An Ice Cream Primer
Before we figure out which bran-ds are best, let us get the scoop on ice cream, fro-yo & all those other icy treats you know & love.
Frozen yogurt is yogurt that is frozen using a technique similar to soft serve. While lower in calories & fat than ice cream, not all frozen yogurt is made with live & active cultures the way that stan-dard yogurt is. To make sure that a frozen yogurt contains "yogurt" & a significant amount of live & active cultures, look for the National Yogurt Association (NYA) Live & Active Cultures seal. Without that seal, frozen yogurt does not contain any probiotics.
Gelato. This Italian ice cream does not have as much air as traditional ice cream, so it has a much denser texture.
Ice cream. As if you needed an explanation, this frozen treat is made from milk or cream, sugar & flavorings. The FDA requires that ice creams with solid additions (nuts, chocolate, fruit, etc.) contain at least 8 percent milk fat, while plain ice creams are required to have at least 10 percent milk fat. "French" ice cream is usually made with a cooked egg custard base.
Ice milk is made with lower-fat milk than ice cream, making it less creamy. However, it does contain fewer calories than ice cream.
Italian ice (also called Granita) is a mix of juice (or other liquid like coffee), water & sugar, usually in a 4:1 ratio of liquid to sugar. The ices are stirred frequently during freezing to give it a flaky texture. These are almost always fat-free, contain minimal additives & are the lowest in calories of all frozen desserts.
Sherbet has a fruit juice base but often contains some milk, egg whites or gelatin to thicken & richen it. It is a creamy version of sorbet (see below).
Slow-churned (double churned) ice cream is made through low-temperature extrusion, to make light ice cream taste richer, creamier, & more like the full-fat variety. Look for the terms "cold churned," "slow churned" or "double churned" on the label, which refers to the extrusion churning process. Extrusion distributes the milk fat evenly throughout the product for added richness & texture without adding extra calories. By law, "light" ice cream must contain at least 50% less fat or 33% fewer calories than regular full-fat varieties.
Soft-serve is a soft "ice cream" that contains double the amount of air as st&ard ice cream, which stretches the ingredients & creates a lighter texture. It is lower in fat & calories, but it often contains fillers & additives.
Sorbet, softer in consistency than a sherbet, is usually fruit & sugar that has been frozen. Its texture more "solid" & less flaky than Italian ice.
Frozen yogurt is yogurt that is frozen using a technique similar to soft serve. While lower in calories & fat than ice cream, not all frozen yogurt is made with live & active cultures the way that stan-dard yogurt is. To make sure that a frozen yogurt contains "yogurt" & a significant amount of live & active cultures, look for the National Yogurt Association (NYA) Live & Active Cultures seal. Without that seal, frozen yogurt does not contain any probiotics.
Gelato. This Italian ice cream does not have as much air as traditional ice cream, so it has a much denser texture.
Ice cream. As if you needed an explanation, this frozen treat is made from milk or cream, sugar & flavorings. The FDA requires that ice creams with solid additions (nuts, chocolate, fruit, etc.) contain at least 8 percent milk fat, while plain ice creams are required to have at least 10 percent milk fat. "French" ice cream is usually made with a cooked egg custard base.
Ice milk is made with lower-fat milk than ice cream, making it less creamy. However, it does contain fewer calories than ice cream.
Italian ice (also called Granita) is a mix of juice (or other liquid like coffee), water & sugar, usually in a 4:1 ratio of liquid to sugar. The ices are stirred frequently during freezing to give it a flaky texture. These are almost always fat-free, contain minimal additives & are the lowest in calories of all frozen desserts.
Sherbet has a fruit juice base but often contains some milk, egg whites or gelatin to thicken & richen it. It is a creamy version of sorbet (see below).
Slow-churned (double churned) ice cream is made through low-temperature extrusion, to make light ice cream taste richer, creamier, & more like the full-fat variety. Look for the terms "cold churned," "slow churned" or "double churned" on the label, which refers to the extrusion churning process. Extrusion distributes the milk fat evenly throughout the product for added richness & texture without adding extra calories. By law, "light" ice cream must contain at least 50% less fat or 33% fewer calories than regular full-fat varieties.
Soft-serve is a soft "ice cream" that contains double the amount of air as st&ard ice cream, which stretches the ingredients & creates a lighter texture. It is lower in fat & calories, but it often contains fillers & additives.
Sorbet, softer in consistency than a sherbet, is usually fruit & sugar that has been frozen. Its texture more "solid" & less flaky than Italian ice.
