A Scoop of Ice Cream a Day Keeps the Doctor Away!

Even though ice cream is considered a dessert, it can have many health benefits!

Ice cream’s main ingredient is milk, so it is rich in calcium. Calcium is important in building and maintaining strong bones and avoiding bone-related diseases.  It has been helpful in preventing mood swings and even premenstrual symptoms! Studies have even found that ice cream can reduce the chance of kidney stones. Calcium can also help to prevent osteoporosis, cancer, and hypertension.

Ice cream also contains multiple vitamins, including A, B-6, B-12, C, D, E, and K. It even contains thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, and phosphorous—all vitamins and minerals that you need!

Next time you’re looking for a snack to give you energy, reach a scoop of ice cream! Ice cream contains carbohydrates, fats, and proteins, which are all essential for energy.

Ever feel relaxed after having a bowl of ice cream? Ice cream is a good comfort food and can help reduce stress! It can also help to relax the nervous system and prevent symptoms of insomnia.

Did you know ice cream doesn’t cause colds? Because our body temperature is much higher than ice cream, it melts when we eat it. Ice cream is also helpful in staying hydrated because it provides fluid for our bodies. Some research has even shows that ice cream can improve immunity to certain diseases, like influenza!

Next time you’re looking for a snack, reach in the freezer for some SMC ice cream and remember all the good it does for your body! Just remember that ice cream is best in moderation!

http://tipshealthypeople.blogspot.com/2012/03/benefits-of-ice-cream-for-body.html

http://www.magforwomen.com/5-benefits-of-eating-ice-cream/

http://www.hersheyicecream.com/HICblog/2012/02/a-scoop-a-day-keeps-the-doctor-away/

July is National Ice Cream Month!

Money can't buy happiness, but it can buy ice cream, which is pretty much the same thing!

President Ronald Reagan designated July as National Ice Cream Month in 1984. National Ice Cream Day is celebrated on the third Sunday of July. This year, National Ice Cream Day is on Sunday, July 21.

Read President Reagan’s proclamation for National Ice Cream Month and National Ice Cream Day. 

A survey in 2012 found that a majority of ice cream and frozen dessert manufacturers have been in business for over 50 years. Many of them are family owned!

Ice cream is an easy and delicious dessert for your family. Favorites include sundaes, root beer floats, banana splits, milkshakes, pie a-la-mode, and ice cream cones. Top off ice cream with hot fudge, chocolate, caramel, whipped cream, nuts, fruit, sprinkles, or cookies.

Did you know…

• Vanilla is the most popular ice cream flavor.
• Chocolate syrup is the most popular ice cream topping.
• The ice cream industry generates more than $21 billion in annual sales in the United States.
• More than 90 percent of U.S. households purchase ice cream.
• More ice cream is sold on Sunday than any other day of the week.
• A "brain freeze" is triggered when ice cream touches the roof of your mouth, causing blood vessels in the head to dilate.

South Mountain Creamery has over 40 different flavors of ice cream made from our all-natural and farm fresh milk.  Each flavor is handcrafted and individually packaged. Our ice cream is available for home delivery and at Karen’s Kountry Store!

Have you "Herd?" Skim Milk is Good!

Did you know the average kid drinks 31 gallons of milk per year? Whether your family drinks skim, 2%, or whole milk, read about some research on the benefits of milk.

Milk Benefits

• Bristol University researchers found that children with increased milk intake were associated with faster walking pace and significantly better balance as a senior citizen.
• Drinking two to three glasses of milk a day, (skim, 2 percent, or whole) can help lower the likelihood of both heart attack and stroke.
• Cow’s milk is one of the most concentrated natural sources of calcium. One eight-ounce glass provides 300 mg of calcium, and drinking a few glasses of milk each day (either plain as a beverage, or in cereal, oatmeal, or a healthy smoothie) can go a long way toward helping you meet your daily calcium goal. Read more about the benefits of milk here.

How much milk do you need?

