I'm the first person to say yes to an ice cream or froyo run. To me, it makes no difference which it is. As long as I can get my favorite flavors and rainbow sprinkles, I'll be happy either way. Choosing between frozen yogurt vs ice cream is a struggle for some, but what's the real difference? It turns out there actually is a difference between these two desserts.
Frozen Yogurt vs Ice Cream
By law, there must be at least 10 percent milkfat in ice cream. To meet this requirement, cream is usually added. Frozen yogurt is slightly different than ice cream, as it's made from cultured milk instead of cream. There's no minimum fat requirement for frozen yogurt, and there's often more sugar in frozen yogurt than in ice cream. Although cultured milk is the main dairy ingredient in frozen yogurt, the cultures often don't survive after being frozen, so you don't get the probiotic benefits.
The biggest nutritional difference between frozen yogurt and ice cream is the fat content. One cup of regular vanilla ice cream contains 275 calories, 15 grams of fat, and 9 grams of saturated fat. One cup of regular vanilla frozen yogurt contains 221 calories, 6 grams of fat and 4 grams of saturated fat.
Which Should I Eat?
At the end of the day, how much you eat of each affects which is better for you. Adding candy and other fun toppings increases the sugar and fat content, regardless of which you choose. If you're looking for a healthier treat in terms of calories and fat, frozen yogurt is likely the way to go (although many fro-yo options contain a bit more sugar than regular ice cream).
Self-serve fro-yo is also much more fun in my opinion. You get to mix all sorts of flavors (and taste test them all first, obviously). Regardless, you can't really go wrong no matter if you choose ice cream or frozen yogurt.