WHY WE THINK IT’S HEALTHY:

Everyone loves ice cream, but not the guilt or shame that follows. Fro-yo gives you that sugary, creamy hit without the calories of ice cream.

WHY IT’S NOT:

Ask anyone what ingredients are found in fro-yo, and apart from yogurt, most won’t know. Sugar commonly forms 15-17% of the yogurt’s total volume, and although it’s not as much as you would find in ice cream, it’s still a sugary treat. Sugar comes in different forms depending on the brand. But whether it’s corn syrup, maltodextrin, dextrose, agave syrup or pure crystalline fructose, it’s all still sugar. There’s about 20 grams of sugar per ounce of your average frozen yogurt, so a 16-ounce cup will set you back 380 calories and provide a dose of 76 grams of sugar. And that’s without the toppings.

What about the healthy probiotics that occur naturally in yogurt? These beneficial bacteria are important in maintaining a healthy immune and digestive system. But most of them don’t make it through the processing stages of making frozen yogurt. If they survive, they then have to remain alive throughout the product’s shelf life. You may get a few bioactive probiotics down into your gut in between licks, but certainly not enough to reap the rewards. If frozen yogurt has become part of your trendy lifestyle, go for small portions with natural fruit toppings. But don’t mistake them for a healthy snack — they don’t offer much nutritional value.