• 1-3 years old: Two glasses of milk per day to maintain healthy levels of vitamin D and iron
• 4-8 years old: Three glasses of milk (800 mg calcium) per day
•  9-18 years old: Four glasses of milk (1,300 mg calcium) per day
• 18-50 years old: Three glasses of milk (1,000 mg calcium) per day
• 50+ years old: Four glasses of milk (1,200 mg calcium) per day

Skim Milk

•  Skim milk contains less fat than whole or 2%—that’s why they call it nonfat milk!
• Some research has shown that children drinking skim and 1 percent were heavier, potentially because when children are overweight their parents are more likely to give them skim milk.
• To turn skim milk white, some companies fortify their product with powdered skim
• SMC’s milk is all-natural—no powdered substances! 

Whole Milk

• Whole milk has fat calories that are important for growth and brain development, which is important for young children
• If you love your skim milk, you don’t have to switch back to whole milk. Instead, focus on avoiding sugary beverages and juice, watching less TV, and getting more exercise, which have much more impact than your choice of milk!

http://www.parenting.com/blogs/show-and-tell/sasha-emmons/skim-milk

http://healthyliving.msn.com/diseases/cholesterol/is-skim-milk-making-you-fat-1

http://pediatrics.about.com/od/milk/i/05_milk_2.htm

Packing Change: Why You'll Soon Be Missing Your Cardboard Egg Containers

In a few months, you may start to notice less recycled cardboard egg cartons from South Mountain Creamery and even grocery stores worldwide.

On May 1, 2013, a fire caused $13 million in damages to the egg carton manufacturer, Pactiv Advanced Packing Solutions, located in Georgia. The company is the world's largest producer of food service and food packaging. It has 55 plants worldwide, including 25 in North America, and more 12,000 employees.

SMC is working hard to find a new supplier of recycled cardboard egg cartons. Until then, we will be using egg cartons made of polystyrene. Polystyrene can be recycled into a number of different products, including egg cartons, license plate frames, foam utensils, packing peanuts, and thermal insulation. Check with recycling companies in your area to see if they recycle polystyrene products. If you are unable to recycle polystyrene, check out these alternative uses for your egg cartons:

Storage

·         Ornaments—Protect fragile objects such as glass figurines and holiday ornaments when moving or placing them in storage. To keep track of Christmas decorations, line the cups of an egg carton with cotton, foam, or tissue paper and use to store bulbs and ornaments.

·         Use an egg carton to store small change that doesn’t fit in your wallet. Separate the coins by numerical value so they are easy to sort, see, and reclaim.

·         Office—Use inside a drawer to hold paper clips, eraser stubs, rubber bands and push pins.

·         Egg cartons are great for holding small pieces of jewelry, spools of thread and sewing needles (weave them through the inside top cover for safety). If you’re traveling, hold the container together with a large rubber band so it won’t open in your suitcase.

·         Love to golf? Sort your extra balls, store, and stack neatly in egg cartons.

·         To help boots maintain their perfect upright form (especially during the spring and summer months), place an egg carton inside the opening of each.

Kids

·         Egg cartons are very useful for game and toy storage. Never lose (or step on) those doll shoes, game pieces, dice, and Legos again!

·         Store the egg cartons for later use as a children's art project. Have the kids cut out the individual egg-shaped bumps and turn them upside down, then decorate them as "egg people". Decorate the rectangular tops of the cartons as trays.

·         Create a neat finger-painting tray for your messy budding artists.

Crafts

·         Keep sewing notions, craft items, art supplies, well organized.

·         Compartmentalize beads of various sizes and colors. You can also use it to store pastels, charcoal and colored chalk.

·         A carton made of polystyrene works great as an artist’s palette, giving you the ability to separate shades of watercolor and acrylic paints. Detach the top and use it for mixing.

Packaging

·         Shipping material – If you plan to mail something fragile, simply cut up a few polystyrene egg cartons to make lightweight packing material to protect the contents. They are made of the same material as packing peanuts!

For more recycled projects, visit Earth911.