What’s in That Low-Fat Frozen Yogurt?
Are there trans fats in your frozen yogurt? Nutrition Diva has the answer most frozen yogurt shop employees won’t.
Monica Reinagel, MS, LD/N, CNS
Q. Thanks for your recent episode on frozen yogurt. We have lots of frozen yogurt shops where I live and I used to eat a lot of it. But for some reason the consistency makes me think there might be trans fats in there. I tried asking employees and emailing the company for nutritional information, but I got no answer. I am hoping you will be more successful!
A. I wouldn’t expect employees to know much about the ingredients of their products but I’ve had no trouble finding complete ingredient lists on the websites of most of the big chains. Here’s a typical example of the ingredients in a low-fat vanilla frozen yogurt from a national chain:
Whole Milk, Skim Milk, Condensed Skim Milk, Sugar, Corn Syrup, Polydextrose, Contains 2% or less of: Vanilla Extract, Natural Flavors, Natural Cream Flavor, Annatto, Vitamins A & D, Stabilizer and Emulsifier (Propylene Glycol Monoesters, Mono & Diglycerides, Guar Gum, Cellulose Gum, Carrageenan), Disodium Phosphate, Whey, Calcium Carbonate).Milk cultured with the following live active cultures: B. lactis, L. acidophilus, L. bulgaricus, L. lactis, L. casei, S. thermophilus, L. rhamnosus.
There are no hydrogenated vegetable oils or trans fats in here. The fat in this yogurt (about 2g per ½ cup) comes primarily from the whole milk, and is a mix of saturated and unsaturated fats. I think the consistency you’re noticing is more likely due to the ingredients like guar gum, cellulose, or carageenan, which manufacturers use in low and non-fat products to fake the creamy mouth-feel of higher-fat products.
Related reading: What are Trans Fats?
Frozen Yogurt photo from Shutterstock.
About the Author
Monica Reinagel is a board-certified licensed nutritionist, author, and the creator of one of iTunes’ most highly ranked health and fitness podcasts. Her advice is regularly featured on the TODAY show, Dr. Oz, NPR, and in the nation’s leading newspapers, magazines, and websites. Do you have a nutrition question? Call the Nutrition Diva listener line at 443-961-6206. Your question could be featured on the show.