Have you ever wondered if frozen yogurt is really healthier than ice cream? It can be! But you need to be conscious of the nutrition label and know what to look for when comparing your favorite frozen desserts. While ice cream is made with milk and cream, frozen yogurt contains fermented, cultured yogurt. This gives froyo more of a tangy taste than traditional ice cream. However, it's worth noting that frozen yogurt does not necessarily have the same probiotic benefits as refrigerated yogurt, such as gut health support. To be a probiotic froyo, you need to look for the presence of liveand active cultures, not just cultures, or an added probiotic strain. That being said, you should generally get your probiotics from low-sugar yogurt over a frozen dessert, so you don't necessarily need to shop for probiotic froyo.
To put together a list of healthy frozen yogurts, we took a look at the nutrition information of all the most popular frozen yogurts. You'll find our top suggestions for frozen yogurt tubs and bars as well as a few options that you might want to avoid.
How we chose the healthiest frozen yogurts:
Total calories: One of the health benefits of choosing frozen yogurt over ice cream is that one of the first ingredients should be yogurt instead of calorie- and fat-dense cream, making it a lower-calorie choice compared to traditional ice cream desserts.
Added sugar: Unfortunately, many desserts contain the recommended daily allowance for added sugars. Looking for low- or no-sugar-added options helped us find the healthiest frozen yogurt on grocery store shelves.
Overall nutritional balance: Some products offer a nutritional advantage by adding fiber or protein to their ingredients. We loved that these nutrients give a typical "empty calorie" desert some staying power and increase the overall balance of the nutrition label.
Presence of probiotics: We also looked for products that contain live and active cultures—one of the perks of choosing froyo over ice cream options.
While we have deemed some of these selections healthier than others, keep in mind that choosing your favorite dessert from time to time is not likely to hurt your health and might help you get a little more vitamin P—for Pleasure! However, if you're regularly seeking out these higher-calorie options, you might also opt for a healthier swap, and see how you like it.
Read on, and for more better-for-you frozen desserts, check out 9 Healthier Ice Creams That Actually Taste Good.
9 Healthiest Frozen Yogurt
1. Best: Enlightened Chocolate Greek Yogurt Pint
Nutrition (Per ⅔ cup serving):
Calories: 120
Fat: 3.5 g (Saturated fat: 2 g)
Sodium: 125 g
Carbs: 24 g (Fiber: 9 g, Sugar: 8 g)
Protein: 10 g
The Enlightened Chocolate Greek Yogurt is a top choice for those seeking a higher protein and added fiber option. This "healthified" treat clocks in with a substantial 10 grams of protein and 9 grams of fiber per two-third cup serving. Perfect for satisfying cravings while boosting your protein and fiber intake, this pint delivers both taste and nutritional balance.
RELATED:We Tested 5 Low-Calorie Ice Creams, And This Is The Best!
2. Best: Alden's Orgnaic Ice Cream Strawberry Twist Bar
Nutrition (Per 1 bar serving):
Calories: 90
Fat: 1.5 g (Saturated fat: 1 g)
Sodium: 35 mg
Carbs: 19 g (Fiber: 3 g, Sugar: 13 g)
Protein: 2 g
Alden's Organic Ice Cream Strawberry Twist Bar contains just 90 calories and 1.5 grams of fat, making it a lighter choice for dessert. With 3 grams of fiber and live and active cultures, we love that it provides a satisfying snack option that also offers a boost to your gut health. Not all fro-yo comes with live cultures, so this is a healthy perk! Plus, with 35 mg of sodium, it is nearly salt-free for folks who are watching their sodium intake.
3. Best: Cilo Zero Sugar Yogurt Bar
Nutrition (Per 1 bar serving):
Calories: 100
Fat: 6 g (Saturated fat: 4.5 g)
Sodium: 15 mg
Carbs: 12 g (Fiber: 0 g, Sugar: 0 g)
Protein: 7 g
Clio Zero Sugar Yogurt Bars are one of our top choices for healthy frozen yogurt with only 100 calories per bar and a surprising 7 grams of protein. With Greek yogurt as the primary ingredient, the bars are sweetened with erythritol (a type of sugar alcohol) and stevia, they contain no added sugars, making them the perfect indulgence to keep you satisfied. And if you're not an artificial sugar fan, we love their regular Yogurt Bars too.
RELATED:43 Healthy Keto Snack Recipes for Weight Loss
4. Best: Yasso Frozen Yogurt Bars, Chocolate
Nutrition (Per 1 bar serving):
Calories: 80
Fat: 0 g (Saturated fat: 0 g)
Sodium: 55 mg
Carbs: 15 g (Fiber: 1 g, Sugar: 12 g)
Protein: 5 g
Yasso Frozen Yogurt Bars pack a solid 5 grams of protein and contain only 80 calories per single serving bar, making it an optimal choice for health-conscious individuals. One serving contains 12 total grams of sugar; however, only 8 grams are from added sugar. Plus, with no saturated fats, they strike the balance between a satisfying indulgence and a healthy nutrition label.
