A nice scoop of gelato will always satisfy your needs, as will a big scoop of ice cream. Both are delicious, and both are cold and refreshing, but what's the difference between gelato vs. ice cream? Oh, and what about sorbet?

With the heat that we've all been experiencing lately, a nice cold ice cream goes a long way. Yet, there's something that puts gelato into a whole league of its own, far ahead of ice cream or even sorbet.

What makes gelato so good, why is it clearly the best? What's the difference between gelato, ice cream, and sorbet?

In this food guide, TAG24 will dive into the relationship between gelato vs. ice cream vs. sorbet. What are they, what are the differences, and why is gelato so much better than both of its cold cousins?

The difference between ice cream and gelato is more straightforward and easy to digest than you'd think. Both sweet treats are incredibly delicious cold snacks for a hot sunny day, but people often compare the two and wonder why gelato is - almost always - so much darn better.

In the end, it comes down to the ingredients. While both contain milk, cream, and sugar, ice cream is made with considerably more cream and, as a result, has a generally lighter and smoother texture. Gelato is often a lot richer and denser than ice cream.

Gelato generally has more milk and far less cream than ice cream does and won't contain any egg yolks like the ones found in most ice creams. It is usually fresher and includes real ingredients rather than the syrups used to flavor ice cream, especially in the United States. As a result, if you buy gelato, you will have a fresher product that has been made with higher-quality ingredients.

It's all about the flavor at the end of the day, though, and that's where both shine. While gelato will deliver that dense iciness and those fresh flavors, few things beat the creaminess and versatility of ice cream.

Gelato is a huge part of Italian culture and something that can be found anywhere you go in Italy. As with any Italian food, it's far better than its American counterpart - as such, it is typically fresher, more flavorful, has a more interesting texture, and comes in a more interesting variety of flavors.

Churned much slower than ice cream and containing far more milk, less cream, and no egg yolk, gelato is typically sold at a gelateria, while most Americans will buy their ice cream from the grocery store in large plastic tubs. Now, sure, there's something unbelievably decadent about indulging in a huge tub of ice cream, but there's something far more special about a proper scoop of gelato.

Unlike ice cream, which is often used as an addition to other desserts, gelato is a stand-alone food and should be experienced in its pure form, with nothing but a cone. Try the stracciatella, it's to die for!

Ice cream is a cold dessert made from sugar, milk, cream, egg yolk, and some kind of flavoring. It is generally far creamier and more sugary than gelato and will also usually use more preservatives, chemical flavorings, and food coloring. It is often combined with hard ingredients like cookies or sweets to build variety.

Only a sadist would dislike ice cream, but few people would say that it holds a candle to gelato. It is far more likely to be mass-produced and sold in bulk and is often used in the creation of other desserts like the ice cream sundae and the banana split or scooped on top of cold drinks (for example, iced coffee).

One of the key differences, though, is that ice cream is generally churned at a much higher speed and rate than gelato is. This adds to the lightness and fluffiness of its texture, as a lot more air is incorporated into the product.

Sorbet, or sorbetto in Italian, doesn't actually come from Italy. Instead, this delicious treat originates from the middle eastern beverage sharbat, which is thought to have come from the Ottoman Empire or Iran. It is, in essence, the perfect cold snack for such a hot climate and an amazing addition to any ice cream parlor or gelateria.

Mainly served as a sort-of drink in Europe or in scoops in North America, few things beat the icy freshness that a high-quality sorbet provides. In the US, it has become so popular that it has actually spawned a variety of additional (and largely inferior) products such as snow cones, slushies, and more.

Ultimately, sorbet is fruit juice (generally including chunks of the fruit that have been blended) as well as a few additives like sugar and coloring that are frozen and churned, similar to ice cream. By continually moving the water as you slowly freeze it, you create a soft and crunchy consistency.

All-in-all, ice cream, gelato, and sorbet are all unbelievably delicious, crazy refreshing, and an absolute joy when those hot summer days hit harder than a falling coconut.

Of course, there are many opinions out there on which one's the best, but let's be real about this: In the end, they're all great, they're just different.

Summarizing gelato vs. ice cream vs. sorbet:

• Ice cream: Has more cream in it, is churned faster, and has egg yolk as well.
• Gelato: Slowly churned, contains more milk, and has a thicker and denser texture - it's also typically made from fresher ingredients.
• Sorbet: Frozen ice made from the juice and minced flesh of a fruit.

There's no need to fight, gelato is fabulous, ice cream is fabulous (especially on a banana split), and sorbet is insanely refreshing. Enjoy them all for what they are!