Monday 12 November 2012

When to Start Giving Frozen Yoghurt for Babies


When we were small we were told that we need to drink a lot of milk in order to grow well. While this is true, in this day and age we need to find alternative ways to get the goodness of dairy products into children, such as flavoured milks, yoghurt and the latest treats  frozen yoghurt for kids.

In recent years it has come to light that many children are lactose intolerant and that the one thing which we have always believed to be the best natural food- milk- is to blame. When I had my children I was told that they should not be given fresh milk until they were a year old. However, products made from milk were fine to give once the child was over 7 months, such as rice pudding, custard and yoghurt.

The cultures in yogurt decrease the lactose and help break down the hard-to-digest milk proteins. This is why babies can eat yogurt, but not drink milk, before one year, but this recommendation is for the baby who has no history of dairy sensitivities or allergies. In many cultures, yogurt is actually one of baby’s first foods! There are many companies which now provide frozen yoghurt for baby palettes. There are different ways of serving up frozen yoghurt for babies and these can lead to some messy fun.

Ideas on how to serve frozen yoghurt to your baby:

  • Spoon some into a bowl and let baby practice using a spoon!
  • Pop some into a mesh feeder and let baby chew on it – great to soothe teething gums too!
  • Using a Popsicle mould, give baby the pop on the stick – ensure that you keep watch as the frozen treat is eaten so that baby doesn’t hurt herself with the pop stick!
  • Using ice trays, pop out the frozen yogurt cube and let baby eat it with his hands. Most babies love to feel the cool cube in their hands!

When it comes to getting children to choose between unhealthy ice cream and the healthier frozen yoghurt, flavours are the key to success. You need to make sure that you offer a wide range of interesting flavours and that the frozen yoghurt tastes just as rich and creamy as the ice cream which children will always prefer.

If you are making frozen yoghurt at home, then get the kids involved with the preparation. Children love to eat things which they have helped to make, so get them to give you a hand with the mixing and the preparation of the fruit to add the flavours. They will enjoy pouring into containers and moulds and allow them to make suggestions as to the frozen yoghurt flavours they would like to try.

Frozen yoghurt for kids is a healthy dessert and especially if you make it at home, you can control the amount of sugar and fat which it contains. There are also healthy versions of frozen yoghurt for babies which are available in the market to buy.

The New Cool Choice – Why Frozen Yoghurt is Britain’s Hottest Healthy Option


We’re all looking for ways to enjoy a well-deserved treat – without breaking our diet or feeling guilty.

So it’s little wonder that frozen yoghurt is busy taking UK consumers and our tastebuds by storm.

In the last few years the US favourite has been becoming a massive hit here too. And as ice-cream sales melt away (down seven per cent since 2007) frozen yoghurt, or ‘fro yo’ as those in the know call it, is taking over as the new cool option.

Since 2010 sales of the low-fat dessert have soared by an astonishing 50 per cent – fuelled by the success of leading frozen yoghurt brands like yoomoo.

The brand arrived in London three years ago, helping to boost popularity and consumption of products including low fat and plain frozen yoghurt.

Since then their combination of natural, great-tasting fro-yo and elegant, on-trend yoghurt bars have given a massive boost to UK fro-yo sales, seeing them rise from £4 million to a staggering £6 million a year.

yoomoo has become a byword for great-tasting, indulgent but low-fat food and experts are predicting that with their help, thefrozen yoghurt market could be worth as much as £150 million by 2013.

For their part, fans say they love the fact that the number of calories in frozen yoghurt is much lower than similar-tasting products like ice cream (a typical serving of yoomoo low fat frozen yoghurt is only 102 calories) and with less than three per cent fat it’s certainly an ideal substitute for anyone looking to choose a healthier option or watch their weight.

As if that wasn’t reason enough, all yoomoo’s frozen yoghurt products are made from British milk and are suitable for vegetarians too, meaning they can be enjoyed by a huge range of customers.

As you’d imagine for a treat that first became popular in California, fro yo has always been popular with celebrities (Keira Knightly is said to like hers with a healthy sprinkling of choc chips) and the showbiz connection is another reason for its unseemingly unstoppable rise across the UK and beyond.

As Chris Brockman from global market research company, Mintel, explains: “Frozen yoghurt has a number of things going for it. It is a healthier alternative to ice cream and is particularly well connected to young consumers through innovative flavours.”

yoomoo co-founder, Amanda agrees. Inspired by the desire to create healthy, wholesome treats, she says: “First and foremost, we’re on a mission to create healthy, guilt free frozen yogurt which is free from nasties and made from fresh British milk.

“It is a relatively new concept for the UK, although it has been established in other countries for many years because of its role as a zero-fat alternative to other snacks.

“It is a category set for expansion and a brand that holds significant promise.” With sales set to hit triple figure millions any day now, there’s no denying that this is one food favourite that’s set to be with us for a long time yet.

