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Why it's advantageous to substitute traditional ice cream desserts with lighter sorbets

Homepage Articles Why it's advantageous to substitute traditional ice cream desserts with lighter sorbets

Why it's advantageous to substitute traditional ice cream desserts with lighter sorbets

Ice cream is an extremely popular dessert worldwide. In Poland, the consumption of ice cream is seasonal and lasts on average for about 6 months, from April to September. In recent years, consumers have been paying more attention to the impact of diet on health, hence sorbet-based desserts have become increasingly popular. Why is it advantageous to substitute traditional ice cream desserts with lighter sorbets? How to prepare homemade sorbets quickly and deliciously?

Table of Contents

1. A myriad of ice cream varieties - a comprehensive guide

The concept of ice cream originated in China, where snow was combined with fruits around 5,000 years ago. Marco Polo introduced the recipe to Europe, and the world's first ice cream parlor, Cafe Procope, was founded in France in 1660. Ice cream arrived in Poland in the 18th century. Ice cream is a frozen dessert made up of fruits, condensed milk, cream, chicken eggs, sugar, and various types of food additives such as colorants, emulsifiers, stabilizers, or flavor and aroma enhancers. The preparation involves aeration and freezing of a previously prepared mixture. There is a wide range of ice cream flavors on the market, including coffee, cappuccino, toffee, dried fruits, and nuts. Depending on the ingredients, one can distinguish between milk-based ice cream, which contains protein and fat from cow's milk, milk-based ice cream with additional vegetable fat, sorbets, and water ice. Milk-based ice cream is prepared by aeration and freezing of a previously emulsified and pasteurized mixture of cream, milk, eggs, sugar, and optional food additives. Dried fruits or nuts are often added. Sorbets are a type of ice cream dessert that do not contain any fat or cow's milk protein. They consist of 60% water, making them refreshing, especially on hot days. The main ingredients used in their production are water, fresh or frozen fruits, juices or fruit purees, sugar, and optional additives such as citric acid, colorants, stabilizers, and emulsifiers. Alcoholic beverages such as vodka, wine, or liqueur are often added during the production of sorbets. Alcohol lowers the freezing point and improves the sensory quality of the ice cream. To achieve the right consistency, gelatin is often added. The best fruits for making sorbets are strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, peaches, apricots, and kiwi.

2. Ice Cream - the calorie content

The calorie content of ice cream is determined by its constituents. On one hand, classic ice cream dishes contain a large amount of fat, which is highly calorific - one gram of this macronutrient provides up to 9 kcal. In comparison, one gram of carbohydrates and one gram of proteins provide 4 kcal, and one gram of alcohol - 7 kcal. On the other hand, fat is a flavor carrier that enhances the palatability of ice dessert. It is also essential for achieving the desired, creamy consistency, preventing the formation of crystals of frozen water.

3. Caloric Content of Various Ice Cream Flavors (D. June 2006)

Milk ice cream contains 112 kcal/100 g, chocolate ice cream contains 218 kcal/100 g, milk vanilla ice cream contains 152 kcal/100 g, fruit and milk ice cream contains 116 kcal/100 g, cream and bacon ice cream contains 257 kcal/100 g, peach sorbet contains 105 kcal/100 g, strawberry sorbet contains 100 kcal/100 g, orange sorbet contains 76 kcal/100 g. Comparatively, milk ice creams have a greater number of calories than sorbets. Frozen desserts that contain 12% fat supply around 180 kcal per 100 g product. Additional ingredients such as bacon, chocolate, or nuts increase the caloric content of ice cream.

4. Sorbets and ice cream - nutritional value

Ice cream and sorbet are often regarded as sweet treats, but compared to most sweets, they have a better nutritional value. Milk ice cream provides easily digestible calcium, 100 grams contains 120-150 milligrams of this nutrient, which is 16% of the daily requirement. Sorbet, on the other hand, mainly consists of carbohydrates and compared to ice cream, contains almost no protein and fat. Most sorbets contain 10-40% fruits. Fruits, especially berries (strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries), are a rich source of antioxidants, including vitamin C and anthocyanins. These substances have health-promoting properties, they act anti-inflammatory by removing excess free radicals, and anthocyanins improve microcirculation of blood and support vision.

5. Dairy-free ice cream for susceptible individuals and vegetarians

Dairy-free ice cream, which is produced without the use of milk, is the perfect solution for individuals suffering from cow's milk protein allergy or lactose intolerance. For those adhering to a vegetarian diet, it is also the suitable choice. Sorbet is an example of dairy-free ice cream that is growing in popularity.

