What Makes Ice Cream Taste So Good?
When you break ice cream down into its basic ingredients—sugar, milkfat, and flavorings—it doesn’t sound that appealing. But when all of these ingredients are combined, something magical happens. Those plain ingredients become an amazing and delicious treat enjoyed by millions of people across the world. But what, exactly, makes ice cream taste so delectable?
As Humans, We’re Attracted to Certain Types of Foods
Did you know that we as human beings are scientifically predisposed to choose certain foods due to their caloric content? Celery just never seems quite as appealing as a scoop of Besties Ice Cream, does it? Well, that’s because we are all drawn to choosing foods with the maximum amount of nutrients and calories. A food like celery doesn’t contain many calories to keep you full and healthy. Ice cream isn’t necessarily the healthiest, either (although there are many more options in the ice cream category of the supermarket today that are healthier than traditional alternatives), but it does have a bit more to it than a stick of celery!
When humans didn’t have food readily available at the grocery store, eating high-calorie foods and storing fat for times of famine was crucial. It might be hard to believe, but fatty, sweet, and nutrient-dense foods are what kept the human race alive and thriving for so long. That’s at least part of why ice cream tastes so incredibly delicious.
Ice Cream is Well-Balanced
Another part of why ice cream tastes so yummy is because it is well-balanced. As we already mentioned, the ingredients in ice cream wouldn’t taste so good all on their own. Fat in particular tastes boring and gross on its own, but without it, ice cream wouldn’t be near as good as it is!
Fats help food taste good because they help to carry flavor throughout any recipe. Ice cream flavors like vanilla and chocolate taste so good because the flavors added to the ice cream spread and dissolve so well due to the fat content. This is partly why many low-fat grocery items at the store don’t taste nearly as good as their full-fat counterparts.
Cold is Important
One final reason ice cream tastes so delicious is actually due to its temperature! Human taste buds function best at certain temperatures. If a food is too hot or too cold it can affect the flavors you can detect when eating. With modern ice cream that uses air as a main ingredient to keep the dessert so creamy, the temperature can be a bit higher. This means that ice cream ends up tasting more flavorful and hits your taste buds just right.
Ice cream is one of the most delectable desserts out there—there’s no doubt about that. The combination of ingredients, including fat that delivers perfect amounts of flavor, help in making the treat so good, and the perfect temperature seals the deal! If you’ve ever wondered how this universally-loved dessert can possibly taste so good, wonder no more—and go get yourself a scoop. You know you’ve been craving it as you read every word!