What says summer quite like a Popsicle? Most of us have a childhood memory linked to a fruity treat of some sort on a stick.

Popsicle, of course, is a brand name, and it will have a spot in this comparison, but just like elevator and so many other terms, it's come to apply to products that are in any remote way similar to the bearer of the trademark.

In this comparison, though, we will also range a bit farther afield, into Italian ices and "pure fruit" bars just to give you a taste of the full spectrum of offerings that await your frozen fruit-treat cravings. Long gone are the days where the only fruity treats available were flavored sugar water concoctions without any redeeming nutritional value.

Speaking of nutrition, a frozen fruit bar or ice can be the most low-impact way to satisfy your sweet tooth on a hot summer's day. As you'll see, the calorie and carb counts are actually quite reasonable in proportion to the satisfaction offered.

For this test, the tasting panel consisted of five adults. Each treat was graded on a scale from 1 to 20 on the basis of flavor, mouthfeel and appearance, for a possible perfect score of 100.

Popsicle Slow Melt: 40 calories, 0 fat, 0 cholesterol, 5 mg sodium, 10 grams carbs.

The way these Popsicles, one of the newest products from the company, are made "slow melt" is a secret, but it appears to have something to do with muting the flavor. While the colors are bright, the flavors are strangely muted. The mouth feel is a bit off, too, described by one tester as being similar to firm tofu when it melted. Final score: 68.

Blue Bunny Bomb Pop: 50 calories, 0 fat, 0 cholesterol, 5 mg sodium, 11 grams carbs.

This one nearly matches the Popsicle offering in the nutrition facts department, but the similarities end there. This ice cream truck classic, offered here in smaller form, is a symphony of flavors. The original Bomb Pop layers cherry, lime and blue raspberry to make what might be the best 50 calories you put in your mouth this week. Two testers found the pops a bit too sweet, but that was the only real knock. Final score: 91.

Pet Juniors: 40 calories, 0 fat, 0 cholesterol, 5 mg sodium, 10 grams carbs.

This was easily the cheapest of the frozen pops, and for the price the taste isn't too bad. It melts on the tongue better than the Popsicle offering, and the colors are kid-dazzlingly bright. The flavor starts well but wimps out quickly, leaving only a very sweet aftertaste. Final grade: 82.

Luigi's Italian Ice: 130 calories, 0 fat, 0 cholesterol, 15 mg sodium, 32 grams carbs.

This one comes in a cup, not on a stick, and you'll want to thank the inventor of the spoon personally once you get a taste. Without any milk ingredients, the makers somehow get a faintly creamy texture with a flavor that will make your tongue do back flips. This was one of the most expensive treats, and should probably be reserved for adult palates, but it's most definitely worth the price. Final grade: 96.

Breyer's Pure Fruit Berry Swirls 40 calories, 0 fat, 0 cholesterol, 0 mg sodium, 10 grams carbs.

This one seemed like a swing and a miss. The two flavors in each bar looked more oozed together than swirled, and fought each other to a pleasantly sweet but nondescript draw. Nutritionally, the bars deserve credit for being low-impact, but the final score was still only a 73.

Minute Maid 90% Fruit Bars: 60 calories, 0 fat, 0 cholesterol, 10 mg sodium, 15 mg carbohydrates.

The first comment heard from any of the testers on this one was, "Wow."

While the packaging is a bit odd, forcing you to squeeze the treat into your mouth, once you master the technique you'll be rewarded with a truly excellent taste. The cherry pop actually tastes like cherry, unlike most similarly flavored treats. It's the same all down the line. Final score: 92

Edy's Fruit Bars: 60 calories, 0 fat, 0 cholesterol, 0 sodium, 13 grams carbs.

It shouldn't surprise that the confectioner that got light ice cream right with its Slow Churned line would prove equally as adept at fruit treats. From texture -- half-icy/half-creamy -- to flavor -- the lime bar will pucker your face nicely -- these got the only perfect score in the test. Edy's wins the test with a 100!

But, to borrow the cliche, there really are no losers here. All of these treats have at least a little to recommend them, and you can't beat them from a calorie and fat standpoint. If you've got a sweet tooth that can be satisfied in any way by fruit rather than chocolate, you'll find sweet relief!