Ice cream vs. frozen yogurt

Ice cream and frozen yogurt are both sweet frozen treats, but their ingredients and how they're made differ, which also affects their nutritional profile.

Ice cream typically uses cream as its base, which is churned with sugar, flavorings, and sometimes egg yolks until it is frozen. To be considered ice cream, FDA requires products to contain at least 10% milk fat, though it can be higher.

Unlike ice cream, frozen yogurt uses cultured milk as its base. To make frozen yogurt, milk and sugar are heated together, and active bacterial cultures are added before the mixture is allowed to cool and ferment. As the mixture freezes, air is folded in to create a smoother texture.

Nutritionally, both ice cream and frozen yogurt are decent sources of calcium. Frozen yogurt has 7% of the daily recommended value of calcium, while ice cream has 8% in a half-cup serving. However, frozen yogurt is significantly lower in fat and calories than ice cream since it is typically made with low-fat or nonfat milk.

According to Michelle Routhenstein, a dietitian in New York City, neither ice cream nor frozen yogurt are health foods, and one is not necessarily healthier than the other. Both are generally high in added sugars, which can contribute to health conditions like Type 2 diabetes, obesity, and heart disease over time.

However, Routhenstein noted that both ice cream and frozen yogurt can fit into a healthy diet when eaten in moderation. Julie Stefanski, a dietitian from Pennsylvania, noted that how much you eat and whether you add toppings likely matters more to your health than which dessert you ultimately choose to eat.

Choosing to go for the "healthier" option of frozen yogurt can also sometimes backfire, Routhenstein said. If you crave ice cream but choose to eat frozen yogurt instead, you can end up feeling unfulfilled and wanting to eat more than you would have otherwise.

"Use it as a treat and get what's satisfying for you," Routhenstein said.