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Frozen Yogurt vs. Soft Serve — What's the Difference?

Article author photo Sveta Badalyan by Sveta Badalyan | Last updated on November 15, 2023
Medically reviewed by Elen Khachatrian Article author photo Elen Khachatrian
Frozen yogurt
vs
Soft serve

Summary

Soft serve has more choline and vitamins A, E, K, and B5. Soft serve also provides more net carbs and monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, whereas frozen yogurt has more dietary fiber.

 Frozen yogurt, on the other hand, is high in iron and provides fewer calories, net carbs, cholesterol, and saturated fats.

Introduction

Frozen yogurt and soft serve are frozen desserts with distinct tastes, textures, and nutrient content differences. In this article, we will discuss differences.

Taste and Appearance

Soft serve ice cream has air added to it. Ice cream with less air tastes heavyicy, and looks more yellow. Ice cream with more air tastes creamier, smoother, and lighter and looks whiter. Usually, the best air content should be between 33 and 45 percent of the total space

The consistency of frozen yogurt is lighter and airier than gelato, defined by its rich and velvety texture. Depending on the taste and any other ingredients, frozen yogurt can appear in a range of colors. White is a color for plain or vanilla-flavored frozen yogurt, while different colors are available for fruit-flavored choices. Light pink for strawberry, light green for key lime, and other hues for other fruit tastes are possible.

The portions of frozen yogurt and soft serve might differ based on the place and the serving. These are commonly in sizes like small, medium, and big.

Ingredients

Soft serve is a frozen dairy product. It is a heat-treated mixture of milk, cream, milk solids, sugars, stabilizers, emulsifiers, and flavorings. Soft serve usually has less fat than ice cream. 

Unlike soft serve, frozen yogurt is made from milk solids, a sweetener, milk fat, yogurt culture, and sometimes added flavors and colors(natural or artificial). 

Yogurt's fat content is low relative to its other ingredients. Adding fat makes the yogurt taste richer. Milk solids contribute to its sweetness and smoothness and help the yogurt resist melting. Sugar adds sweetness and helps increase the amount of solid ingredients in the yogurt. Gelatin and vegetable additives are added to yogurt to stabilize and prevent it from becoming crystal. 

Probiotics

Probiotics are living bacteria that are good for your body. These organisms are already in your body and can benefit your gut health. 

Frozen yogurt contains two common bacteria: Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus. They may also include Bifidobacterium spp.,  Lactobacillus acidophilus, and Lactobacillus casei.

Taste and Use

Frozen yogurt is like ice cream - it is smooth and creamy. It usually tastes tangy and slightly sour. The taste of the food can be different depending on the brand and the extras added. Some frozen yogurts taste more like yogurt, while others taste sweeter and fruity. Frozen yogurt shops have different toppings, such as fresh fruits, chocolate chips, sprinkles, or almonds.

Soft-serve is a type of ice cream that is smoother, creamier, and lighter in texture compared to regular ice cream. The taste of the final product changes based on how much air is present. Soft-serve ice cream usually tastes sweeter and milder than regular ice cream. Usually, it starts with a taste of vanilla, but sometimes you can also find different flavors like chocolate, strawberry, or a mix of various flavors. You can eat soft-serve ice cream alone or add toppings, candies, and sauces to make it taste better.

Nutrition

In the infographics below, you will find nutritional information for 100g servings of frozen yogurt and soft serve.

Macronutrients and Calories

Soft serve is a little denser. Soft serve has 60% water, whereas frozen yogurt has 74%. Soft serve is high in fats, protein, carbs, and calories

Macronutrient Comparison

Macronutrient breakdown side-by-side comparison
3% 4% 22% 71%
Protein: 3 g
Fats: 3.6 g
Carbs: 21.6 g
Water: 71.2 g
Other: 0.6 g
4% 13% 22% 60%
Protein: 4.1 g
Fats: 13 g
Carbs: 22.2 g
Water: 59.8 g
Other: 0.9 g
Contains more WaterWater +19.1%
Contains more ProteinProtein +36.7%
Contains more FatsFats +261.1%
Contains more OtherOther +50%
~equal in Carbs ~22.2g

Calories

Soft serve is significantly higher in calories, providing almost twice as many calories per every 100g serving. In a 100g serving, frozen yogurt and soft serve contain 127 and 222 calories, respectively.

