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Ice cream has long been portrayed as the ultimate indulgence. Cold, sweet, and often blamed for everything from weight gain to poor health. But it turns out, there may be more to this treat than anyone would’ve guessed.

While it may sound counterintuitive, research has uncovered links between dairy, metabolism, and insulin response that could have some unexpected benefits for the body. So, you might have a reason to reach for that extra scoop!

Several studies have found that people who eat ice cream sometimes experience a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

It doesn’t make much sense, even to scientists. Ice cream is a sugary, calorie-filled treat, so who would ever think that it could be beneficial for your health? Well, multiple large dairy intake studies have revealed one surprising result: some people who reported eating more ice cream seemed to have a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

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A long-running cohort study on heart disease risk factors from the early 2000s was among the first indications that there might be more to dairy. The researchers found that dairy foods in general were associated with a lower risk of insulin resistance syndrome among overweight participants. This condition is often a precursor to diabetes, where body cells don’t respond effectively to insulin, leading to high blood sugar.

However, another major detail also stood out, one that the researchers simply couldn’t deny. The category of “dairy-based desserts,” mostly meaning ice cream, was associated with significantly reduced odds of developing insulin resistance syndrome. This effect was observed to be 2.5 times greater with ice cream than with regular milk.

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This dairy phenomenon showed up again in another study, yielding a similar result.

The Health Professionals Follow-up Study, conducted in 2005, followed more than 41,000 U.S. men. While low-fat dairy was emphasized as being the most beneficial, the results still showed that men who consumed ice cream two or more times per week had a much lower relative risk of type 2 diabetes compared to those who ate it less than once a month.

When researchers later combined data from multiple major cohorts and studies, yogurt also appeared to align with these findings. One meta-analysis claimed that eating yogurt daily was associated with an 18% lower risk of type 2 diabetes. The fermented dairy and probiotics in yogurt are known for their gut health and metabolism benefits, and it’s widely considered to be healthier than ice cream.

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Scientists have a few theories to explain the ‘ice cream effect.’

As the results of these studies have contradicted all of our prior knowledge about this dairy treat, scientists have thoroughly analyzed and tested the data to try to figure out what’s really happening. Though they couldn’t reach any firm conclusion, they settled on a few possible explanations for why this phenomenon occurred in the study participants.

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Reverse causation is the leading theory. People who develop symptoms of metabolic issues are often encouraged to cut out junk foods like ice cream, while healthy individuals don’t see any reason to restrict their intake. In this case, eating ice cream more often wouldn’t prevent diabetes; it would simply mean that those with early signs of diabetes tend to eat it less often anyway.

Reporting bias may also play a role. Often, studies like these rely on food-frequency questionnaires, which have the possibility for human error. Participants may underreport foods they consider “bad” because of diet stigma and embarrassment. This would make it difficult to get accurate and inclusive data.

Ice cream should definitely not be considered a health food based on these findings alone, but it does suggest that there is more research to be done to understand the whole picture. That being said, having a bowl of ice cream now and then probably wouldn’t hurt. It’s for your well-being, after all.

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Kayla Asbach is a writer currently working on her bachelor’s degree at the University of Central Florida. She covers relationships, psychology, self-help, pop culture, and human interest topics.