It's 8 p.m., and you're staring at the 10,000 cartons of frozen deliciousness in the freezer aisle of your grocery store wondering: what's better—gelato or ice cream?
Pints of the stuff seem close to identical on the outside—but what about the inside? Here's the scoop (sorry, had to) about the difference between these two desserts.
Wait...what is gelato?
Gelato is basically the Italian counterpart to ice cream. It's a frozen dairy dessert made from a base of milk, cream, and sugar that has been enjoyed in Italy since the Renaissance, according to Italy Magazine.
It's popularity is on the rise here in the U.S., with 43 percent of people buying gelato in 2016 (compared to 39 percent in 2015), according to data from Mintel.
How is gelato different from ice cream?
Basically, gelato is pretty similar to ice cream—it's got mostly the same ingredients, just with different proportions, says Natalie Rizzo, R.D.
“[Gelato] has a bit more milk than cream, whereas ice cream usually contains more cream. That means the ice cream will have more fat than gelato, typically 10 percent compared to 5 to 7 percent in gelato,” she says.
Ice cream also generally contains egg yolks, while gelato rarely contains any, according to NPR. That lack of cream and egg yolks explains why gelato has slightly less saturated fat.
Another key difference: the texture. Gelato is generally creamier, denser, and richer-tasting than regular ice cream. That's down to how it's made, says Rizzo. “Gelato is churned at a slower speed than ice cream, so it has less air in the mixture than ice cream,” she says. The air whipped into the ice cream makes it soft and fluffy, unlike your smooth, creamy gelato.
However, to compensate for the lack of fat, some gelatos might use more sugar in order to ensure that the texture is still creamy (and free of ice crystals), reports NPR.
What's better for you: gelato or ice cream?
They're pretty similar, all things considered—it’s more about preference.
“I wouldn’t say one is ‘better for you’ than the other. Both are definitely desserts with plenty of sugar and fat and should be eaten in moderation,” says Rizzo.
However, she notes that ice cream generally has more calories and fat than gelato (blame all that cream).
Case in point: Here's what you'd get in a 1/2 cup of strawberry Talenti gelato:
- Calories: 170
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated fat: 4 g
- Carbohydrates: 26 g
- Fiber: less than 1 g
- Sugar: 26 g
- Protein: 3 g
Compare that with what's in a half-cup of strawberry Haagen Daz:
- Calories: 240
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated fat: 9 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Sugar: 20 g
- Protein: 4 g
Every brand is different, though, and the nutritional values and ingredients will vary across brands and flavors. Your best bet is to read labels before purchasing.
If you’re not concerned about calories or fat, go with taste—since both are nutritionally very similar. “I just like gelato better because I find it to be a bit creamier,” says Rizzo.
“However, neither is better or worse for you. Eat what you like, but keep it an every-once-in-a-while treat. Don’t deprive yourself of ever having it, but don’t eat it every day either,” she says. (Unless maybe you move to Italy...)
Isadora Baum is a freelance writer, certified health coach, and author of 5-Minute Energy. She can't resist a good sample, a margarita, a new HIIT class, or an easy laugh. Learn more about her on her website: isadorabaum.com.
