Gelato – which translates to ‘frozen’ in Italian, is a dessert staple that is not only delicious, but healthier than its ice cream counterpart. Gelato dates as far back as the 16th century in Italy, and has since spread across the world as a sweet treat that’s loved by everyone young and old.
When you’re really craving something delicious and flavorful, who wouldn’t want to grab a scoop of gelato? Contrary to popular beliefs, gelato and ice cream are not the same, although they are both frozen and sweet, that’s where their similarities end! They greatly differ in terms of the proportions of ingredients used and the way it’s made.
What’s the Difference between Gelato and Ice Cream?
Although gelato and ice cream are frozen sweet treats, we wanted to teach our guests the varying differences between the two.
1) Less Fat Means More Flavor
By choosing gelato, you’ve actually picked the healthier option!
Gelato has one-third of the total fat, only about 4-9% when compared to regular ice cream, which can land you between 14-25% fat. Ice cream also contains at least 10% butterfat, so when choosing gelato, you have less butterfat coating your palate, allowing more of the intense flavors to emerge.
In addition, Bella Gelateria only uses organic cane sugar in our gelatos, so who said that sweet treats couldn’t be healthy?
2) More Milk & Less Air
Did you know that ice cream is made with cream, but gelato is made with whole milk?
At Bella Gelateria, our fresh whole milk comes from a local supplier, Avalon Dairy, and because of this, there’s less air fluffing up our gelato, 50% less in fact! Since gelato is churned slowly and air is not whipped into the product like ice cream, it creates a denser gelato that has a more intense flavour, making it creamier and smoother, and there’s more value for your money than traditional ice cream!
4) Allergies or Dietary Restrictions? No Problem
Gelato can be made in a variety of ways, even without whole milk!
Sorbettos use a water base rather than milk, which is safe for anyone who is either lactose intolerant or vegan. We also have options without common allergens such as tree nuts and gluten, so there are countless options at Bella Gelateria for people with all dietary restrictions or requirements!
5) Less Chill – No Freezer Burn
Gelato is traditionally served at -13° Celsius, which is warmer than regular ice cream when made in an authentic Italian pozetti. This makes the texture of our gelato smoother and denser, but also doesn’t numb your mouth so you’re better able to taste its flavor! Another unique trick is by keeping our gelatos covered with the pozetti lids, it ensures that oxygen doesn’t deteriorate the gelato. No wonder gelato lasts longer on a summer day!
So now that you know a little bit more about gelato, come and give Bella Gelateria a try! We’ve been making award winning gelatos in Vancouver since 2010, with our journey starting with a passion to be the best possible, focusing on true artisanship, quality and flavor. Using only the finest ingredients, we work with local farmers and feature flavors that aren’t manufactured, but handcrafted and change with the seasons. We hope that with each bite, our customers go on a flavor experience of Italy!
