Gelato vs Ice Cream vs Sorbet: Who's who?

Photo courtesy of Tumblr user bluenothings

Dilemma: Your friend insists that sorbet is healthier than gelato AND ice cream due to its fat content. It seems to make sense, but then again, a nagging feeling tells you that sorbets can be loaded with a ton of sugar -how can that possibly be healthy? Truth is: It really depends on the composition of the ingredients used (eg. Cream, flavourings, toppings, etc). Your friend does have some truth in what he's saying. However, the term 'healthy' is incredibly vague, hinging not just on fat content, but also sugar level and calories. The Skinny: We break it down for you.

Fat not Fab

The fat content can vary due to factors such as artificial syrup flavourings, cream composition and toppings (Chocolate sauce? Guilty as charged.). Ice cream typically has a fat content of 14-25%, while gelato ranges from 5-9%. You'll be glad to know that sorbet is naturally fat free due to its fruit and water content. Did you know: Singapore does have its fair share of ice cream below 10% fat. You can find more about these places here

Sugar (and no spice)

Comparing a 3.5oz cup of vanilla gelato and ice cream: the gelato contains around 12g of sugar while ice cream can contain 15g of sugar (or more) per cup. Interestingly, sorbets can contain up to 25g of sugar per 3.5oz! This is so because more sugar is required to counter the tartness of citrus fruit commonly used in sorbets. Did you know: Sugar actually prevents ice cream from freezing solid and the sugar content in one cup of ice cream is around 4 teaspoons of sugar. Talk about sugar rush!

Calorie Police

A typical, small cup of vanilla gelato (3.5oz) has approximately 130 calories while a similar 3.5oz cup of vanilla ice cream can go up to over 200 calories. Sorbet however, has the most disputable calorie count, with a range of 90-160 calories depending on the sugar content! Did you know: Yes, this means that a small cup of vanilla ice cream is equivalent to the calories in a 590ml bottle of coke while sorbet has the calorie equivalent of a medium sized banana. Label-lingo: What do these claims really mean?

More often than not, we are overwhelmed by products proclaiming to be 'low-fat', 'light' or 'reduced calories'. We are also swamped by confusing numbers and percentages. Do you really know what these mean?

Low fat

This means that the product has 3g or less of fat. (Yes, there actually is a fixed number for this!)

Reduced calories/fat

This means that your food has 25% calories less than its regular version. Yikes, not necessarily a healthier option.

Light

Light can mean that it contains less fat or less calories, some may also mean a “lighter-taste” (less sweet/salty). Deceptive? At least now you know!

Percent Daily Values (%DV)

Percentages are based on a 2,000 calorie per day diet (females need around 2000 while males need 2500). You can use the %DV as a guide: If the label lists 15% for Vitamin C, it means that this food provides 15% of your recommended daily Vitamin C intake. Tip: Products which lists nutrients as 5% or less are considered low in that nutrient, while those 20% and above are high!

Sodium/Cholesterol-Free

Sorry, folks. Sodium/cholesterol free doesn't actually mean that it is absent from the product. It instead means that the sodium content is 5mg or less, or the cholesterol content is below 2mg. The Verdict? You can never totally count on hearsay for deciding what's best for you...However, as a general rule of thumb, sorbets have the least calories, followed by gelato. However, if you're watching your sugar intake, do read the nutrition label carefully as it can vary from brand to brand. Nutrition label taken from nutrientscience.com Want more? Check out other health related articles: – Snack Without Getting Fat – Guilt-Free Frozen Desserts In Singapore – Top 10 Vegetarian Places In Singapore – What Your Salad Artists Aren't Telling You See Also: Find more Ice cream places here Enjoy delectable desserts here