Learning about Nutrition Facts for Frozen Yoghurt is Simple


Many years ago, food was sold in containers which were simply to hold the food and drink in until the product reached the intended destination. However, that changed with the advent of food labelling and packaging. These days, the containers in which food is served also serve the purpose of educating people about the contents. For example, you will find the nutritional value of frozen yoghurt on the side of each tub.

Nutrition facts, frozen yoghurt or for anything, now play a large role in the way that we shop and in the choices we make when we are buying food for our families. We are all more aware these days of making healthy choices and so we need to make sure that we check each label before we make a purchase. These labels make it clear as to the amount of calories and nutrients which our food contains and it is sensible to compare a few different brands and types of each food before you choose, especially when buying a new product.

Frozen yoghurt is a cream free dessert made from yogurt and other dairy products. It is served in various flavours along with fresh fruit (banana, mango, kiwi, blackberry, strawberry, blueberry, and pineapple), dry fruit (raisins, almond, coconut) and liquid (honey, pomegranate juice) toppings. It is considered to be a low fat alternative to ice cream and a rare dessert to be counted amongst healthy foods.

Calories in frozen yoghurt

The calories in a single serving of frozen yoghurt will vary depending upon the type you choose. One large scoop of regular or low-fat frozen yoghurt contains about 150 calories. One large scoop of non-fat yoghurt contains about 1/3 fewer calories. Soft-serve cannot be scooped, but 1 cup of soft-serve contains roughly 230 calories.

Fat in frozen yoghurt

One scoop of regular frozen yoghurt has about 4 g of fat. Low-fat frozen yoghurt contains about half that, while fat-free frozen yoghurt may contain up to about 1 g of fat. Some soft-serve frozen yoghurt contains high levels of fat--about 8 g per 1-cup serving--while others contain hardly any fat.

You need to be aware of the fact that apart from the actual frozen yoghurt, the choice of toppings on your dessert will make a difference. Many of the toppings offered at frozen yoghurt shops are high in added sugar, calories and fat and alter the nutritional content of the yoghurt. The best toppings for frozen yogurt are fresh fruits, whole grain cereals, nuts and seeds. These are packed with fibre, vitamins and minerals that benefit health.

When you are searching for the nutritional facts for frozen yoghurt you can find all the information that you need on the internet. This will make it easier for you to understand the labels on the packaging and to know just what things you need to be on the lookout for. Making healthy choices is all about being aware and having the sense to check labels and read the nutritional value.

Fro Yo Swirled Frozen Yoghurt is the Latest Popular Dessert


I heard the term fro yo- frozen yoghurt- a few years ago when a nephew took me out for a treat. Since then, fro yo has caught on so well that there are now so many companies which produce and market the treat as an alternative to ice cream.

Fro yo- yoghurt which is flavoured and then frozen- is lighter than ice cream and often has a tangy flavour. It is lower in sugar and fat and therefore touted as being a healthy dessert which can be enjoyed by adults, children and even babies. Even those who cannot tolerate milk can often have a small amount. However, remember that yoghurt contains lactose, a protein in milk that is difficult to digest if a child has lactose intolerance. Symptoms include stomach pain, gas, nausea, cramps, bloating or diarrhoea.

Yoghurt offers several health benefits, including protein and probiotics, but may not be a good choice for all children. If your child has health problems, talk with the doctor about whether yogurt is a healthy option to include in the diet. For some kids, a moderate amount of yogurt may be suitable, while other children may need to avoid it completely.

You also need to be aware that some yoghurt is loaded with sugar and fats, so be careful. A container of yogurt can contain up to 26 grams of sugar, making it easy to exceed daily intake recommendations. If your child really enjoys yogurt, look for one that is geared for kids, some of which are lower in sugar. Reading labels is the best way to find a yogurt that aligns with your child's health goals.

It is hard to get kids to stich with a healthy diet in these days of fast food and unhealthy snacks. When faced with the choice between a healthy piece of fruit or an ice cream cone, it must indeed be a very special child who will choose the former. This is leading to many health problems for the young people of today with obesity and diabetes on the increase and this in turn leading to further problems such as heart disease.

When you are looking for healthy yoghurt, frozen or not, choose a non-fat yoghurt, which contains no fat, but still includes all the nutrients that make yogurt a healthy food. It is also recommended choosing a yogurt that contains 15 to 20 calories per ounce, or 90 to 120 calories for a 6-ounce container.

The thing to be careful with is that although fro yo has very little or no fat, it is easy to make the mistake of adding so many extra calories with the topping that you select. Fro yo swirled frozen yoghurt is the new favourite dessert in my family but I have to ensure that when it is served there are no toppings such as heavy syrups and sauces. These add calories as do nuts, dry fruit and other toppings, even fruit if it is too heavy such as bananas.