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frozen desserts

What’s the Difference Between Ice Cream and Gelato?

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Difference Between Ice Cream and Gelato

They are both cold and delicious.  There are an astounding number of flavors of each with varying degrees of fat, calorie, sugar, and dairy content – along with fruit, candy, and cookie add-ins, depending on the flavor.  And the sad truth is that no matter how innovative food scientists and savvy marketers have become, a three-scoop sundae with hot fudge, whipped cream, and/or other assorted toppings still isn’t going to rank at the top of the health-o-meter or the bottom of the calorie counter.

What is Ice Cream and What is Gelato?

In the US, the government regulates what can be called ice cream, but in some other countries ice cream can mean all frozen desserts.

  • Ice cream and gelato are usually dairy-based but differ in texture, fat and air content, and ingredients. Because gelato is made and stored at a higher temperature than ice cream, it’s softer, smoother, and quicker to melt.
  • Both ice cream and gelato are usually made from sugar, milk, eggs, and flavorings — although gelato is often made from fresh fruit. Gelato has less butterfat than ice cream, usually about 4 to 8% compared to ice cream’s 10 to 20%.
  • Gelato has a higher sugar content than ice cream, and the sugar/water combination acts like anti-freeze, preventing the gelato from freezing solid. Most US commercial ice creams are frozen in an assembly line freezing process while gelato is frozen very quickly in small batches.
  • Both ice cream and gelato are churned during the freezing process, which allows air to be incorporated. Most commercial ice cream contains about 50% air while gelato contains much less, generally 20-35%, which produces a denser product with more intense flavor.
  • Ice cream is sold by weight, not by size, so a pint of cheaper ice cream — which is fluffed up with more air than premium or artisanal ice creams — will feel lighter than the better brands which are pumped up with just enough air to make the ice cream nice and smooth.  Compare pints of different levels of quality when they’re fresh out of the freezer.  Which one is heavier in your hand?  Not surprisingly, the premium brands, which generally feel heavier, will also be higher in calories, probably have more intense flavor, and be higher in price.
  • Ice cream, with its higher fat content, can be stored frozen for months. High-quality artisan gelato, when stored carefully at consistent, low temperatures, only keeps its peak flavor and smooth texture for several days.

How Much Butterfat?

According to US federal standards, a frozen dessert must have a minimum of 10% milk fat to be called ice cream.  Economy brands usually have the least amount of fat and super premium brands have more.  Milk fat content of less than 10% makes the product ice milk or light ice cream.

  • Premium ice cream has between 11% and 15% butterfat, which makes it richer, denser, higher in calories.
  • Regular ice cream – what you usually find in the larger containers in the market — is somewhat less dense and contains 10% to 11% butterfat (perfect for milkshakes).
  • Economy ice cream, by law, has 10% butterfat.
  • Light ice cream has either 50% less fat or 33% fewer calories than the producer’s regular ice cream. Here’s the hitch: because of the higher starting point for fat content especially in premium brands, light versions of premium ice cream can have more fat and calories than the regular version of other brands.
  • Reduced fat ice cream must, by law, have 25% less fat than the regular ice cream produced by the same vendor.
  • Soft serve ice cream is the same as regular ice cream but is served at a higher temperature.
  • French Style Ice Cream also called glace, has a custard base that includes eggs, which makes it silky and rich.
  • Gelato (plural, gelati) has more milk than cream (if any) so its fat content is significantly lower. It doesn’t saturate your taste buds as much as ice cream so the flavor seems more intense. It’s often flavored with fresh fruit, nuts, chocolate, and other natural flavors. Gelato is served at a higher temperature than ice cream making it look more like frozen yogurt or whipped cream than ice cream.

How Many Calories?

There’s a huge variation in nutrition so it’s best to check labels if you’re counting calories, fats, and/or carbs. These are the general caloric ranges for “naked” ice cream and gelato (without sauce, toppings, nuts, and whipped cream):

  • 5 ounces of milk-based gelato has between 120 and 160 calories, 4g to 8g of fat, and 30 g to 45g of carbs; milk and soy-based gelato has between 3g and 5g of protein
  • 5 ounces of American ice cream (not churned, light, or reduced fat) averages 240 calories, 15 grams of fat, and 24g carbs
  • 5 ounces of light ice cream can vary between 100 to close to 200 calories depending upon whether it is just light or if it is slow churned light.  The flavor and the add-ins can significantly raise the calorie count.

