Health Tip: The Scoop on Ice Cream

(HealthDayNews) -- Kids love ice cream. But is a serving of the frozen treat a healthy dessert choice?

Here's the nutritional scoop, courtesy of the Texas Medical Center:

• One cup of most frozen dairy desserts contains at least 20 percent of the daily recommended amount of calcium.
• Regular ice cream has approximately 16 grams to 18 grams of fat per cup.
• The "lite" varieties have about half that amount. Low-fat ice cream has about 6 grams of fat per cup, and fat-free ice cream and frozen yogurt have no more than 4 grams of fat per cup.
• Sorbets are fat-free and sherbets contain a small amount of fat. They can be high in sugar, but may also provide vitamin C.

Because fat contains essential fatty acids needed for proper growth and development, it's recommended you don't restrict the fat intake of children under age 2. If your child is older than 2 years, serve low-fat and fat-free dairy treats. This can help keep your child's dietary fat intake at the recommended 30 percent of total daily calories.

- - Felicity Stone