Protein

Soft serve has slightly more protein content compared to frozen yogurt. In a 100g serving, frozen yogurt and soft serve contain 3g and 4.1g, respectively.

Fats

Soft serve provides 4 times more total fats compared to frozen yogurt. A hundred grams of soft serve has 13g of fat content. while frozen yogurt contains only 3.6 grams of fat.

 Soft serve has higher monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, whereas frozen yogurt has over 4 times less saturated fats. In a 100g serving, frozen yogurt and soft serve contain 2.3g and 7.46g saturated fat, respectively.

Fat Type Comparison

Fat type breakdown side-by-side comparison
68% 29% 3%
Saturated Fat: Sat. Fat 2.326 g
Monounsaturated Fat: Mono. Fat 0.986 g
Polyunsaturated fat: Poly. Fat 0.1 g
65% 31% 4%
Saturated Fat: Sat. Fat 7.46 g
Monounsaturated Fat: Mono. Fat 3.49 g
Polyunsaturated fat: Poly. Fat 0.46 g
Contains less Sat. FatSaturated Fat -68.8%
Contains more Mono. FatMonounsaturated Fat +254%
Contains more Poly. FatPolyunsaturated fat +360%

Cholesterol

Frozen yogurt has over 7 times less cholesterol compared to soft serve. A hundred grams of frozen yogurt has 13mg of cholesterol, whereas soft serve provides 91mg.

Carbohydrates

100g of soft serve contains  22.2g of carbohydrates, of which 0.7g are dietary fiber and 21.5g are net carbs.

100g of frozen yogurt contains 21.6g of carbohydrates, all are net carbs.

 A hundred grams of frozen yogurt has 12.61 grams of sugar, whereas soft serve contains 21.16 grams.

Carbohydrate type comparison

Carbohydrate type breakdown side-by-side comparison

Vitamins

Soft serve is higher in most vitamins, providing 35 times more vitamin A7.7 times more vitamin E, three times more vitamin K, and overall more vitamins C, D, and B5.

Vitamin Comparison

Vitamin comparison score is based on the number of vitamins by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" charts below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food.
Vitamin C Vit. C Vitamin A Vit. A Vitamin E Vit. E Vitamin D Vit. D Vitamin B1 Vit. B1 Vitamin B2 Vit. B2 Vitamin B3 Vit. B3 Vitamin B5 Vit. B5 Vitamin B6 Vit. B6 Vitamin B12 Vit. B12 Vitamin K Vit. K Folate Folate Choline Choline 2.3% 11% 1.8% 3% 10% 42% 1.3% 0% 9.2% 8.8% 0.75% 3% 13%
Vitamin C Vit. C Vitamin A Vit. A Vitamin E Vit. E Vitamin D Vit. D Vitamin B1 Vit. B1 Vitamin B2 Vit. B2 Vitamin B3 Vit. B3 Vitamin B5 Vit. B5 Vitamin B6 Vit. B6 Vitamin B12 Vit. B12 Vitamin K Vit. K Folate Folate Choline Choline 2.7% 35% 12% 21% 12% 42% 1.8% 30% 11% 63% 2.3% 6.8% 14%
Contains more Vitamin CVitamin C +14.3%
Contains more Vitamin AVitamin A +234.7%
Contains more Vitamin E Vitamin E +577.8%
Contains more Vitamin DVitamin D +600%
Contains more Vitamin B1Vitamin B1 +22.5%
Contains more Vitamin B3Vitamin B3 +35.7%
Contains more Vitamin B6Vitamin B6 +20%
Contains more Vitamin B12Vitamin B12 +614.3%
Contains more Vitamin KVitamin K +200%
Contains more FolateFolate +125%
Contains more CholineCholine +12.6%
~equal in Vitamin B2 ~0.182mg

Minerals

Soft serve provides higher potassium, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, copper, zinc, and selenium levels.