Tip:  Order a small serving of ice cream or gelato instead of a medium or large. You’ll probably be just as satisfied.  Even if you indulge in your favorite full-fat flavor, you’ll save as many as 550 calories with a 5-ounce size of ice cream instead of a 12-ounce size.

Is Frozen Yogurt Healthy?

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via TCBY
via TCBY

Is frozen yogurt actually healthy or are you being hoodwinked by “yogurt” in the name?

What’s In Frozen Yogurt?

Milk and milk by-products are the main ingredients in frozen yogurt.

Frozen yogurt companies have their own recipes, but most common frozen yogurts contain yogurt cultures, sweetener, corn syrup, milk solids, gelatin, flavoring, and coloring.

Sugar makes up 15-17% of frozen yogurt and adds flavor, body, and thickness. If you’re thinking healthy bacteria and frozen yogurt, you need to check the brand. Frozen yogurt isn’t regulated by the Food and Drug Administration — although it is by some states — and it may or may not contain live bacterial cultures.

Frozen yogurt is lower in fat than most ice creams because it’s made with milk instead of cream. Most of the nonfat “original” or “plain” flavors are usually the lowest in calories at about 30-35 calories per ounce with about 20g of sugar.

Frozen yogurt, which comes in a multitude of flavors, wears a healthy food “halo” but doesn’t always warrant one. Some brands and flavors are “healthier” than others — depending on the company’s recipe and the quality and quantity of ingredients which produce a product with varying levels of sweetness/tartness, fat content, consistency, and flavor. Of course, it’s up to you to gauge the “healthiness” of what and how much you add on top of your soft swirl!

Some Frozen Yogurt History

Frozen yogurt is relatively new – certainly compared to other frozen desserts. There is a tale, perhaps a myth, of Roman Emperor Nero (AD 54–68) sending his slaves into the mountains to get snow to mix with nectar, fruit pulp, and honey. Frozen yogurt, as we know it, was invented in Massachusetts in 1970 when a Hood dairy employee put regular yogurt through a soft-serve ice cream machine. The first “frogurt” cone was served by a Harvard Square store on February 3, 1971.

During the health craze of the 1980’s frozen yogurt went mainstream and then sort of fizzled. Its popularity rebounded when self-serve stores began allowing customers to control their portion size, mix and match flavors, pick from dozens of toppings, and pay by weight.

Calorie Tips

  • Despite variation in recipes, frozen yogurts are fairly comparable when calories are compared. For instance, a half cup serving of Pinkberry has 116 calories, 0g fat and 20g of sugar; TCBY’s 98% fat free vanilla has 120 calories, 2g fat, and 17g of sugar; and Ben & Jerry’s vanilla frozen yogurt has 130 calories, 1.5g fat, and 16g of sugar.
  • If you have a choice, choose soft serve rather than hard serve. Soft serve has air whipped into it making lighter in weight and lower in calories.
  • Pick the smallest cup. When you start with a smaller cup rather than a large one, you’re already ahead of the game. Despite the fact that you swear you won’t fill up a large cup, you almost always do.
  • Try putting the self-serve yogurt on top, not under, the toppings. Make space-filling low calorie fruit like berries or fresh pineapple your first layer. Then add things with crunch and volume, like cereal. Follow with the yogurt, then perhaps a teaspoon of candy crunch on top. Starting with yogurt often means putting a lot of yogurt in the cup followed by a lot of toppings. Layering low calorie volume food on the bottom can save you a lot of calories.
  • Try not to mix flavors. Swirling a couple sounds like fun, but taste buds are funny. When you pick just one flavor and topping your taste buds are happy and you probably end up feeling more satisfied than if you have a variety of flavors.

