Froyo vs. Ice Cream

Ice cream is such a great, yet dangerous treat that almost everyone enjoys. Great, because its so delicious. Dangerous, because it has so much sugar and if you eat too much of it, you pack on the pounds fast. Ice cream is in the same category as cake, brownies, cupcakes, etc., because of how unhealthy it is known to be. Unlike the other desserts however, ice cream is known to have a substitute.

Many times I have heard my friends say “lets get frozen yogurt, its not even bad for you like ice cream is,” or even “we should get froyo, its healthy!” Of course I always go along with them, however, I’m not quite sold on the idea that frozen yogurt is good for you or even that it is significantly better for you than ice cream!

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I was for sure interested in finding out just how “healthier” froyo is than ice cream being that I work at an ice cream place and love both of the treats equally. After researching and comparing the two, I came across this article!

What I found is that it really depends on what unhealthy aspect you are trying to stay away from. In terms of fat content and overall calories, froyo is the better option. However, if you are trying to lower your sugar intake, neither ice cream or frozen yogurt is the treat for you. Both options have just about the same about of sugar. Froyo itself has a bucket load of sugar and you’d be lying if you said you didn’t add the delicious toppings that are associated with it. With the candies and hot fudge that people top their treat with, comes with even more sugar to overpass the sugar content in ice cream.

I also found this interesting article that states that although froyo is said to just be yogurt that has been frozen, it does not have the same nutritional benefits that a normal cup of yogurt has. During the process of making froyo, the healthy cultures of bacteria are killed and never make it to your stomach. So not only are you more than likely consuming a high amount of sugar, you are also not receiving the health benefits that you would get from just eating regular yogurt.

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That being said, if you are on a diet, anything in moderation is okay. Froyo should never be considered a health food but it can be a slightly better option than ice cream if you are looking for something with fewer calories and less fat. You can keep the calories and artificial sugar and or sugar preservatives down by topping the treat with fresh fruit instead of candy and by making sure that you stick to the serving size. If you are strictly watching your sugar intake but want to indulge,  stick to your ice cream if thats what you prefer because you are not doing yourself any favors when it comes to frozen yogurt and its added sugary toppings.

What I hope you all get from this blog is, eat whatever you want but never let anyone tell you that frozen yogurt is healthy or is good for you because if you eat too much of it, you”ll be quite surprised when you step on the scale.

12 thoughts on “Froyo vs. Ice Cream

  1. Candace Burke

    This is a really interesting article! I love froyo and am up for a trip whenever my friends bring it up. One thing I thought about which may make people think froyo is healthier is the amount that a person eats. Many froyo places are self-serve and price it based on ounces. This makes people more aware of how much they should give themselves because they have to pay for the amount that they are giving themselves. This may influence people to eat less froyo rather than an entire Ben and Jerrys carton.

  2. Jennafer Palmer

    I was never really a ice cream person and I’m really not a frozen yogurt person. If I have ice cream i prefer Turkey Hill chocolate-vanilla soft serve. The texture of frozen yogurt is odd to me too (don’t ask why, it just always has). But wow I always thought and was told that froyo was healthier than ice cream, which is why people could get away with putting non-healthy toppings on it. It’s shocking to me that froyo has the same amount of sugar as ice cream, and that doesn’t even include the toppings. The last time I got froyo I only got some because I went with a group of friends, but even with only getting a tiny bit I didn’t finish it all and it made my stomach hurt. Considering how much sugar is in ice cream, I’ll keep how often I eat it where its at now.

  3. Margaret Marchok

    I LOVE ice cream and froyo. however, much like you noted here and much to my dismay, it isn’t really the best thing for you. As someone who tried to watch what she eats, I constantly find myself opting to get froyo instead of ice cream. however, I never realized how bad it is for you until I read your article. I too thought froyo had the same benefits as regular yogurt, so I am happy you set the record straight. Here is an article I think you might enjoy reading- http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/nutrition-frozen-yogurt-vs-ice-cream-1525.html. It compares the nutrition facts of ice cream and froyo. Enjoy!

  4. jap5827

    I was never really a ice cream person and I’m really not a frozen yogurt person. If I have ice cream i prefer Turkey Hill chocolate-vanilla soft serve. The texture of frozen yogurt is odd to me too (don’t ask why, it just always has). But wow I always thought and was told that froyo was healthier than ice cream, which is why people could get away with putting non-healthy toppings on it. It’s shocking to me that froyo has the same amount of sugar as ice cream, and that doesn’t even include the toppings. The last time I got froyo I only got some because I went with a group of friends, but even with only getting a tiny bit I didn’t finish it all and it made my stomach hurt. Considering how much sugar is in ice cream, I’ll keep how often I eat it where its at now.

  5. Michael A Lupo

    Great idea for a post. I too have also wondered if there are any actual benefits to choosing frozen yogurt instead of ice cream. You make a great point when you say that once you add all the toppings available onto your yogurt, it makes the amount of calories, sugar, and fat you are consuming just as high as it would be with a regular bowl of ice cream. When you look at it like that, there is really no healthy option. Maybe if you are able to demonstrate a little self-control when it comes to putting on toppings, frozen yogurt could actually be a healthier treat. However, this can be super difficult when you have sprinkles, Oreos, gummy bears, etc. staring you in the face after you get your yogurt. An article found here goes into vast detail about the nutrition facts involving frozen yogurt. Another article I found describes some of the best tasting toppings available for frozen yogurt. Although these may be delicious, they also fall into the category of worst toppings for your health. Hopefully these help in making better choices when it comes to choosing between froyo and ice cream.

