Italian ice



Italian ice is a sweetened frozen dessert made with fruit (often from concentrates, juices, or purées) or other natural or artificial food flavorings, similar to sorbet. Italian ice is similar to sorbet and snow cones, but differs from American-style sherbet in that it does not contain dairy or egg ingredients, though it may contain egg white. It is likely derived from the Sicilian granita, a related dessert which may have been brought by Italian immigrants to the United States. Common flavors include lemon, cherry, orange, watermelon, blue raspberry, mango, strawberry, and blackberry, with numerous other flavors available.

Italian ice is also known as water ice in the Philadelphia metropolitan area (i.e. the Delaware Valley and South Jersey). Like Italian ice, water ice is similarly derived from granita brought to Philadelphia by Italian immigrants. Water ice has also been described as a specific type of Italian ice originating in Philadelphia, or a "variation on the more broadly-accepted Italian ice."

Nutrition
Except when made from fruit or fruit juice, Italian ice is defined in US law as a food of minimal nutritional value.