Overview
Love dessert? Not so good at sports? Keen on using the former to help the latter? Well, it could actually happen. In the kind of culinary development that oh-so-many dreams are made of, an Italian cardiologist has invented an ice cream he claims will improve your sporting ability.
So, who do you thank? Science, and Professor Valerio Sanguigni from the University of Rome Tor Vergata. He has crafted his own secret recipe for a gelato that has antioxidant properties. And, as anyone that has ever seen an ad for skin care products or trendy supermarket health foods knows, they're so good for you that television commercials won't stop shouting their praises.
Sanguigni's three types of ice cream draw upon his own research into the area — into antioxidants, not ways to justify eating more frozen sweet treats (that's just an added bonus, though he is apparently a lifelong enthusiast). In tests, he gave chocolate, hazelnut and green tea-flavoured gelato to groups of volunteers, and then noticed that they subsequently pedalled faster on an exercise bike than those who ate ordinary ice cream. In short, their vascular function and physical performance improved.
No word yet as to what Sanguigni's plans are for his sports-boosting dessert, though it sounds like the type of thing he'd want to start selling quick smart. So, just think: if you've ever wanted to be a little more active — and actually be good at shooting hoops, hitting balls or whatever other sport takes your fancy — gelato might help. With a Korean convenience store also selling ice cream as a hangover cure, it seems that your favourite chilled confectionery just might be the sweetest and tastiest super food of them all.
Via Munchies.