal foods allowed by the state and will not cause harm to human health if used within a limited range.

At the same time, thickeners are also the "three good students" among food additives. Most food additives have no nutritional value, while thickeners have some nutritional value.

At present, common thickeners are divided into two categories. The first is gelatin. Its main component is collagen, which has good water absorption. More gelatin is added to yogurt. The second is dietary fiber. For example, guar gum, carrageenan, gum arabic, xanthan gum, pectin, etc. The guar gum, carrageenan and other gums contained in Zhong Xuegao ingredients are essentially dietary fiber. Eating them will not only not harm health, but also promote the growth and reproduction of probiotics in the gastrointestinal tract, which is beneficial to improve intestinal health, so don't worry.

There are two ways to identify thickeners:

One is the taste. Foods with thickeners will be thicker.

The second is to look at the ingredient list. The country has very clear requirements for the ingredient list. The ingredient list must truthfully mark every raw material used to produce the food, including every food additive. At the same time, the main ingredients must be arranged in order from high to low content. If you look carefully to see if there is a word "glue" in the ingredient list, you will know whether there is a thickener and how much it contains.

>> Is it reliable to judge the amount of "glue" in ice cream by its melting speed?

Wang Xufeng: The speed at which ice cream melts can reflect two indicators.

The first is the moisture content, the higher the moisture content, the easier it will melt.

The second is the content of thickener. The higher the content of thickener, the less likely it is to melt. Moreover, when the thickener reaches a certain content, it is very likely to last for a long time without melting at room temperature.

>> Zhong Xue Gao does not melt at high temperatures. Will it be impossible to digest it after eating it?

Wang Xufeng: Thickeners cannot be digested after being ingested. This is the same reason as the dietary fiber in the vegetables and fruits we eat every day cannot be digested.

It is not a bad thing that they cannot be digested. They will make people feel full in the gastrointestinal tract. In addition, thickeners are not digested and absorbed by the human body, so they can be eaten by probiotics in the intestines, making our intestinal flora more balanced.

>> What do you think of “Zhong Xuegao said it is unscientific to judge the quality of heated ice cream”?

Wang Xufeng: First, using fire to test whether a food is good or bad is an unscientific method. Second, for ordinary consumers, they can see the truth of the food by looking at the ingredient list, and don't burn it.

>> People say that Zhong Xue Gao is a "price assassin". Judging from the ingredient list, are its ingredients worth the price?

Wang Xufeng: Compared with other ice creams, the raw material ingredients of Zhong Xue Gao are quite good.

For most ice creams, oil and sugar are the "skeleton", flavors are the "soul", and pigments are the "outer coat". However, Zhong Xue Gao uses basically all natural ingredients, no hydrogenated vegetable oil, and no trans fatty acids, which are relatively healthy ingredients.

>> Some ice creams on the market claim to have added collagen, but can it really be absorbed? Is it just a waste of money?

Wang Xufeng: Gelatin is collagen, which is made from animal skin. If an ice cream cone is sold at a higher price simply because it contains gelatin (labeled as collagen), it is indeed a waste of money.

>> Is it necessarily unsafe to add food additives to food?

Wang Xufeng: The Food Safety Law has very clear requirements for food additives. They must meet two conditions at the same time before they can be used in food. First, they must be technically necessary. Second, they must be proven safe and reliable through food safety risk assessment. Only when these two standards are met can they be used. As long as they are used in accordance with the types, ranges, and dosages of food additives specified by the state, they are safe.

Regarding food additives, it is recommended that you maintain three attitudes:

First, we are not against food additives, but we are firmly against illegal additives.

Second, we support the rational use of food additives, but firmly oppose the abuse of food additives.

Third, do not reject foods that contain food additives, but stay away from foods that have very low nutritional value but are added with a lot of pigments, flavors, etc. that are not good for health.