Calories in Frozen Yogurt

One cup of low fat frozen yogurt runs about 210 calories. More specifically, for a one cup serving of different varieties of generic frozen yogurt:

  • Frozen yogurt: Calories: 214; Fat: 2.94g; Carbs: 39.24g; Protein: 9.40g
  • Nonfat frozen yogurt: Calories: 164; Fat: 0.65g; Carbs: 34.84g; Protein: 5.96g
  • Low fat frozen yogurt: Calories: 214; Fat: 2.94g; Carbs: 39.24g; Protein: 9.40g
  • Chocolate frozen yogurt (soft serve): Calories: 230 | Fat: 8.64 | Carbs: 35.86g; Protein: 5.76g
  • Vanilla frozen yogurt (soft serve): Calories: 234; Fat: 8.06g; Carbs: 34.84g; Protein: 5.76g
  • Frozen yogurt (non-chocolate flavors): Calories: 210; Fat: 2.70g; Carbs: 38.24g; Protein: 9.14g
  • Chocolate frozen yogurt (not soft serve): Calories: 226; Fat: 3.90g; Carbs: 43.22g;Protein: 10.48g
  • Frozen flavored yogurt (non-chocolate, not self serve): Calories: 221; Fat: 6.26g; Carbs: 37.58g; Protein: 5.22g
  • Nonfat chocolate frozen yogurt: Calories: 172; Fat: 1.32g; Carbs: 35.19g; Protein: 8.95g

Some Frozen Yogurt Toppings

It’s easy to convince yourself that you’re really doing well (and you might be) by eating frozen yogurt instead of ice cream. But, some toppings can turn frozen yogurt into a caloric nightmare – especially when you keep piling them on.

Here are the calorie counts are for one ounce of various toppings:

Fruit (fresh and not):

  • Strawberries: 9 calories
  • Blueberries: 16 calories
  • Blackberries: 12 calories
  • Rasberries: 15 calories
  • Pineapple: 17 calories
  • Mango: 17 calories
  • Grated sweetened coconut: 131 calories

Nuts:

  • Slivered almonds: 170 calories
  • Chopped peanuts: 166 calories
  • Chopped walnuts: 184 calories

Cereals:

  • Cap’n Crunch: 114 calories
  • Cinnamon Toast Crunch: 123 calories
  • Froot Loops: 97 calories
  • Granola: 138 calories

Cookies/Pretzels/Candy:

  • Oreo topping: 112 calories
  • Pretzels covered in chocolate swirl: 130 calories
  • Milk chocolate M&Ms: 146 calories (1/4 cup has 210 calories)
  • Gummi bears: 90 calories (14 pieces have 120 calories)
  • Nestle crunch bar topping: 37 calories
  • Heath bar, crumbled: 170 calories
  • Chocolate sprinkles: 25 calories
  • Rainbow sprinkles: 30 calories

Everything You Want To Know About Popsicles

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The Popsicle And Serendipity

By accident, on a cold night in San Francisco in 1905, an 11 year old left a powdered soda drink on the porch with a stirring stick still in it. The next morning there was this amazing frozen sweet stuff on a stick.  Years later, Frank W. Epperson, the lucky kid, applied for a patent for his discovery.  He initially called the treats Epsicles but his children called them Pop’s ’sicles.

Popsicle Trivia

  • The #1  Popsicle ice pop flavor is cherry.
  • Twin popsicles were made during the Depression so two kids could each have one for a nickel.
  • Popsicles were chosen as a symbol of American life by the Eighth Air Force Unit during world War II.
  • The Popsicle was patented in 1923 and two billion of them are sold each year.
  • Although there are many varieties, single popsicles like those found in the box in the photo have 45 calories, 11g carbs (8g sugars), no sodium, no fat, and no protein.

How About Some Popsicle Trivia?

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The Popsicle And Serendipity

By accident, on a cold night in San Francisco in 1905, an 11 year old left a powdered soda drink on the porch with a stirring stick still in it. The next morning there was this amazing frozen sweet stuff on a stick.  Years later, Frank W. Epperson, the lucky kid, applied for a patent for his discovery.  He initially called the treats Epsicles but his children called them Pop’s ’sicles.

Popsicle Trivia

  • The #1  Popsicle ice pop flavor is cherry.
  • Twin popsicles were made during the Depression so two kids could each have one for a nickel.
  • Popsicles were chosen as a symbol of American life by the Eighth Air Force Unit during world War II.
  • The Popsicle was patented in 1923 and two billion of them are sold each year.
  • Although there are many varieties, single popsicles like those found in the box in the photo have 45 calories, 11g carbs (8g sugars), no sodium, no fat, and no protein.

Ice Cream, Gelato, Sorbet, Sherbet, Or Granita?