  6. Sabrina Chan

    Hi, Justine!

    This article here, written by Noreen Kassem, **http://www.livestrong.com/article/288571-the-health-benefits-of-frozen-yogurt/ ** suggests that frozen yogurt still has many of the benefits that yogurt has, especially when it comes to the digestive aspect. Frozen yogurt still has many of the cultures that yogurt has, meaning frozen yogurt possesses qualities that can improve your digestion. Moreover, those suffering from inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) may suffer less from the symptoms by consuming yogurt or frozen yogurt.

    I just thought this was interesting, because although frozen yogurt does not have the same potency of benefits that regular yogurt has (according to your post and article), frozen yogurt still has many of the same benefits overall! So I’ll definitely be choosing frozen yogurt over ice cream, even though we have the amazing Berkey here. 🙂

  7. Rebecca Aronow

    Funnily enough, I’m sitting here eating creamery ice cream while reading your blog post…I remember the first time I tried frozen yogurt I felt like because it was the “healthy dessert” I could load it with Oreos and caramel and it would still be healthier than ice cream. But after going out to get froyo more often I soon realized that 1) the added toppings were definitely making it just as unhealthy (at least in sugar content, like you mentioned) if not more so than ice cream and 2) having the ability to choose how much froyo I was eating pretty much always ended in me having a giant portion (especially because they purposely use such big cups to make it seem like you’re eating less), and once again probably consuming more calories and more sugar than I would just eating a bowl of ice cream. I think it’s interesting that froyo became the new fad because it was marketed as the healthier alternative to other desserts, which obviously worked since that CNN article stated that 95% of Americans think froyo is healthier than ice cream. But I learned from your blog that I’d rather just stick to the occasional ice cream cone and then just eat some good ole fashioned plain yogurt and granola.

  8. Audra Wren Laskey

    I have to agree with your friends, and say that I am the type of person to say “lets go get froyo, it is healthy”. I obviously knew frozen yogurt was not as healthy as a stock of celery, but I always thought it was simillar to eating just a cup of yogurt you get from the grocery store. I found this article https://www.verywell.com/dash-diet-eating-plan-2507163 which compares frozen yogurt to regular store bought yogurt. This explain that frozen yogurt has more calories than regular yogurt, but not by much. The difference is though that frozen yogurts calories are mainly from sugar, where regular yogurt calories come from calcium. Although frozen yogurt is not as healthy as regular yogurt, it is healthier than ice cream as you found, and is okay in moderate consumption.

  9. Amanda Voirrey Rust

    I can relate to this article quite a lot, because I absolutely love frozen yogurt. It is definitely a new trend that is fun and satisfying! Typically with ice cream shops, you are limited to only one flavor and one topping. Froyo joints give you so many options and toppings that are fun and tasty! I was once convinced that frozen yogurt was not too high in calories. Each dispenser that I have seen has had a small icon “calories per oz.” It always seemed so low, so I figured I wasn’t splurging too much. However I did a little research and the average cup size that they give you and how much you fill it multiplies that serving size by a lot. Even though it is less than regular ice cream, you are still ingesting sugar. Also, you are more likely to add on toppings that increase the calorie content with frozen yogurt. I played around a little with Red Mango’s nutritional facts, and the sugar content really struck me. 42 g for a standard serving of the Madagascar Vanilla flavor.

    Next time I go downtown to get froyo (I still am) I will definitely try to moderate my portion and make better choices!

    http://www.redmangousa.com/nutrition/#yogurt

  10. Valerie Lauren Murphy

    I remember when the frozen yogurt craze first started and my friends and I were obsessed. There was a place called Cups that was self-serve with a huge topping bar which my friends and I were frequent customers. The appeal however, wasn’t the health factor, so much as it was something new to try. However, when I started becoming more conscious of what I was eating, I had figured that because yogurt was considered a ‘healthy’ food, that it was surely better than eating ice cream. I was completely wrong. The self-serve aspect is cool in that you could pick multiple flavors, but it was so easy to exceed the serving size, even more so when toppings are added. The sugar content was way beyond that of a small cup of ice cream, and so I definitely cut back on how often I would go. I think that in a way when frozen yogurt places advertise themselves as being ‘healthier’ it’s false advertising. I guess they can get away with it though because if you forego toppings and stick to the serving size it can be better than ice cream, but why not go all out if you’re treating yourself? Anyway, here’s a link to some ‘healthy’ alternative desserts that you can substitute for ice cream/yogurt. —>http://www.foodnetwork.com/healthy/packages/healthy-every-week/healthy-desserts/healthy-dessert-recipe-ideas.html

  11. David Louis Haselkorn

    This is a great topic. In the area I live their is a frozen yogurt epidemic. The market has been totally saturated with these stores all over. Just like you mentioned in your blog, people are totally misinformed on this subject because frozen yogurt can be just as bad as ice cream. Both are diary products and for many people dairy is not necessarily good for them. My mother is a fitness trainer and nutritionist and the number one thing she preaches to people is portion control. The point you made about the toppings is also extremely valid because from my experience you can put whatever you want on the fro-yo. These toppings can impact the sugars of the item severely. Fro-yo is empty calories and ice cream is just fattening. Both can be very detrimental to anyone trying to lose or maintain a certain weight.

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