The Healthiest Toppings For Frozen Yogurt

Frozen yogurt is a desert but you can still make your creation somewhat healthy by being careful with the toppings you choose. Here are some tips for choosing healthier toppings.

In this scorching heat, everyone’s looking for just about any way to cool off. Ice cream trucks beckon from every corner, but the health-conscious among us are more likely to turn to frozen yogurt. While the lighter-than-ice-cream treat does have some health benefits, it’s not entirely guilt-free.

“Frozen yogurt should be thought of as a treat,” says Rachel Berman, director of nutrition for CalorieCount.com, “not necessarily as an everyday thing — and not as a healthy lunch!”

If there’s one thing that can derail your best nutrition intentions faster than that fro yo can melt in the summer, it’s the toppings. Loading up your cup can lead to a surprisingly high amount of sugar, carbs and calories, she says, a combo that will leave you looking for more. “Having a balance of fat, carbs and protein is what’s going to keep you fuller, longer,” she says. No wonder we’re sad when it’s over!

If you’re ordering off a menu, chances are you’re getting about one tablespoon of any given topping, she says. It’s the self-serve joints that really pose a problem. Take a look next time at the utensil that top-it-yourself bar is equipped with, and stick to just one small scoop, and you can’t really do too much damage, she says.

That said, there are definitely some toppings that are better than others. To get a sense of which should make the cut, we combed the menus of popular frozen yogurt joints — okay, fine, we’ve tasted our fair share and didn’t really need to consult any menus — to find some of the toppings they all have in common. Then we asked Berman to break it down for us.

Here are the healthiest mix-ins to add to your cup and the ones you should at least go light on, because let’s face it, you’re not going to give them up.

Fresh Fruit

It’s no surprise that fresh fruit is your best bet at the fro-yo shop, and with mangoes, pineapple, kiwi, berries and more on most menus, there’s something for everyone. In one-tablespoon servings, none will run you much more than 10 calories, says Berman. 

Berries are a particularly healthy bet, she says, since they have the most surface area of skin, which means more filling and satisfying fiber. Watch out for fruit that’s served in syrup, though, since it adds nothing but extra sugar and calories, she warns. “Dried fruit can actually pack a lot more calories in a smaller amount,” she says. Coconut, for example, packs more calories than fresh fruit, thanks to its naturally-occurring saturated fat.

 

Nuts

 

By now you probably know that while nuts deliver a punch of healthy fats, it’s important to snack on them smartly — those fats and calories still add up, and fast!  

That said, they are a great way to add some filling fat to your non-fat dish, and deliver a satisfying crunch. Look for almonds, cashews or pistachios, which are the lowest in calories, Health.com reported.

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