6. How to create homemade ice cream

Unfortunately, sorbets accessible in the marketplace are not always of superior quality. A genuine sorbet should be constructed from three components – a substantial amount of fruit, sugar, and water. Nonetheless, industrial ice creams might additionally incorporate glucose, glucose-fructose syrup, stabilizers, emulsifiers, and dyes. Consequently, it is an excellent concept to prepare homemade ice cream. It is not overly demanding – it suffices to amalgamate your preferred fruits, water, sugar (if the fruits are sweet, the addition of sugar is extraneous) and potentially lemon juice. Subsequently, the prepared concoction should be poured into specific molds and frozen for several hours. To devise a healthier dessert, it is prudent to replace sugar with honey, xylitol, or erythritol. Such ice cream will be a splendid alternative for individuals aspiring to shed weight and those with disrupted carbohydrate metabolism (insulin resistance, diabetes). It is advantageous to employ a ripened banana (with brown spots) in the production of ice cream. It is exceedingly sweet, thus the addition of sugar is superfluous. Furthermore, it will bestow a creamy consistency to the ice cream. To preclude homemade ice cream from becoming excessively compact and hard, after blending all the ingredients, the mass should be placed in the refrigerator for around 30–60 minutes, then mixed again and only then frozen. It is beneficial to store frozen chopped fruits in the freezer, which merely necessitate blending with the addition of water or a plant-based beverage. The preparation of such ice cream only takes 5–10 minutes, and there is no need to freeze it again.

7. Recipes for homemade ice cream without the utilization of cow's milk

Dairy ice cream is esteemed for its creamy consistency and delicious taste, as fat serves as its primary carrier. A splendid alternative for individuals who cannot consume milk are ice creams containing plant-based beverages, avocados, bananas or nut butter.

8. Simple Banana Ice Cream with Peanut Butter Addition

Ingredients for two servings: 40 g of peanut butter (2 teaspoons), 230 g of ripe bananas (2 pieces). Preparation time: 2 hours 10 min Preparation step1. Peel and cut bananas into smaller pieces, place in bags and freeze in the freezer for about 2 hours. 2. Put frozen bananas and peanut butter in a blender and mix until smooth. Nutritional value per serving (135, 0 g): – Nutritional value: 231, 0 kcal, – Protein: 5, 5 g, – Fat: 9, 7 g, – Total carbohydrates: 32, 0 g, – Fiber: 3, 2 g.

9. Strawberry frozen dessert made with coconut milk

Ingredients for two servings: frozen coconut milk, chilled 200 g (0.5 cans), frozen strawberries 300 g (2 cups), powdered sugar 30 g (3 teaspoons). Preparation time: 35 min Method of preparation 1. Place all ingredients in a container for mixing and mix to a uniform mass. 2. Place the mass in special freezing molds and freeze for about 30 minutes. Energy value per serving (265.0 g): - Energy value: 208.8 kcal, - Protein: 2.0 g, - Fat: 11.1 g, - Total carbohydrates: 30.3 g, - Fiber: 6.2 g.

10. Avocado ice cream sets

Components for two portions: avocado 70 g (0.5 pieces), coconut milk, chilled 200 g (0,5 cans), lemon 43 g (0,5 pieces), powdered sugar 50 g (5 teaspoons). Preparation time: 6 hours. Preparation steps 1. The juice is squeezed from the lemon. 2. The avocado is peeled, pitted, and cut into smaller pieces. 3. In a mixer container, the avocado, lemon juice, powdered sugar, and thick part of the coconut milk are placed. It is mixed into a smooth mass. 4. The finished mass is placed in the refrigerator for 30 minutes, and then mixed again. 5. The mass is poured into special molds and frozen for about 5 hours. Nutritional values per portion (181.5 g): – Energy value: 268.5 kcal, – Protein: 1.8 g, – Fat: 16.0 g, – Total carbohydrates: 34.1 g, – Fiber: 5.1 g.

11. Is it genuinely beneficial to replace a classic dessert with ice cream for a delicate sorbet?

Sorbets have fewer calories than conventional ice cream desserts and provide an excellent alternative for those aiming for weight loss. They contain neither whey protein nor milk sugar, known as lactose. Moreover, sorbets are manufactured from fruits, which are a source of many vitamins and antioxidants, thereby having a beneficial impact on human health.
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