10 Delicious Facts About Ice Cream

1. Many have tried to trace the true inventor of ice cream, but in vain. Theories range from Emperor Nero (it is said his 'ice cream' was created by chance by mixing snow with nectar, fruits, and honey) to Marco Polo, who is often credited with bringing ice cream from the Far East to Europe. 

2. One of the most significant ingredients in ice cream is... air. Yes, you heard right. Air helps keep ice cream soft, and without it, the ice cream would become as hard as a rock. 

3. The most popular topping among ice cream lovers worldwide is chocolate syrup, followed by maple syrup and finally other flavors. 

4. What are some of the strangest ice cream flavors out there? You won’t believe it: avocado, jalapeño, garlic, bean, pumpkin, fish, curry, corn, pickles (!) and even breast milk ice cream (sold in London).

5. Vanilla ice cream is made from vanilla beans, 80% of which are imported from Madagascar.

6. The ranking of the most loved flavors worldwide is as follows: in first place is vanilla, second is chocolate, third is strawberry, and fourth is chocolate chip. 

7. Rumor has it that the original waffle cone was invented by a New York ice cream vendor in 1896. Before then, ice cream was served in glass and paper cups. 

8. According to various tests, about 14% of men and 7% of women admit that they can’t resist and lick the remaining ice cream from the container until it’s gone. 

9. A study published in the prestigious American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that milkshakes made from chocolate ice cream are highly effective in releasing dopamine, a hormone responsible, among other things, for our enjoyment. 

10. According to research conducted by Dun & Bradstreet, the highest ice cream consumption globally is by the average American, who consumes 20 liters of ice cream annually, followed by Europeans with a consumption of 15 liters a year, and we, Israelis, consume about eight liters annually.