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Amazingly, after a brutal winter and an almost non-existent spring, Memorial Day weekend, the unofficial start of summer has come and gone and what is more summer than strolling down the street, ice cream (or gelato or frozen yogurt) cone in hand?.

The cold deliciousness of frozen desserts are hard to beat.  The choices abound – although eating a three scoop sundae with hot fudge, whipped cream, and other assorted toppings doesn’t rank at the top of the health-o-meter.

But, why not fit in the occasional indulgence?  With all of the options there are healthier, yet still delicious, choices to be had.  If on occasion you go for broke and set your sights on that sundae, just plan ahead to fit it in – and maybe go for two scoops instead of three — and hold the whipped cream.

The Difference Between Ice Cream And Gelato; Sorbet and Sherbet

Ice cream means different things in different countries. In the US, the government regulates what can be called ice cream but in some other countries ice cream can mean all frozen desserts.

Ice cream and gelato are usually dairy based.  The main differences are in texture, fat and air content, and ingredients. Gelato is made and stored at a higher temperature than ice cream, making it softer, smoother, and quick to melt. Both are usually made from sugar, milk, eggs, and flavorings although gelato is often made from fresh fruit. Gelato has less butterfat than ice cream, usually about 4 to 8% compared to ice cream’s 10 to 20%.

Gelato has a higher sugar content. The sugar/water combination acts like anti-freeze and prevents it from freezing solid. Most US commercial ice creams are frozen in an assembly line freezing process while gelato is frozen very quickly in small batches.

Both are churned during the freezing process which incorporates air. Most commercial ice cream contains about 50% air while gelato contains much less, generally 20-35% which produces a denser product with more intense flavor.

Ice cream, with its higher fat content, can be stored, frozen, for months while high-quality artisan gelato when stored carefully at consistent, low temperatures, only keeps its peak flavor and smooth texture for several days.

 

What’s In Them

According to federal standards, to be called ice cream, a frozen dessert must have a minimum of 10% milk fat: economy brands usually have the least and super premium brands have more.   Less than 10% makes it ice milk or light ice cream.

  • Premium ice cream has between 11% and 15% butterfat which makes it richer, denser, higher in calories, and often comes in gourmet flavors.
  • Regular ice cream – what you usually find in larger containers in the market — is somewhat less dense and contains 10% to 11% butterfat (perfect for milkshakes).
  • Economy ice cream, by law, has 10% butterfat.
  • Light ice cream has either 50% less fat or 33% fewer calories than the producer’s regular ice cream. Here’s the hitch: because of the starting point of fat content, light versions of premium ice cream can have more fat and calories than the regular version of other brands.
  • Reduced fat ice cream must, by law, have 25% less fat than the regular ice cream produced by the same vendor.
  • Soft serve ice cream is the same as regular ice cream but is served at a higher temperature.
  • French Style Ice Cream also called glace, has a custard base that includes eggs which makes it silky and rich.
  • Gelato (plural, gelati) has more milk than cream (if any) so its fat content is significantly lower. It doesn’t saturate your taste buds as much as ice cream so the flavor seems more intense. It is often flavored with fresh fruit, nuts, chocolate, and other natural flavors. Gelato is served at a higher temperature than ice cream — it usually looks more like frozen yogurt or whipped cream than ice cream.
  • Sorbet, which means water ice, is made from fruit, wine, or liqueur, but not milk, sometimes flavored with herbs and spices, and then whipped to lighten its texture. It is sometimes called, or used as, a palate cleanser.

  • Sherbet, like sorbet, is traditionally fruit flavored but with milk added for creaminess. By law it contains between 1 and 2% butterfat — which makes it lighter in flavor and texture.

  • Granita is similar to sorbet but not whipped. Ice crystals give it a granular appearance and crunchy texture.

 

Nutritional Information

In general:

  • 3.5 oz of milk based gelato has between 120 and 160 calories, 4 g to 8 g of fat, and 30 g to 45 g of carbs
  • Milk and soy based gelato has between 3 g and 5 g of protein and sorbet, with no dairy, has no protein
  • A 3.5 oz serving of American ice cream averages 240 calories, 15 grams of fat, and 24 g carbs
  • These numbers are for naked ice cream and gelato – without sauce, toppings, nuts, and whipped cream.

Originally published in the May 2011 newsletter:   Eat Out, Eat Well.