{"id":875,"date":"2023-03-17T18:21:14","date_gmt":"2023-03-17T17:21:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gebersrl.com\/how-to-make-a-high-protein-and-low-glycemic-index-gelato\/"},"modified":"2023-11-07T16:59:42","modified_gmt":"2023-11-07T15:59:42","slug":"sugar-free-gelato","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gebersrl.com\/en\/sugar-free-gelato\/","title":{"rendered":"Sugar-free and low glycemic index gelato"},"content":{"rendered":"

Gelato is your passion, but are you on a diet? Do you love sweets but are forced to eat foods with low sugar content and therefore low glycemic index due to diabetes or other pathologies? Or are you a gelato maker looking for an idea to make your gelato less sweet and suitable for everyone, attracting new customers?<\/p>\n

This delicious and very Italian dessert is not just a delicacy, but can also be a nutritious and healthy snack.<\/p>\n

In this article we will talk about low sugar gelato, we will delve into the choice and use of the best key ingredients and we will dispel some myths.<\/p>\n

Sugar-free gelato<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Is sugar-free gelato possible? The answer we receive from industry experts is very clear: unfortunately no. If it is possible to exclude fats and lactose, it is unthinkable to prepare a good gelato without the use of sweeteners.<\/p>\n

The sugars in gelato and ice cream perform a very important function<\/strong>, which is not only to sweeten, but also to avoid freezing of the aqueous part and lactose, giving creaminess to the product.<\/p>\n

The good news, however, is that it is possible to prepare a low-sugar gelato, which will be just as delicious, but providing fewer calories<\/strong> and maintaining a lower glycemic index<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

How to prepare low glycemic index gelato?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

An effective way to make low glycemic index gelato is to use a mixture of dextrose and fructose<\/strong>, two natural<\/strong> sweeteners that are very common in gelato making.<\/p>\n

Let’s see their main characteristics\u2026<\/p>\n

Dextrose<\/strong>, or d-glucose<\/strong>, can be used in gelato making and is highly appreciated, thanks to its ability to make gelato and ice cream soft.<\/p>\n

It can in fact lower the freezing temperature much more than sucrose, but has a lower sweetening power.<\/p>\n

Dextrose in gelato therefore – if used in a percentage equal to 10-15% – will contribute to obtaining a soft and creamy gelato, but less sweet and less caloric<\/strong>, i.e. a light gelato!<\/p>\n

Fructose<\/strong>, on the other hand, is the sugar naturally present in fruit and – like dextrose – is normally extracted from corn.<\/p>\n

This natural sweetener<\/strong> has organoleptic characteristics that are ideal for the preparation of gelato, in particular fruit sorbets because it enhances their flavor.<\/p>\n

Fructose has chemical-physical characteristics very similar to those of sucrose, but its great point in favor is its high sweetening power, much higher to that of traditional sugar, i.e. sucrose.<\/p>\n

In essence, to obtain the same level of sweetness it will be enough to add a lower percentage of fructose when preparing the gelato, obtaining a product with fewer calories, with a lower glycemic index, but utterly tasty, and again a lighter and healthier diet gelato!<\/p>\n

Studies and tests were also conducted on gelato with erythritol<\/strong> by sector professionals and the result was decidedly positive.<\/p>\n

Erythritol is a sweetener of natural origin<\/strong> and deserves a special mention as, in addition to reducing calorie intake, it improves resistance to melting<\/strong> and considerably increases the volume<\/strong> of gelato.<\/p>\n

Therefore, if formulated also with other sugars, erythritol gelato<\/strong> not only has a low glycemic index, but it is also creamy and firm.<\/p>\n

Gelato with stevia<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Gelato with stevia<\/strong> is among the latest innovations in the ice cream and gelato sector. This natural, low-calorie sweetener is obtained from the extract of a small plant native to South America known as Stevia Rebaudiana.<\/p>\n

Stevia is known for its sweetening power, which exceeds that of sucrose by 300 times, but with a zero calorie intake. <\/strong><\/p>\n

Precisely for this reason, gelato (and ice cream) with stevia is in all respects a low-calorie gelato with an almost zero glycemic index.<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, stevia does not have antifreezing properties, therefore gelato with stevia, if not prepared also with other sugars, is rather liquid and does not have the typical creaminess and spreadability<\/strong> that are so appreciated in traditional gelato.<\/p>\n

Furthermore, stevia alone has a fairly strong licorice aftertaste that is not easy to mask. So how can we overcome this problem?<\/p>\n

A solution to obtain a low-calorie (but creamy) stevia gelato<\/strong> is to add other low-calorie sweeteners to the preparation, such as maltodextrins<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

While, to overcome the licorice aftertaste problem, rebaudioside A<\/strong> can be used, a sweetener derived from stevia that doesn\u2019t have an aftertaste.<\/p>\n

So, by carefully balancing the recipe you will obtain a gelato with stevia with optimal nutritional values<\/strong> for those who wish to avoid sucrose, while maintaining spreadability and taste, both for fruit and cream-based gelato flavors.<\/p>\n

Gelato with grape sugar <\/strong><\/h3>\n

As we have already said, although it is unthinkable to obtain a sugar-free gelato or ice cream, it is instead possible to prepare a product with a low sugar content, using a series of natural sweeteners<\/a>, alternatives to sucrose.<\/p>\n

Crystalline grape sugar<\/strong> is one of these and – indeed – it probably represents one of the best alternatives for gelato making, let’s see why.<\/p>\n

This natural sugar, also commercially known by the acronym MCRs (Solid Rectified Concentrated Must)<\/strong>, is obtained by refining the must, through a crystallization process and is made up of two carbohydrates: dextrose and fructose.<\/p>\n

The high sweetening power of these two disaccharides allows you to use an even smaller quantity of sugar, obtaining less sweet gelato and sorbets, with a low glycemic index.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Among the main advantages of using grape sugar for the preparation of low glycemic index gelato, we list the following:<\/p>\n