Is Frozen Yogurt Healthier Than Ice Cream?
Short answer: These records are non-chocolate frozen yogurt and vanilla ice cream, without a cone. Frozen yogurt has less fat, but sugar and serving size still matter; individual brands vary.
Selected foods: Frozen yogurt, non-chocolate flavors and Vanilla ice cream, without cone. These specific preparations are compared below.
Nutri-Score: Frozen Yogurt C, Ice Cream D — frozen yogurt scores better.
Which to pick for your goal
| If you want | Better pick | The numbers |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer calories | Frozen Yogurt | 127 kcal vs 207 kcal per 100 g |
| More protein | About the same | frozen yogurt 3 g, ice cream 3.5 g per 100 g |
| Less sugar | About the same | frozen yogurt 20 g, ice cream 21 g per 100 g |
| Less saturated fat | Frozen Yogurt | 2.3 g vs 6.8 g per 100 g |
| Overall (Nutri-Score) | Frozen Yogurt | C vs D |
Small differences count as a tie: a few calories or a few tenths of a gram won't change your day.
Nutrition side by side, per 100 g
| Per 100 g | Frozen Yogurt | Ice Cream |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 127 kcal | 207 kcal |
| Protein | 3 g | 3.5 g |
| Fat | 3.6 g | 11 g |
| incl. saturated | 2.3 g | 6.8 g |
| Total carbohydrates | 22 g | 24 g |
| incl. sugars | 20 g | 21 g |
| incl. fiber | 0 g | 0.7 g |
| Salt | 0.2 g | 0.2 g |
| Omega-3 | — | 3 mg EPA+DHA |
| Nutri-Score | C | D |
Rounded values from exact USDA records (see * Data and sources below). Different brands, cuts and recipes can have different values. Diary food cards and the alternative versions below retain their own typical recipes.
For the same amount: 50 g
| Equal amount | Frozen Yogurt | Ice Cream |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 64 kcal | 104 kcal |
| Protein | 1.5 g | 1.8 g |
| incl. saturated | 1.2 g | 3.4 g |
| incl. sugars | 10 g | 11 g |
| incl. fiber | 0 g | 0.4 g |
In a typical serving
| One serving | Frozen Yogurt | Ice Cream |
|---|---|---|
| Serving | serving, 120 g (4.2 oz) | USDA reference serving, no cone, 66 g (2.3 oz) |
| Calories | 152 kcal | 137 kcal |
| Protein | 3.6 g | 2.3 g |
| Fiber | 0 g | 0.5 g |
| Sugars | 24 g | 14 g |
| Saturated fat | 2.8 g | 4.5 g |
| Easy walking to burn it* | 50 min | 45 min |
* For a 70 kg (154 lb) person; the app works it out for your weight and your activities.
Portion size usually moves the numbers more than the choice between two similar foods: a heaping serving of the “healthier” one can easily outweigh a modest serving of the other.
Blood sugar angle
Frozen yogurt has 22 g of carbohydrate per 100 g (20 g sugars, 0 g fiber); Ice cream has 24 g (21 g sugars, 0.7 g fiber). This table is not a measured glycemic-response comparison; the amount eaten and the rest of the meal matter. Glycemic index values vary by variety, ripeness and cooking, so treat any single number with caution — and eat either with vegetables and some protein.
Other versions: typical diary estimates
The first two rows repeat the selected USDA records; other rows are typical diary estimates, without an exact source-record match. The cut, fat level or recipe can change the result. Per 100 g:
| Per 100 g | Calories | Protein | Sat. fat | Sugars | Fiber | Nutri-Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frozen Yogurt | 127 | 3 g | 2.3 g | 20 g | 0 g | C |
| Ice Cream | 207 | 3.5 g | 6.8 g | 21 g | 0.7 g | D |
| Sorbet | 127 | 0.5 g | 0.3 g | 28 g | 0.5 g | C |
| Soft-serve ice cream | 170 | 4 g | 4 g | 22 g | 0 g | D |
*Data and sources
- Frozen yogurts, flavors other than chocolate — USDA FDC 168105 (SR Legacy; published 4/1/2019).
- Ice creams, vanilla — USDA FDC 167575 (SR Legacy; published 4/1/2019).
Retrieved 2 October 2026. USDA composition is per 100 g; drink values per 100 ml use the record’s measured household weight, with the USDA customary cup of 236.6 ml. Displayed cup servings remain 240 ml. Carbohydrate includes fiber on this US site; salt is sodium × 2.5. The food records are historical reference values, not current brand guarantees.
WHO guideline on free sugars: honey, syrups and fruit-juice sugars count as free sugars. WHO guideline on saturated and trans fats: consider replacing saturated fat with unsaturated fat.
FAQ
Which has fewer calories, frozen yogurt or ice cream?
Frozen yogurt: 127 kcal vs 207 kcal per 100 g. In a typical serving that's 152 kcal for frozen yogurt (serving, 120 g) and 137 kcal for ice cream (USDA reference serving, no cone, 66 g).
Is frozen yogurt or ice cream better for weight loss?
No single food makes you gain or lose weight — the day's total does. Gram for gram, frozen yogurt is the lighter pick (127 kcal vs 207 kcal per 100 g). The portion usually matters more: a typical serving of frozen yogurt (serving, 120 g) is 152 kcal, of ice cream (USDA reference serving, no cone, 66 g) 137 kcal.
Which has more protein, frozen yogurt or ice cream?
About the same: frozen yogurt 3 g, ice cream 3.5 g per 100 g. Per typical serving: 3.6 g for frozen yogurt (serving, 120 g) and 2.3 g for ice cream (USDA reference serving, no cone, 66 g).
Which has less sugar, frozen yogurt or ice cream?
About the same: frozen yogurt 20 g, ice cream 21 g per 100 g. A typical serving has 24 g of sugars for frozen yogurt and 14 g for ice cream.
Which is better for your heart, frozen yogurt or ice cream?
On saturated fat, the nutrient heart-health guidelines ask us to limit, frozen yogurt comes out ahead: 2.3 g vs 6.8 g per 100 g.
Log it and see your day
In Calories Not Count every food gets a Nutri-Score grade, a sugar–salt–fat–fiber traffic light, fair same-calorie swaps and the minutes of movement it costs for your weight and your activities — no scale needed. Goals like lower sugar, more protein or more omega-3 can be set in the diary, and swaps there are ranked for that goal.
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