In addition, soft serve has over eight times more choline

At the same time, frozen yogurt is higher in iron.

Mineral Comparison

Mineral comparison score is based on the number of minerals by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" charts below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food.
Magnesium Magnesium Calcium Calcium Potassium Potassium Iron Iron Copper Copper Zinc Zinc Phosphorus Phosphorus Sodium Sodium Manganese Manganese Selenium Selenium 7.1% 30% 14% 17% 3% 7.6% 38% 8.2% 0% 10%
Magnesium Magnesium Calcium Calcium Potassium Potassium Iron Iron Copper Copper Zinc Zinc Phosphorus Phosphorus Sodium Sodium Manganese Manganese Selenium Selenium 8.6% 39% 16% 7.9% 10% 14% 50% 8% 0.65% 16%
Contains more IronIron +119%
Contains more MagnesiumMagnesium +20%
Contains more CalciumCalcium +31%
Contains more PotassiumPotassium +13.5%
Contains more CopperCopper +233.3%
Contains more ZincZinc +85.7%
Contains more PhosphorusPhosphorus +30.3%
Contains more SeleniumSelenium +57.9%
~equal in Sodium ~61mg

Glycemic Index

The glycemic index of frozen yogurt is 51. Soft serve has a glycemic index level of 79. That means frozen yogurt is low-GI food, whereas soft serve is high-GI food.

Acidity

The quantity of acid or base created by foods inside the body is known as the PRAL or potential renal acid load. Frozen yogurt has a PRAL level of -3.3. The PRAL level of soft serve is 0.6

Based on the potential renal acid load (PRAL), frozen yogurt is alkaline-forming, whereas soft serve is acid-forming.

Weight Loss & Diets

Frozen yogurt containing fewer calories per serving might be the better choice for a low-calorie diet. 

Between these two, frozen yogurt is the better choice for low-fat and low-glycemic-index diets. 

Health Impact

Diabetes

People with diabetes should choose frozen yogurt over soft serve because frozen yogurt has a lower glycemic index. When you eat something with a low glycemic index, it helps to keep your insulin levels from quickly rising. Low-GI diets may help with glycemic control and weight loss (1).

  Allergy

Dairy products may contain allergens. Frozen yogurt and soft serve have cow’s milk protein, so it will be good to stay away from them (2).

If you have a milk allergy, your immune system perceives the protein in milk as dangerous, similar to a bacteria or virus. 

  Lactose Intolerance

Different brands and recipes have different amounts of lactose in their soft serve and frozen yogurt. They contain 2-6 g lactose in ½ cup (3 ). If you are lactose-intolerant, you should avoid frozen yogurt and soft serve. Lactose-intolerant individuals lack the enzyme lactase. Lactase is an enzyme that digests lactose, a sugar in milk and dairy products. As a result, persons who are lactose intolerant cannot digest frozen yogurt and soft serve. They may feel nausea, cramping, gas, bloating, and diarrhea, but it is not fatal (4)(5).

Gut health

Probiotic (health-promoting) bacteria such as Bifidobacterium spp. and Lb. Acidophilus may added to frozen yogurt by some processors. Both can become resident in the human gastrointestinal system, may aid digestion, particularly lactose processing, and displace potentially hazardous bacteria. Additionally, as nutrition for the probiotic bacteria, 'prebiotics' such as inulin may be included in the product (6).

Cardiovascular health

Saturated fats can raise LDL cholesterol levels and increase plasma cholesterol. Elevated plasma cholesterol levels may be a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases.

