ITALIAN ICES

Information updated July 2023

According to the Italian Sons and Daughters of America, Italian Ices were first created a century ago in New Jersey in reminiscence of Italy’s famous Granita which is a frozen delight made with Water, Sugar and various flavorings such as fresh Lemon.

HOMEMADE LEMON ITALIAN ICE: The ingredients for a homemade Lemon Italian Ice are simple >> Lemons, Water and Sugar.

LEMON ITALIAN ICES: Let’s see how the homemade ingredients compare with what’s in some of the leading brands of commercial Lemon Italian Ices seen below >> Marinos, Luigi’s and Lindy’s. (Sources for ingredients: Brand Web sites and Kroger Web site 7/23)

They all have multiple ingredients Not In Kitchen when making homemade Lemon Italian Ices . . . and some don't have any real lemon listed as an ingredient.

These Italian Ices all contain Citric Acid which is not from Citrus Fruit >> Citric Acid is an FDA-recognized Chemical Preservative in a class with Sodium Nitrite, BHA, BHT and EDTA. (Source: U.S. FDA 2023)

Citric Acid is very tart and so it is often included in Lemon or Citrus-flavored items to mimic the taste of real Lemons. Unless it specifically states “Naturally-derived Citric Acid” which is from real Citrus fruit, Manufactured Citric Acid is a preservative created primarily in China using Aspergillus niger (a.k.a. Black Mold). (Source: National Center for Biotechnology Information, U.S. National Library of Medicine) Read more here:

manufactured citric acid

MARINOS: They show real fruit on the package front, but there is no real fruit. Marinos contains five ingredients not need to make Italian Ice including Glucose, Citric Acid, Xanthan Gum, Soy Protein and Natural Flavor.

LUIGI’S: This item has real Lemon Juice Concentrate. Luigi’s also contains Corn Syrup, Citric Acid, Natural Flavor and two Gums >> Guar Gum and Xanthan Gum.

LINDY’S: This product is banned at Whole Foods for containing High Fructose Corn Syrup which is the #2 ingredient after Water. Lindy’s shows real fruit on the package front, but there is no real fruit. These Italian Ices also contain Corn Syrup, Natural Lemon Flavor, an Emulsifying Agent made from Soy, three Thickening Agents and Dextrose which is what candies like Smarties are made from. (Source for banned ingredients: Amazon Whole Foods Web site 7/23)

This and all Lindy’s packages state “Homemade” on the front.

Q: How can these Lindy’s Italian Ices be designated as “homemade” when they are made in a factory and include so many commercial ingredients we would never use at home to make these? There’s not even any real fruit or fruit juice.

FRUIT (FLAVORED) ITALIAN ICES: Following is a look at some Fruit (flavored) Italian Ices: Marinos Cherry, Lindy’s Watermelon and Luigi’s Blue Raspberry & Lemon. (Sources: Brand Web sites 7/23)

MARINOS CHERRY: There are real cherries on the package front, but there are no real cherries in the ingredients. Unlike their Lemon variety above, this Marinos Cherry contains two ingredients banned at Whole Foods: Artificial Flavor and Artificial Color >> Red 40.

LINDY’S WATERMELON: There’s a photo of real watermelon on the package front, but there is no real watermelon inside. Lindy’s “Homemade” Italian Ice Watermelon has three ingredients banned at Whole Foods >> High Fructose Corn Syrup, Artificial Watermelon Flavor and FD&C Red 40. There are also multiple ingredients Not In Kitchen™ including Carrageenan which is a Thickening Agent made from seaweed to which some people are very sensitive.

LUIGI’S BLUE RASPBERRY & LEMON: This Italian Ice contains Apple Juice Concentrate and Lemon Juice Concentrate. There are two ingredients banned at Whole Foods >> Artificial Flavors and FD&C Blue #1 >> plus multiple ingredients Not In Kitchen including commercial Natural Flavors.

FRUIT-FLAVORED FROZEN ICE TUBES: Seen below, Jel Sert makes both Wyler’s Authentic Italian Ices and Fla-Vor-Ice >> these are both Far From Homemade™ with 8 ingredients banned at Whole Foods. (Sources: Jel Sert Web site 7/23; Jel Sert FlaVorIce Web site 7/23) They do contain Apple and Pear Juice from Concentrate.

Q: How can these Wyler’s Authentic Italian Ices be “Authentic” when they include so many commercial ingredients which are not in the original recipe?

In addition to being environmentally unfriendly, these plastic tubes are basically filled with Water + High Fructose Corn Syrup + Artificial Flavors + Chemical Preservatives + Artificial Colors.

Q: What are we paying for with these commercial Italian Ices? Given the selection above, it would be less expensive, more delicious, healthier and an opportunity to consume fresh fruit if we made Italian Ices at home. We can even freeze them in little cups and use little spoons, yay!

CLOSEST TO HOMEMADE FRUIT POPS: If you’re looking to spend your money on real frozen fruit, here are some delicious real fruit bars which are Closest To Homemade >> Non-GMO Project Verified and certified Kosher Chloe’s and Non-GMO Project Verified Certified Kosher and Vegan Modern Pop. (Sources: Brand Web sites 7/23)