With the summers arriving in less than a few months, everyone has been searching for gelato to stay cool and fulfill the sweet cravings. However, real gelato is only found in Italy, so what will you eat during the summers? To help you out, we are sharing the gelato alternatives!
Gelato – What Is It?
Gelato is basically a frozen dessert known for its Italian origin. The real gelato has 6% to 10% butterfat and tends to have around 70% lesser air and higher flavoring content as compared to other frozen desserts. For this reason, it has extreme richness and density which is why it’s different from other ice creams that we usually eat. Traditionally, gelato is available in vanilla, cream, almond, hazelnut, pistachio, and chocolate flavor. However, some new flavors include strawberry, lemon, pineapple, raspberry, and apple. Now, let’s check out some amazing alternatives if you cannot go to Italy for this delicious treat!
Gelato Alternatives
1. Sorbet
Sorbet is the first and your best bet to enjoy the richness of gelato. Sorbet is made from puree and it’s actually the whipped puree to deliver the richness that you are craving. This is a perfect solution for people who don’t like dairy because it has a dairy-free formulation and has lower calories (what can be better than this?). There are zero saturated fats, making it one of the healthiest desserts out there. However, it tends to have a higher sugar content, which is something you need to look out for.
2. Sherbet
If you don’t like the higher sugar content of sorbet and still want to have a delicious dessert, sherbet is the promising choice. Sherbet is based on fruit and has some parts of milk added to it. The best thing about sherbet is that it has much fewer calories as compared to ice cream (even less than gelato, actually). In addition, it has less fat. Many sherbets are higher in sugar content but you can find sugar-free sherbet as well.
3. Frozen Yogurt
Who knew that our same old frozen yogurt is a promising alternative to gelato? Having said that, frozen yogurt can be enjoyed when you don’t have gelato available and is a suitable choice for health-conscious people. It has lower calories and saturated fats as compared to gelato and ice cream. However, the best thing about frozen yogurt is that it might have live probiotics, which is actually great for your gut but make sure that you check the label.
4. Frozen Fruit Bar
If you are fine with the DIY alternative of gelato, you can make some frozen fruit bars at home. These frozen fruit bars can be made with real fruits and enjoy the delicious flavor and nutrients. While many people make it with milk, it can be made with water as well. As far as the calories are concerned, they are just some calories of the real fruit. There is low saturated fat content but make sure to purchase the fruit bars with real flavors and low-sugar content.
5. Light Ice Cream
If you are still looking for the rich flavor and texture of gelato, you can opt for light ice cream. It tends to have 25% lesser fat as compared to our regular ice cream as well as gelato. In addition, light ice cream can be bought from nearby grocery stores.
6. Vegan Ice Cream
This is a non-dairy alternative to gelato and is available in the most delicious flavors. This is because the vegan ice cream is made from pea proteins, cashew milk, almond milk, coconut, or soy. In addition, some of them use nut-based milk to provide healthier ingredients. What we like about vegan ice cream is that it has delicious flavors.
7. Halo Top
If you are looking for alternatives to gelato brands, Halo Top is a fine choice. This is because they promise low-sugar and low-calorie formulation. In addition, it has an airy and light texture which is something great. Also, it’s a fine choice for people who like sweet flavors but it does have a slight alcohol aftertaste.
The bottom line is that it is hard to replicate the flavor and texture of gelato but the options mentioned in this article are pretty great. So, which one are you going to enjoy?