I was going to do a little table showing a comparison of ice cream, gelato, frozen yoghurt, sorbet, sherbet, and frozen custard. I thought that it would be fairly straight forward. After all, gelato is supposedly healthier than ice cream, frozen yoghurt should have fewer calories but more sugar, and frozen custard should be off the charts. Not so much. There is way too much variation among each type of frozen dessert that I’ve abandoned my original plan. Some brands of gelato contain cream (although the purported reason that it’s healthier than ice cream is because it’s made with milk rather than cream) and many types of ice cream are made with “modified milk ingredients” rather than cream. The world of frozen desserts is complex and confusing. If you’re buying yours in the grocery store, take the time to check the ingredients and the nutrition info panel. Always try to buy things with as few ingredients as possible. You’re probably going to have to choose between fat and sugar or enjoyment, as if it’s high in one, it’s likely low in the other and if it’s low in both it’s probably not all that tasty. If you’re buying it as a single serving from a corner store, ice cream stand, gelateria, where ever nutrition information is not available, keep in mind that even if you get the small, you’re probably getting at least two servings worth. If you can, opt for the kiddie cone. I know how good the waffle cone is. I’m not going to lie to you, I always go for the waffle cone; bear in mind that I don’t go for ice cream all that often. A waffle cone is about 160 kcal, just for the cone! A sugar cone is about 50 kcal, and a regular ice cream cone is only about 20 kcal. If you want to cut even more calories, go for a scoop in an inedible bowl. Don’t let all these concerns take the fun out of it. Enjoy that frozen treat!
Jul 17, 2012 at 10:56 am
I’ll take one scoop of each, please :)
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