The Great Debate: Ice Cream vs. Frozen Yogurt (Fro-yo)
For ice cream lovers, it can be hard to find a replacement for this tasty treat. To be honest, sometimes there simply is no replacement. However, frozen yogurt, or fro-yo, is one alternative that has become a wildly popular trend in Tallahassee and across the U.S.
Many opt for fro-yo over ice cream because they believe it’s the “healthier” option of the two. With that being said, there are a few things to know if you have never tried frozen yogurt. It’s similar to ice cream, but at the same time completely different (if you hadn’t guessed already from the name, it’s made from yogurt).
Here’s the SCOOP on what sets ice cream apart from frozen yogurt:
- The most notable difference has to do with the process in which each dessert is made. Ice cream is made with milk or cream products, and then churned with flavor/sweeteners until it freezes.
- On the other hand, the primary ingredient in fro-yo is yogurt, in addition to milk and cream products and flavor/sweeteners. Unlike ice cream, fro-yo isn’t regulated by the FDA, which means there is not a standard for how much yogurt can be used in the process. For ice cream, there must be at least 10% milk fat.
- Another difference is related to the nutritional value of both desserts. Typically, ice cream will have more fat and calories, while fro-yo will have more sugar to cut the sour taste of the yogurt. One common belief is that fro-yo has added benefits from probiotics, or the “good bacteria,” that is found in yogurt. This, however, is false because the bacteria are killed in the freezing process.
Despite these minor differences, there is ultimately no wrong decision when picking between ice cream and fro-yo. Recent studies do show that the fro-yo trend is nowhere near as popular as ice cream. Fro-yo may stay or it may fade, but for now the choice is up to you.
