Creamy chilled sweets make life more delicious. Whatever the season, both frozen yogurt and ice cream make for the perfect treat. Yet even from the taste alone, we all know frozen yogurt is not identical to ice cream. Our instincts are correct, and while both are tasty, they are different. Read our blog post on frozen yogurt vs ice cream to uncover their unique ingredients, how they are made, and which one is healthier. The answers may surprise you.
What is frozen yogurt?
Frozen yogurt is an icy twist on yogurt that became popular in the 1970s and was inspired by the genius of ice cream.
Generally, frozen yogurt is made from milk, yogurt cultures, and sugar. Extra flavors can be infused into the yogurt, such as cocoa, vanilla, fruits, and sweeteners, to satisfy a diverse range of tastebuds.
What is ice cream?
In 1903, Italo Marchioni, the person who invented the ice cream cone, shared his discovery with the world. Since then, ice cream was adored by people all over the world, thanks to its refreshing and sweet taste. Its recipe blends cream, milk, sugar, and usually egg yolks as a stabilizer to create flavor magic.
The generous amount of cream is what gives ice cream its heavenly richness that melts in the mouth and keeps everyone coming back for seconds. By law, ice cream needs to contain at least 10% fat from milk.
How is ice cream made? The raw ingredients are combined and pasteurized. Next, a specific amount of air is churned into the batter to create fluffy ice cream. Finally, the ice cream is put in a blast chiller and frozen. The goal is to freeze it as quickly as possible so as not to lose any fluffiness.
What is the difference between frozen yogurt and ice cream?
Both recipes call for dairy and sugar. The dairy in ice cream comes from cream, while frozen yogurt uses cultured milk. The result is that ice cream tends to have a higher fat content, while frozen yogurt contains more sugar to hide its tangier taste.
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The FDA doesn’t regulate frozen yogurt. So, there is no requirement on how much actual yogurt the final product should contain, unlike ice cream, which by law must have at least 10% milk fat.
There is a difference in texture between these frozen sweets. Ice cream is the fluffier and silkier of the two. This is because of the air that is churned into the ice cream before it is frozen.
Is frozen yogurt healthier than ice cream?
For a healthy lifestyle, it’s essential to control the portion size of whichever of these icy treats you indulge in. Also, keeping in mind ice cream nutrition facts is essential if you’re adding toppings like candy, syrups, or chocolate, they’ll hike up the calorie count and sugar content.
While it is true that frozen yogurt uses cultured milk, there aren’t any real benefits for your gut. Why? Since the yogurt is frozen, it kills off most of the probiotics in the milk.
Dairy is the star of both frozen yogurt and ice cream. So, these treats will both add a delicious dose of calcium and protein to your diet.
Is frozen yogurt healthier than ice cream? It depends on what your focus is. For those who are looking to limit their sugar intake, ice cream is the healthier option. Instead, if you’re hoping to cut down on fats, then usually frozen yogurt is the better choice.