5. Best: Mixmi Frozen Yogurt Totally Vanilla
Nutrition (Per 1 cup serving):
Calories: 90
Fat: 1.5 g (Saturated fat: 1 g)
Sodium: 40 mg
Carbs: 14 g (Fiber: 3 g, Sugar: 11 g)
Protein: 3 g
Mixmi Frozen Yogurt is one of the healthiest options in the frozen yogurt aisle. At just 90 calories per serving and with 1.5 grams of fat, it's an excellent choice for those mindful of their dessert choices. With both probiotics and prebiotic fiber, this choice supports your digestive health. Probiotics, or live cultures in the product, support a healthy microbiome and can be hard to come by in the frozen yogurt aisle. Offering 3 grams of fiber per serving, this option might help you meet your daily fiber requirements while satisfying your sweet tooth.
6. Best: Cremily French Frozen Yogurt, Vanilla
Nutrition (Per ⅔ cup serving):
Calories: 170
Fat: 12 g (Saturated fat: 8 g)
Sodium: 35 mg
Carbs: 18 g (Fiber: 4 g, Sugar: 4 g)
Protein: 6 g
If you're looking for a frozen yogurt that is also blood sugar-friendly, Cremily makes our list. Serving up 170 calories per two-third cup serving, it's a lighter option compared to traditional dairy desserts. Plus, it only contains 4 grams of sugar and an impressive fiber content to boot, providing 4 grams per serving. Keep in mind that this product uses sugar alcohol, which might cause a gurgly tummy. If you have IBS or other gastrointestinal issues, you might proceed with caution here.
RELATED:The 6 Healthiest Greek Yogurts, According to Dietitians
7. Best: Whole Foods' Organic 365 Frozen Yogurt Bars
Nutrition (Per 1 bar serving):
Calories: 80
Fat: 1 g (Saturated fat: 0.5 g)
Sodium: 35 mg
Carbs: 15 g (Fiber: 0 g, Sugar: 12 g)
Protein: 4 g
Whole Foods Organic 365 Frozen Yogurt Bars are one of the healthiest choices on the market with just 80 calories per serving and a gram of fat. We love that these bars are free from high fructose corn syrup and contain probiotics from the yogurt for a gut health boost while you satisfy your sweet tooth.
8. Best: Halo Top Icelandic-Style Skyr Yogurt Pops, Strawberry
Nutrition (Per 1 bar serving):
Calories: 110
Fat: 3 g (Saturated fat: 2 g)
Sodium: 35 mg
Carbs: 17 g (Fiber: 0 g, Sugar: 15 g)
Protein: 4 g
These new yogurt pops made with Icelandic-style skyr yogurt are a great addition to your frozen treat options. Each bar is made with real strawberries and granola, and clocks in at just 110 calories and 3 grams of fat. While they contain 15 grams of sugar per serving, not all of them are added sugar as some come from the fruit and yogurt ingredients.
RELATED:The Best Skyr Yogurts With More Protein Than Greek
9. Best: Kroger Deluxe Lowfat Vanilla Frozen Yogurt
Nutrition (Per ½ cup serving):
Calories: 90
Fat: 1.5 g (Saturated fat: 1 g)
Sodium: 50 mg
Carbs: 18 g (Fiber: 0 g, Sugar: 14 g)
Protein: 2 g
Kroger Deluxe Low Fat Vanilla Frozen Yogurt earns our recommendation as a health option for those seeking a frozen treat. With 90 calories per half-cup serving and 1.5 grams of fat, this is one of the lowest-calorie frozen yogurts we could find on grocery shelves. Plus, with only 50 milligrams of sodium per serving, it's a low-salt option for those watching their added sodium intake.
3 To Avoid
1. Worst: Ben&Jerry's Half-Baked FroYo
Nutrition (Per ⅔ cup serving):
Calories: 230
Fat: 3.5 g (Saturated fat: 2 g)
Sodium: 85 mg
Carbs: 35 g (Fiber: <1 g, Sugar: 30 g)
Protein: 6 g
Ben&Jerry's Half-Baked FroYo offers a decadent treat with its rich texture and creamy flavor. With 30 grams of sugar per two-third cup serving, you'll meet your daily recommended allowance for sugars. While it's undeniably delicious, this one is better enjoyed occasionally rather than as a regular dessert choice.
RELATED:25 Unhealthiest Greek Yogurts—Ranked by Sugar Content
2. Worst: Noosa Yoghurt Chocolate Fudge
Nutrition (Per ⅔ cup serving):
Calories: 290
Fat: 14 g (Saturated fat: 9 g)
Sodium: 90 mg
Carbs: 36 g (Fiber: 2 g, Sugar: 32 g)
Protein: 5 g
The Noosa Chocolate Fudge Frozen Yoghurt Gelato is among the least healthy frozen yogurt options with one serving containing nearly a day's worth of added sugar. With 32 grams of total sugar and 80 grams if you finish off the container, this Noosa frozen yogurt would easily exceed the daily limits set by The American Heart Association.
3. Worst: Kemps Frozen Yogurt Moose Tracks Caramel Brownie
Nutrition (Per ⅔ cup serving):
Calories: 200
Fat: 7 g (Saturated fat: 3.5 g)
Sodium: 180 mg
Carbs: 32 g (Fiber: <1 g, Sugar: 24 g)
Protein: 3 g
Kemps Frozen Yogurt Moose Tracks Caramel Brownie offers a tempting combination of flavors with its caramel and brownie mix-ins. But its nutrition facts look pretty similar to ice creams. Each two-thirds-cup serving contains 200 calories and 7 grams of fat, including 3.5 grams of saturated fat. With 24 grams of sugar, this sweet treat could easily meet your daily added sugar allowance.
