In common with almost every child I know my niece loves ice cream
and would happily eat it with every meal, in fact she would rather eat
it instead of every meal, including breakfast! The good news is
that my sister is sensible enough to not allow this and to try and
persuade her to select alternative desserts, such as frozen yoghurt, or fro yo
as it is also known. My sister has tried to offer this a number of
times, with varying degrees of success, depending on the flavour of the
dessert and the choice of toppings given.
Froyo (frozen yoghurt) has gained in popularity in recent years as an alternative dessert for those who enjoy eating ice cream but do not enjoy trying to lose all the calories which pile on due to the consumption of this delicious treat. Since frozen yoghurt is virtually fat free, due to the use of skimmed milk instead of cream, it is a healthier choice and fro yo has become a 2 billion dollar industry, with the majority of consumers being female.
Fats are a natural part of many foods, including most dairy products. When you take them away, the flavour and texture suffers, so it makes you wonder how manufacturers make low-fat and fat-free frozen desserts so smooth and creamy, and still tasty?
Food engineers have been amazingly resourceful about finding ways to fake the texture and flavour of fat. Although it is easy to think that it’s simply a matter of churning it twice, the truth is in fact much more complicated than that. Manufacturers use all sorts of emulsifiers, binders, and thickeners to mimic the texture and taste of higher fat products, but the good news is that most of these additives are derived from foods like soybeans, eggs, and corn.
While all frozen yogurts are not created equal, they are fairly comparable and although most frozen yogurt is non-fat or very low in fat the calories still add up. Most non-fat “original” or “plain” (typically the lowest-calorie flavour at most frozen yogurt shops) is about 30-35 calories per ounce with about 20g of sugar—meaning that a large 16-ounce cup weighs in at 380 calories and 76g of sugar before adding any toppings. This is where the problem lies.
When we see the words “fat-free” we automatically, and most incorrectly, assume that we can eat as much as we can without suffering from the consequences such as putting on weight. We tend to forget that “fat-free” does not mean calorie free and we tend to overindulge, especially on the toppings.
When it comes to giving frozen yoghurt to children, be inventive and use different colours and flavours and sell it as ice cream to them. You can add various toppings and these can range from fresh fruit and sauce to sprinkles and marshmallows. It all depends on how much of a sugar rush you wish them to have and how willing they are to try new things and flavours.
Froyo (frozen yoghurt) has gained in popularity in recent years as an alternative dessert for those who enjoy eating ice cream but do not enjoy trying to lose all the calories which pile on due to the consumption of this delicious treat. Since frozen yoghurt is virtually fat free, due to the use of skimmed milk instead of cream, it is a healthier choice and fro yo has become a 2 billion dollar industry, with the majority of consumers being female.
Fats are a natural part of many foods, including most dairy products. When you take them away, the flavour and texture suffers, so it makes you wonder how manufacturers make low-fat and fat-free frozen desserts so smooth and creamy, and still tasty?
Food engineers have been amazingly resourceful about finding ways to fake the texture and flavour of fat. Although it is easy to think that it’s simply a matter of churning it twice, the truth is in fact much more complicated than that. Manufacturers use all sorts of emulsifiers, binders, and thickeners to mimic the texture and taste of higher fat products, but the good news is that most of these additives are derived from foods like soybeans, eggs, and corn.
While all frozen yogurts are not created equal, they are fairly comparable and although most frozen yogurt is non-fat or very low in fat the calories still add up. Most non-fat “original” or “plain” (typically the lowest-calorie flavour at most frozen yogurt shops) is about 30-35 calories per ounce with about 20g of sugar—meaning that a large 16-ounce cup weighs in at 380 calories and 76g of sugar before adding any toppings. This is where the problem lies.
When we see the words “fat-free” we automatically, and most incorrectly, assume that we can eat as much as we can without suffering from the consequences such as putting on weight. We tend to forget that “fat-free” does not mean calorie free and we tend to overindulge, especially on the toppings.
When it comes to giving frozen yoghurt to children, be inventive and use different colours and flavours and sell it as ice cream to them. You can add various toppings and these can range from fresh fruit and sauce to sprinkles and marshmallows. It all depends on how much of a sugar rush you wish them to have and how willing they are to try new things and flavours.
