Vanilla frozen yogurt is a healthier treat than ice cream. Most frozen yogurts have fewer calories and fat than ice cream. If you want to fit this dessert into a healthy meal plan, you should learn about its calorie count and other nutritional information.
Serving Size and Calories
When you're watching your weight, pay attention to foods' serving sizes and calories per serving. Frozen vanilla yogurt may be a better choice than vanilla ice cream, but eating too much of it can lead to weight gain. A typical serving of vanilla frozen yogurt is 1/2 a cup. A 1/2-cup serving of soft-serve vanilla frozen yogurt contains 114 calories. A 1/2-cup serving of Haagen-Dazs vanilla frozen yogurt contains 200 calories, and 1/2 cup of homemade vanilla frozen yogurt contains 171 calories.
Fat
A 1/2-cup serving of soft-serve vanilla frozen yogurt contains 4 g of total fat and 2.5 g of saturated fat. A 1/2-cup serving of Haagen-Dazs vanilla frozen yogurt contains 4.5 g of total fat and 2.5 g of saturated fat. And a 1/2-cup serving of homemade vanilla frozen yogurt contains 7 g of total fat and 3.8 g of saturated fat. Both the soft-serve and Haagen Dazs vanilla frozen yogurts contain about half the amount of fat and saturated fat found in regular vanilla ice cream. High intake of saturated fat increases your blood cholesterol levels and risk of heart disease.
Carbohydrates and Protein
Each 1/2-cup serving of soft-serve vanilla frozen yogurt contains 17 g of carbohydrates and 3 g of protein. A 1/2-cup serving of Haagen-Dazs vanilla frozen yogurt contains 31 g of carbohydrates and 9 g of protein. A 1/2 cup of homemade vanilla frozen yogurt contains 22 g of carbohydrates and 4.5 g of protein. Most of the carbohydrates found in vanilla frozen yogurt come from sugar. Sugar digests quickly and offers little nutritional value, which is why a food like vanilla frozen yogurt should be a special treat in an overall healthy diet that includes a variety of foods from each of the food groups.
Calcium
Vanilla frozen yogurt does offer some nutritional benefits. Calcium is an important mineral needed for bone health. Healthy adults need 1,000 to 1,200 mg a day. Dairy foods are a significant source of calcium in your diet, and this includes vanilla frozen yogurt. A 1/2-cup serving of soft-serve vanilla frozen yogurt contains 103 mg of calcium, and a 1/2-cup serving of Haagen Dazs vanilla frozen yogurt provides 25 percent of your daily calcium needs when following a 2,000 calorie diet, or about 250 mg of calcium.
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