Everywhere, on the networks, we can see this roundouillette ice cream, which only asks to be tasted. But should we immerse your spoon in its generous chocolate sauce without guilt? Julie Boët, dietician-nutritionist, gives us her opinion.
The Gelato Burger, a sweet sandwich of Italian origin
After conquered the British, the Gelato Burger recently landed in the heart of Paris, at the Carrousel du Louvre. An expected and noticed arrival, as this soft brioche garnished with a generous ice cream ball was talked about. In the heat wave, this dessert is indeed distinguished from the classic waffles, pancakes and other fruity sorbets.
In detail, it consists of a soft and slightly sweet brioche, often toasted to bring a crisp touch. Inside, there is one or more artisanal ice creams, with various scents – vanilla, chocolate, hazelnut or pistachio. Everything is topped with a gourmet sauce, generally chocolate or pistachio.
To perfect this dessert, a few toppings are sometimes added such as dried fruit, chocolate chips, fresh fruit, or whipped cream. An unprecedented and regressive dessert … which makes us melt with pleasure.
Gelato Burger: A dessert … to avoid?
Unsurprisingly, we are here faced with a very sweet and very calorie gluttony, says Julie Boët, dietician-nutritionist.
“This dessert accumulates ice – rich in sugar and fat – a brioche – often buttered – and sometimes even ultra -transformed toppings. On average, a gelato burger can easily exceed 500 to 700 kcal, the equivalent of a meal … without nutritional benefits”, she says.
On the blood sugar side, the gelato burger acts as a real explosive cocktail: “Lots of fast sugars, very few fibers, no protein to slow down the absorption of sugar … Result? A rapid glycemic peak, followed by a pump stroke that makes you want to snack again. In the long term, this type of food consumed regularly can promote weight gain, deregulate insulin, tiring the pancreas, and increasing the risk of type 2 diabetes”, warns the expert.
But there is no point in panicking if you have already swallowed up this dessert. A gelato burger consumed punctually will not ruin your food balance. “Everything is a question of frequency and context. This dessert remains an occasional pleasure, so it does not need to be banished. If your diet is generally balanced, varied and rich in raw food (vegetables, legumes, full cereals, fruit, good fat …), there is quite room for a slightly decadent dessert from time to time”, she reveals.
How to limit its impact on the body?
If you want to test the Gelato Burger without finishing with indigestion, good news: some simple tips allow to reduce its nutritional impact.
- Opt for fruits or sorbets without added sugar, “Often less oily than icy creams”;
- Avoid superfluous toppings: “The ice and the brioche are already more than amply”;
- Choose a less sweet brioche or replace it with homemade or semi-complete brioche bread;
- Share your dessert: “Half of a gelato burger, it’s half as much of glycemic load.”
“And if you are curious, why not reproduce it in homemade version with chosen ingredients and controlling the amounts of sugar and fat?”,, concludes Julie Boët, dietician-nutritionist.