Gelato versus Ice Cream

Gelato is a unique treat.  Some vendors advertise gelato as ice cream, or vice versa, and online language translators will translate gelato from Italian into English as "ice cream."  But authentic Italian gelato and ice cream are NOT the same food.  There are many distinct differences between gelato and ice cream.

Gelato Facts:  
  • Gelato must contain at least 3.5% Milkfat by Italian Law, with no upper limit specified
  • Gelato is slowly churned and therefore contains less air than ice cream - Gelato is 25-30% air
  • Gelato is more dense than ice cream
  • Gelato has little or no egg-yolk in the recipe
  • Gelato is served at warmer temperatures than ice cream
Ice Cream Facts: 
  • Ice Cream must contain at least 10% Milkfat by US Law, with no upper limit specified
  • Ice Cream is churned very quickly and therefore contains much air - Ice Cream is more than 50% air
  • Ice Cream uses egg-yolk in the recipe
  • Ice Cream is best served around 10 degrees Fahrenheit, colder than gelato
It is suggested that the extra fat in ice cream coats the tongue and obscures flavors.  This is why gelato, which is less "fatty," seems to have stronger flavors than ice cream.  Furthermore, because gelato contains less air than ice cream, gelato is more dense.  Therefore, 8 ounces of gelato would have less fat and fewer calories than 8 ounces of ice cream, but the scoop of gelato would be smaller (by physical dimensions) because it is more dense than the ice cream.

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