If you think about it, those who sell frozen yogurt and ice cream from behind a counter are very knowledgeable. They only sell one product, not both. If they mixed their products, customers might spend a lot more time comparing the salted caramel ice cream and salted caramel frozen yogurt. Although you may not find yourself in such a situation in a sweets shop, it is helpful to understand how ice cream and frozen yogurt differ in nutritional values while shopping in the frozen section at a grocery store. Take the time to learn and prepare for some sweet surprises.
Main Ingredients
Ice cream uses cream as a key ingredient, differentiating it from frozen yogurt. Ice cream can also be made with milk, eggs yolks, and sugar.
Frozen yogurt is yogurt made with milk solids and fats. It contains flavorings, gelatins, emulsifiers, and yogurt culture.
Fat Content
Ice cream has a higher fat content than frozen yogurt due to the presence of cream. 1 cup of vanilla ice cream “regular”, contains approximately 14 grams of fat. Although “regular” might not be what you see on an ice cream package, you may think it that way when you see “low-fat,” “lower-fat” or “reduced fat” labels. Regular ice cream has about 10% milk fat.
Frozen yogurt also comes in “nonfat” and “low fat” versions to keep customers happy. Non-fat should be defined as 0 grams of fat. A cup of low-fat frozen yogurt can have between 0 to 4 grams of fat.
The Probiotic Factor
Ice cream contains no yogurt cultures also known as probiotics.
Frozen yogurt has the same probiotics as yogurt. There is a clear difference between frozen yogurt and yogurt. The bacteria strains that are in frozen yogurt don’t always survive freezing. This is why frozen yogurt should not be substituted for yogurt.
Sugar Content
Ice cream sugar levels can vary from one brand to the next. A 1-cup serving can have about 30g of sugar.
Frozen Yogurt can have between 15 to 40 grams of sugar per 1-cup portion. This makes it comparable to ice cream. However, brands can have different sugar levels. To improve the texture of frozen yogurt and counteract the tangy effects of bacteria strains, some manufacturers add sugar to it.
Calorie Content
Cream is a lower caloric value than ice cream. 1 cup of cream has 267 calories.
One cup of frozen cream contains 214 calories. This can lead to some people getting carried away in frozen yogurt shops. I can top that yogurt with mini morsels or candy sprinkles and it will still be healthier than ice cream. This thinking could make frozen yogurt more expensive, not only in terms of calories but also sugar. You can play it safe and downshift to a half-cup serving. You can indulge in either frozen treat, and you won’t have to feel guilty about it.