Frozen yogurt, first marketed in the 1980s, has begun to evolve from a sweet, ice cream-like product to one that, at least from some manufacturers, tastes more like regular yogurt, according to an article published in the February 27, 2008 issue of "The New York Times." Available in full-fat, low-fat and non-fat versions, frozen yogurt may provide a somewhat healthier alternative to ice cream.
Types of Frozen Yogurt
Frozen yogurt comes in several forms and textures. Hard frozen yogurt, sold in cartons at the grocery store or by the scoop in frozen yogurt parlors, has a texture similar to that of ice cream. This variety contains little yogurt, so its flavors are universally sweet. Soft-serve frozen yogurts offered by such shops as Pinkberry, Yogurberry, Yogurtland and Red Mango, on the other hand, have a sweet-tangy flavor because they use a dehydrated yogurt mixture or their own yogurt recipes. Some brands even add citric acid to the fermented milk to accentuate the naturally tart flavor of yogurt, according to an article printed in the February 27, 2008 issue of "The New York Times."
Ingredients
In general, manufacturers make frozen yogurt from a mixture of
pasteurized milk, flavorings, seasonings, stabilizers, emulsifiers and lactic acid cultures, according to Dairy Management Inc. Although ice cream must contain at least 10 percent milk fat -- 7 g of fat per 1/2 cup -- and 20 percent milk solids, no such standards exist for frozen yogurt so ingredients vary widely, according to Dairy Management Inc. Some frozen yogurts contain little or no yogurt or have no active bacteria cultures due to heat treating processes. Although low fat frozen yogurt necessarily begins with using reduced fat milk, some brands may contain healthy additives such as fruit, nuts and low-sugar flavorings while others add sugar, high fructose corn syrup, syrups and candy to the recipe.
Alternative to Ice Cream
Low-fat frozen yogurt can be a healthy alternative to ice cream, which contains high amounts of calories, fat and sugar. For example, a 1/2-cup serving of Haagen-Dazs Reserve Amazon Valley Chocolate ice cream contains 290 calories, 19 g of fat and 21 g of sugar, according to HealthCastle. Most low-fat frozen yogurt, on the other hand, offers cold, sweet-tasting creaminess for about 100 calories and less than 2 g of saturated fat per serving. Read labels carefully, though, as some low-fat frozen yogurts, including Ben and Jerry's Natural Fro-Yo Cherry Garcia, have 160 calories per serving, just 10 calories less than a serving of Baskin Robbins' chocolate ice cream, according to HealthCastle.
Not a Substitute for Yogurt
Low-fat frozen yogurt may seem like a healthy choice for dessert, but its nutritional makeup is more similar to low-fat ice cream than to yogurt, according to the American Dietetic Association. Yogurt provides more calcium than does frozen yogurt, as well as the live bacteria cultures than many frozen yogurts lack. Consumers should read labels carefully to make informed decisions when choosing between yogurt and frozen yogurt.
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