With the arrival of summer, it becomes increasingly easy to succumb to the temptation of a ice cream, not only because it’s a refreshing option, but for its delicious flavor and those undeniable memories that make you feel like you’re on vacation. However, choosing which is the best option to treat yourself from time to time becomes harder once you start taking an interest in the world of fitness and nutrition, because even in summer many people want to stay in shape. Moreover, given that these can be found anywhere, the situation doesn’t improve. But don’t worry, taking care of yourself doesn’t mean you have to stop eating them.
To make things a little easier, trainer Miki López has carried out an analysis via his social networks of Mercadona’s ice creams to reveal which ones are the best and worst you can buy. And beware, because he has made clear his opinion on one of today’s crowd favorites: “The pistachio one is delicious, but nutritionally it isn’t the best option.”
The Worst Ice Creams You Can Choose
The trainer has crafted a rank from one to ten (with 1 being the best option and 10 the worst) to help us choose wisely. Although the pistachio ice cream is one of Mercadona’s flagship products for its flavor, Miki López places it in an intermediate position: he gives it a 6. Although it stands out for its taste, it isn’t the option to pick if you’re looking for something lighter. That said, it isn’t among the worst either, since at the bottom of the ranking the expert places tubs and classic vanilla cream varieties.
- Rank 10: Choco Cookies tub. It takes the worst score on the list. The expert is blunt: it is “one of the most caloric and sugary items on the shelf.”
- Rank 9: Cookie Dog tub. Be careful about eating straight from the tub thinking you can control when to stop. According to Miki, it’s “very easy to overdo it” and, almost without realizing it, you end up consuming more calories than you think.
- Rank 8: Creamy Sandwich (Súper sándwich de nata). A classic that ends up poorly rated. For the trainer, its profile is “fatal, too many calories for a single ice cream.”
- Rank 7: Classic cream sandwich. Slightly better than the “super” format, but without standing out much either way. “It doesn’t stand out for better or worse,” he asserts.
The Intermediate Options
In the middle of the list we find the intermediate options, those ice creams that aren’t the best but work perfectly well to satisfy a craving from time to time. At this point, coach Miki López issues a very important warning: a ice cream bearing the label “sugar-free” doesn’t mean it won’t contribute to weight gain.
A clear example is the mini almond with no added sugar, which sits at rank five; the expert reminds us not to let our guard down because, although it has less sugar, “it’s still quite caloric.” On the other hand, at rank four sits the mini cream cone, which proves to be a much more controlled option thanks to its small size, becoming, in his own words, “a good option if you just want to treat yourself.”
The Top 3: Mercadona’s Best Ice Creams
If your goal is, in Miki’s own words, “to lose fat without giving up ice creams”, these are the three options you should put in your cart:
Rank 3: Chocolate Polo
Surprisingly, chocolate isn’t off-limits. The trainer considers it “a fairly acceptable option” to curb those sweet cravings without remorse.
Rank 2: Mini cone with no added sugar
If you’re a fan of the classic cones, this is your salvation. Miki López crowns it as “one of the best options if you’re looking for something lighter”. Like the previous, it stands out for its size, but this one is even better because it contains no sugar.
Rank 1: Mango Polo
This is the best of all Mercadona ice creams according to the expert. It crowns the very top of the ranking for two simple reasons: it provides “few calories and is perfect for refreshing you.” It is the undisputed winner for enjoying the summer in a healthy way.
