When the weather got steamy this week, you can bet I made friends with an old summer standby: soft-serve frozen yogurt. Among the creamy frozen dessert choices, from frozen yogurt to super-premium ice cream, frozen yogurt is the healthiest option--5 ounces of frozen yogurt "costs" 120 calories, while the same amount of soft-serve ice cream has 220 calories. But if I pile on the wrong toppings I could nearly double the calorie total of my "healthy treat."
Make Your Own: Skinny Ice Cream and Frozen Yogurt Recipes
Easy 100-Calorie Freezer Pops
See how 10 popular frozen yogurt toppings stack up per tablespoon (about the size of a Ping-Pong ball) before your next treat:
Strawberries
Calories: 3
What else you get: Skin-firming vitamin C.
Pineapple
Calories: 5
What else you get: A burst of tropical flavor and some fiber.
Mango
Calories: 6
What else you get: A fruit to satisfy your sweet tooth, plus some vitamin A.
Low-Fat Granola
Calories: 24
What else you get: Adds crunch and fiber for few calories.
Walnuts
Calories: 45
What else you get: Calorie-dense, but heart-healthy.
Dark Chocolate Chips
Calories: 50
What else you get: A candy, yes, redeemed by antioxidants.
Rainbow Sprinkles
Calories: 60
What else you get: Fun colors, but full of artificial dyes.
Heath Bar Pieces
Calories: 75
What else you get: Added sugars and fat add up to extra calories.
Oreos
Calories: 71
What else you get: A high-cal cookie crumble.
Peanut Brittle
Calories: 100
What else you get: Delivers some protein, plus salt and sugar.
Don't Miss: 9 "Bad" Foods You Should Be Eating
6 Surprising Sources of Sugar
What's your favorite topping for frozen yogurt?
By Kerri-Ann Jennings
Kerri-Ann Jennings, a registered dietitian, is the associate nutrition editor of EatingWell Magazine, where she wields her master's degree in nutrition from Columbia University writing and editing news about nutrition, health and food trends. In her free time, Kerri-Ann likes to practice yoga, hike, bake and paint.
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