A Healthy Approach to Frozen Yogurt Toppings

At the IFYA we believe that frozen yogurt should be enjoyed as part of a healthy lifestyle and toppings, with the exception of fresh fruit, should be added in moderation.

Nutritionists recommend the following strategies at a self-serve frozen yogurt shop:

  1. Choose the smallest cup size available. The larger the cup, the more frozen yogurt and toppings people tend to get.
  2. Start first with fruit. Add bulky fresh fruit to your cup first, add a bit of cereal for crunch, then add frozen yogurt and if desired, a spoonful of chocolate chips, nuts or for the truly virtuous, seeds (hemp, flax, chia or Saquito). If you add the frozen yogurt first, you’ll usually wind up with more yogurt and less fruit than if you were to start with fruit and then add the frozen yogurt.
  3. Snack on frozen yogurt. View frozen yogurt as a treat/snack, not as a meal replacement

For a breakdown of calories per ounce of popular frozen yogurt toppings, refer to the chart provided by Women’s Health. Fresh fruit toppings are the lowest calorie option at the frozen yogurt toppings bar. Strawberries are only 9 calories per ounce while chopped peanuts are 170 calories per ounce. Chia seeds are 138 calories an ounce. Nuts and seeds are still more nutritious than candy, of course, because they have vitamins, minerals, unsaturated fat and fiber. When it comes to candy, gummy bears are the lowest calorie treat at 86 calories an ounce. Peanut M&Ms have 149 calories per ounce, but they do have the health benefits of peanuts, right?

 

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