What’s the difference between gelato and ice cream?

How to Make the Most of Your Ice Cream and Gelato Enjoyment

As the weather gets warmer, it’s the perfect time for ice cream or a gelato. Who am I kidding? It’s the perfect time year round.

How are they similar?

Ice cream and gelato are both sweet desserts served cold. They both contain varying amounts of cream, milk, sugar, flavors, and sometimes eggs.

The fat component from the cream provides the richness, smoothness, and body. Eggs are normally associated with gelato but can also be added to ice cream to enhance the richness.

Most commercial ice creams and gelato also contain emulsifiers. These are food additives that act as a stabilizer by preventing liquids that normally don’t mix from separating. Emulsifiers have been linked to numerous gut symptoms. However, most of the evidence comes from laboratory and animal studies, and there is limited robust evidence of this in humans.

How are they different?

It’s about the air

The speed at which the mixture is churned can determine the amount of air it contains. This impacts the product’s thickness and smoothness.

Ice cream is traditionally churned faster than gelato. This means more air is incorporated, making it feel fluffy and creamy compared to gelato, which tends to feel thicker and richer.

It’s about the ice

Churning at a slower speed, as you would typically for gelato, also increases the size of ice crystals. Large ice crystals give a coarse, icy texture, compared to a creamier texture from smaller ice crystals in ice cream.

How about the fat?

Although many websites say ice cream contains more fat than gelato, this is a tricky one to tease out.

In Australia, food standards say ice cream should contain at least 100g milk fat per kilogram (or 10% milk fat).

So how much milk fat does gelato need to contain? I can’t find any legal requirements in Australia or elsewhere. Cooking websites often refer to it having 4-9% milk fat. But depending on the recipe, it could be higher.

Fat content also differs from flavor to flavor. For example, if you compare the nutritional content of half a cup of vanilla ice cream with half a cup of vanilla gelato, the ice cream has 2g more fat. Other flavors will give different results.

Overall, which one’s healthier?

Effectively there is little difference nutritionally between ice cream and gelato.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is the main difference between ice cream and gelato?
A: The main difference is the air content and the churning process.

Q: Is ice cream healthier than gelato?
A: Not necessarily. Both contain added sugar and have low levels of nutrients.

Q: Can I make my own ice cream or gelato at home?
A: Yes, you can make your own ice cream and gelato at home using various recipes and equipment.

Q: Are there any health concerns with consuming ice cream and gelato?
A: Yes, there are health concerns with consuming large amounts of added sugar and high-calorie ice cream and gelato.