Not since the days of Seinfeld has there been so much interest in frozen yoghurt, with a growing number of chains popping up at shopping centres. Fro-yo masquerades as a healthier dessert option, with images of tiny yoghurt cups topped with fresh fruit suggesting a light and tasty snack. But how does its nutritional value stack up compared to ice-cream?

What is frozen yoghurt’s nutritional profile?

While there are a growing number of frozen yoghurt chains, they all sell a similar product. Whether the base is a plain yoghurt, or a flavoured variant, frozen yoghurt generally has a dairy base and contains 100-120 calories per 100g, and 15-20g of sugars, both naturally occurring sugars from the dairy base and added sugars that help create the various flavours.

Significantly lower in fat, at just 1.4 per cent compared to at least 12 per cent total fat in good quality ice-cream, fro-yo’s overall sugar content is similar to ice-cream, with 15-20g of total sugars per serve.

Contrary to popular belief, frozen yoghurt is not overly high in protein, with just 2-3g per serve, compared to higher protein yoghurts which offer upwards of 10g protein per 100g.

Based on this nutritional breakdown, it could be argued that frozen yoghurt is much lower in fat than ice-cream, making it a healthier snack or dessert option, although it’s nowhere near as healthy as plain regular yoghurt, natural or the higher protein Greek yoghurt.

How is frozen yoghurt served?

However, this is just the base camp. At frozen yoghurt bars, the soft-serve base is offered in various flavours, and consumers are encouraged to add a wide range of toppings and confectionery, such as biscuits and chocolates, to their cup.

This means what started out as a 100-150 calorie treat can quickly become a 300-400 calorie indulgence with more than 30g of sugars.

Are some yoghurts better than others?

One of the pros of fro-yo is that consumers have a choice of which type of yoghurt to use as the base, and in some outlets there are low-fat and lower-calorie options on offer.

While plainer flavours such as vanilla or fruit variants may sound lighter, unless otherwise specified, most yoghurt bases have a similar amount of fat, sugar and calories, unless they are especially indulgent with added confectionery or chocolate spreads.

Are some toppings better than others?

When topping your frozen yoghurt, the lightest, healthiest options are fresh fruits, berries in particular. The rest of the toppings − including syrups, jelly balls, chocolates and confectionery − add many calories, sugars and fats, which significantly increase your cup’s calorie content.

What’s the healthiest way to enjoy frozen yoghurt?

Like all foods, you can enjoy frozen yoghurt in a healthy, calorie-controlled way. The key is to focus on the taste of the actual yoghurt − rather than adding in extra lollies, biscuits and chocolates, and kidding yourself into thinking your dessert or snack is any better for you than an ice-cream.