Sorbet: An Ice Cream Alternative For Those Who Count Calories

During these hot summer days, everyone seeks cooling solutions, whether it's cold drinks, fresh smoothies, or, of course, ice cream. If you are following a healthy diet, you may not want to consume sugary ice cream. However, you can still enjoy your healthy frozen treat with sorbet. Keep reading to learn why you can choose sorbet as a healthy alternative.

As we described in one of our articles previously, there are great alternatives to traditional ice cream according to your preferences, like vegan, dairy-free, or low-calorie ice creams. Sorbet falls into all three of these categories. In this article, we will discuss the place of sorbet in a weight-loss diet.

Sorbet is a type of fruit puree that can be consumed as a dessert alternative in summer. It is a fruit-based sweet treat that has a texture and consistency similar to ice cream with lower calories and no additives, generally.

Sorbet: Is it a healthier alternative?

On average, one cup of fruit sorbet provides 200–250 calories, which is a good calorie amount for a snack. You can consume that amount of calories without ruining your diet because it is very appropriate to get 200 calories for your healthy snack.

Sorbet is low in calories because most of it is water. For example, 140 grams of 200 grams of sorbet is water. The rest of its mass comes from carbohydrates, mainly fructose and glucose, and fiber.

No need for added sugar

Due to the natural sugar content of the fruit, you don’t need to add sugar to sorbet for a sweet taste. Especially if you have watery fruits with a sweet taste — such as mangoes, berries, or melons — you can make sorbet as sweet as traditional ice cream.

While sorbet may include a high amount of fructose, it is not exactly the frightening fructose found in sugary beverages or products with high fructose corn syrup. The natural content of fruits, like fibers, vitamins, minerals, and bioactive compounds, provides slower digestion and beneficial function for the body, which erases the harm of fructose. As in every place in life, moderation is the key.

Our bodies have a limit to tolerating any kind of carbohydrate, including fructose. It is better not to exceed 2–3 portions of fruit daily, according to your dietary intake. If you eat sorbet, you need to consider it as fruit and deduct that amount from your daily fruit portion of your diet. This will help you in your weight loss journey.

If you have fructose intolerance, which is the inability to digest fructose, sorbet is not a good option to add to your diet.

Rich in vitamins and minerals

As it is a fruit-based dessert, sorbet is rich in vitamins and minerals. The amount and distribution of these micronutrients can vary according to the fruits the sorbet includes. If it is a sorbet with citrus fruits, you may have a high amount of vitamin C. If you prefer sorbet with dark red-purple-colored fruits like berries, it becomes a source of riboflavin and lutein.

Suitable for fortification

In several scientific studies, ice creams and even sorbets were used for food fortification. Food fortification is the practice of deliberately increasing the content of one or more micronutrients.

For example, in one study, sorbet was used for inulin fortification. Inulin is a class of dietary fiber and a natural prebiotic that boosts digestive health. The researchers tested adding inulin to sorbet to see whether this practice affected the sensory characteristics of consuming sorbet. Incorporating inulin resulted in notable improvements in the consistency and melting resistance of the sorbet.

Easy to find or prepare

You can easily make sorbet at home with a very simple and natural process. You only need your favorite fruits pureed and frozen until they get formed like ice cream. You can cacao, vanilla, or coconut powder to the fruit puree for added flavor.

The sorbet that you buy from ice cream shops or markets might contain extra sugar. You may pay attention to the ingredient list, or if not possible, try to ask the manufacturer if your sorbet has added sugar. Instead of using sugar, sometimes no-calorie sweeteners or natural fruit sugars can be used to make sorbets. By doing this, the manufacturers aim to lower the calorie and sugar amount to provide a low-calorie alternative for weight-loss diets.

Sorbet is a flavorful and health-conscious frozen treat that can be enjoyed without compromising dietary goals. So, if you are one of those counting calories and seeking a cool and satisfying dessert during the hot summer days, sorbet is for you!