Frozen Yogurt vs. Ice Cream: Which one is healthier?

Sometimes we all love to indulge in a sinfully good frozen treat. From frozen desserts to ice creams and yogurts, frozen treats come in all shapes and sizes. If you are wondering, which one is better for your health, especially when the leading brands come with the biggest claims such as as 50 grams of protein assured in yogurts and ice creams infused with probiotics, arriving at a solution could be challenging.

Let’s compare the benefits of frozen yogurt vs ice cream based on their nutritional value and ingredients, to know which might be the healthier option!

Nutrition

Frozen yogurt is often advertised as the healthier alternative to ice creams. Is it really true?

Let's take a look at the nutritional value of ½ cup (118 mL) of full-fat vanilla ice cream and frozen yogurt according to USDA for comparison.


Ingredients

Frozen yogurt and ice cream have two common ingredients - dairy and sugar.

In frozen yogurt, cultured milk or yogurt is used. The fat content of the milk determines the overall fat in the final product. Ice cream, on the other hand, has cream as its base ingredient. Air is folded into the ice cream during the churning process, and later egg yolks will also be added.

Though frozen yogurts are often considered to be a healthy alternative for frozen desserts, it is important to know that some frozen yogurts may contain just as much or even more sugar, as that of ice cream, to compensate for its tangy flavor. Greek yogurt is an exception.

Probiotics
Frozen yogurt may contain live probiotics, which are beneficial for gut health, but only if they survive the freezing process. You can know this by checking the ‘live and active cultures’ on the label.

Traditional ice creams do not offer these benefits. However, nowadays, certain brands have come with probiotic ice creams. Such ice creams are manufactured by mixing fortified milk fermented with probiotic strains with an ice cream mix, followed by freezing.



Which is better?
Both frozen yogurt and ice cream are good to indulge in once in a while. Remember, moderation is the key. Though they contribute calcium and protein to your diet, the added sugar is harmful to your health.

Considering that frozen yogurt has lower fat and potential probiotic benefits it is the healthier option if consumed without excessive toppings.

Pro tip: Go for plain frozen yogurt with fresh fruit toppings, instead of flavoured ones. Opt for small servings to control calories. While buying yogurts, look for frozen yogurt brands with live cultures for added health benefits.


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