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Food Showdown: How Do Sorbet and Sherbet Compare?

By: , DailySpark Blogger
7/21/2012 10:00 AM   :  22 comments   :  21,892 Views

If you thought that sorbet and sherbet were the same things, think again! Here's the quick lowdown: Sorbet is made of pureed iced fruits, along with other ingredients (like sugar), but doesn't contain milk. Sherbet is made of fruit juice and sugar, plus some milk, egg white, or gelatin (or all of the above). These two iced treats are both low-calorie and often fat-free alternatives to ice cream and are sold at most ice cream shops. Which cold and fruity treat is lower in fat: Cold Stone's Sinless Raspberry Sorbet or Baskin Robbins' Strawberry Lemonade Punch Sherbet?


The Winner: Cold Stone's Sinless Raspberry Sorbet!
Cold Stone's sorbet wins by a nose! This creamy raspberry dessert contains zero fat and a moderate 160 calories for a 142-gram "Like It" size (the smallest size offered).  That's a great treat for any dieter who wants the sweet, cold taste of ice cream but can't afford the fat and calories. Watch out for the sugar content, though--even this small size contains 36 grams, which is equal to about nine teaspoons!

Two small scoops (142 grams) of Baskin Robbins' Strawberry Lemonade Punch Sherbet contain the same amount of calories as the Cold Stone sorbet (160). The sherbet contains a bit more fat than the sorbet, but it is still a low-fat choice with just 2 grams. However, it also contains 34 grams of sugar--2 grams less than the sorbet, but still quite a bit!
 
Both of these fruity options are much healthier than most choices offered at ice cream shops, but an even better option is to make your own sorbet at home using natural fresh fruit. Try making this pina colada sorbet for a splash of island flavor, or this simple fat-free and no-sugar-added blueberry sorbet. Check out SparkRecipes for more simple and better-for-you sorbet recipes to make all summer long!

Do you eat sorbet? What's your favorite flavor?




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Comments

  • 22
    Thanks so much! You might have just saved me from my ice cream cravings! - 7/28/2012   12:02:17 AM
  • 21
    The raspberry really sounds delish! - 7/25/2012   10:34:55 PM
  • 20
    Not that fond of either, but I'll keep this in mind. - 7/24/2012   10:07:59 AM
  • STEADFASTNSEE
    19
    I want a Raspberry Sorbet!! - 7/23/2012   8:56:07 PM
  • 18
    The sorbet being better only assumes that any fat at all is bad. More sugar? The same amount of calories? Just 2 grams of fat in the sherbet? I'm not convinced the sherbet isn't a slightly better choice, but they are really about the same with a lot of sugar! - 7/23/2012   5:09:37 PM
  • 17
    Yummy! - 7/23/2012   12:15:53 PM
  • OKIE_NANA
    16
    Lemon sorbet or raspberry. It has become so much more satisfying than sherbet. Be careful in 'foreign' environments because sorbet and sherbet are used interchangably and you may not get what you want.

    At times, I want some really high quality ice cream. Only need a small scoop. - 7/23/2012   12:11:06 PM
  • 15
    Actually usually gravitate towards the fruit sorbets.....but wow, the sugar count is so high!! 9 teaspoons, really??? I'm somewhat shocked! Thanks for sharing this - 7/23/2012   9:57:50 AM
  • 14
    I would choose ice cream every time. I love it too much to settle for sorbet. :/ - 7/23/2012   9:09:07 AM
  • 13
    I would like to try the raspberry sorbet, but I need to watch my sugar. I will test taste and then give the rest to my son! - 7/22/2012   10:01:44 PM
  • 12
    I prefer sorbet, because I'm somewhat lactose intolerant so ice cream (or sherbet, or gelato) makes me feel bloated and blechy. - 7/22/2012   6:00:45 PM
  • 11
    there used be a cafe by me that had homemade low sugar coconut sorbet served in small coconut shells. yummy. The cafe is no longer there but I wish I had that recipe! Especially on these hot, hot days........... - 7/22/2012   3:55:05 PM
  • SMROYAL
    10
    I like raspberry sorbet - but I love my version - a half of a banana in the blender with a cup of frozen berries and a splash of water, blended until smooth...yum! - 7/22/2012   1:42:36 PM
  • 9
    TY for sharing this valuable info.! Have a super-duper, low-cal day! - 7/22/2012   1:38:12 PM
  • 8
    Wonderful post. Thanks - 7/22/2012   10:44:29 AM
  • 7
    I don't ever choose sorbet or sherbet, going on the theory that if I'm going to treat myself, I might as well have ice cream, which I love more than either of those. We have made sorbet at home, and it's truly delicious. But I'm interested to see that sherbet loses here - apparently because of the fat content? Knowing what we know about sugar now, I would think that a food with a more balanced calorie source (some from fat, some from carbs, no protein here) would be healthier, particularly when the carbs are refined. - 7/22/2012   9:26:39 AM
  • 6
    I like mango sorbet too, but I have to mention the model's manicure - beautiful, it's just so smart looking and neat! - 7/22/2012   9:18:21 AM
  • 1954MARG
    5
    Thank you. I love ice cream and sorbets, but have been avoiding them. These recipes offer healthy alternatives. - 7/22/2012   8:28:42 AM
  • 4
    I always liked those "Push-Ups" when I was a kid that had orange sherbet in them. They were a nickel when I was a child in the '50s. Probably $10 each now. LOL - 7/22/2012   3:36:44 AM
  • 3
    love sorbet......it is sooo good. - 7/22/2012   2:19:12 AM
  • 2
    I like mango sorbet! They are healthy alternatives, plus the nice stuff takes a long time to eat. They are so rich you can't eat a lot at once. I could continuously snack on it all day long, and it would still last me over a week to finish a small pint! lol. It's great if you have a sweet-tooth, and is a good 'in front of the tv' food. - 7/21/2012   10:05:57 PM
  • 1
    We had homemade raspberry sorbet instead of ice cream at my birthday dinner this year. It was fantastic! - 7/21/2012   3:40:12 PM

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