Because soft serve is high in saturated fats, frozen yogurt may be a good option for cardiovascular health (7).

Article author photo Sveta Badalyan
Education: General Medicine at YSMU
Last updated: November 15, 2023
Medically reviewed by Elen Khachatrian

Infographic

Frozen yogurt vs Soft serve infographic
Infographic link

Comparison summary table

Pay attention to the rightmost column. It displays the amounts side by side, giving a clearer understanding of the difference.
Frozen yogurt Soft serve
Rich in minerals ok
Lower in Sodium ok
Rich in vitamins ok
Lower in Cholesterol ok
Lower in Sugar ok
Lower in Saturated Fat ok
Lower in Glycemic Index ok
Lower in price Equal

All nutrients comparison - raw data values

Nutrient Frozen yogurt Soft serve Opinion
Calories 127kcal 222kcal Soft serve
Protein 3g 4.1g Soft serve
Fats 3.6g 13g Soft serve
Vitamin C 0.7mg 0.8mg Soft serve
Net carbs 21.6g 21.5g Frozen yogurt
Carbs 21.6g 22.2g Soft serve
Cholesterol 13mg 91mg Frozen yogurt
Vitamin D 3IU 29IU Soft serve
Magnesium 10mg 12mg Soft serve
Calcium 100mg 131mg Soft serve
Potassium 156mg 177mg Soft serve
Iron 0.46mg 0.21mg Frozen yogurt
Sugar 19.92g 21.16g Frozen yogurt
Fiber 0g 0.7g Soft serve
Copper 0.009mg 0.03mg Soft serve
Zinc 0.28mg 0.52mg Soft serve
Phosphorus 89mg 116mg Soft serve
Sodium 63mg 61mg Soft serve
Vitamin A 176IU 589IU Soft serve
Vitamin A RAE 49µg 162µg Soft serve
Vitamin E 0.09mg 0.61mg Soft serve
Vitamin D 0.1µg 0.7µg Soft serve
Manganese 0.005mg Soft serve
Selenium 1.9µg 3µg Soft serve
Vitamin B1 0.04mg 0.049mg Soft serve
Vitamin B2 0.18mg 0.182mg Soft serve
Vitamin B3 0.07mg 0.095mg Soft serve
Vitamin B5 0.506mg Soft serve
Vitamin B6 0.04mg 0.048mg Soft serve
Vitamin B12 0.07µg 0.5µg Soft serve
Vitamin K 0.3µg 0.9µg Soft serve
Folate 4µg 9µg Soft serve
Choline 23.1mg 26mg Soft serve
Saturated Fat 2.326g 7.46g Frozen yogurt
Monounsaturated Fat 0.986g 3.49g Soft serve
Polyunsaturated fat 0.1g 0.46g Soft serve
Tryptophan 0.048mg Soft serve
Threonine 0.169mg Soft serve
Isoleucine 0.215mg Soft serve
Leucine 0.353mg Soft serve
Lysine 0.296mg Soft serve
Methionine 0.091mg Soft serve
Phenylalanine 0.176mg Soft serve
Valine 0.241mg Soft serve
Histidine 0.099mg Soft serve

Which food is preferable for your diet?

ok
ok
is better in case of low diet
Frozen yogurt Soft serve
Low Calories diet ok
Low Fats diet ok
Low Carbs diet ok
Low Glycemic Index diet ok

People also compare

Vitamins & Minerals Daily Need Coverage Score

The summary scores indicate the extent to which this food can fulfill your daily vitamin and mineral requirements if you consume 3 servings, consisting of 100 grams of each (an approximation of 3 serving sizes).
Vitamins Daily Need Coverage Score
8%
Frozen yogurt
20%
Soft serve
Minerals Daily Need Coverage Score
14%
Frozen yogurt
17%
Soft serve

Comparison summary

Which food is richer in minerals?
Soft serve
Soft serve is relatively richer in minerals
Which food contains less Sodium?
Soft serve
Soft serve contains less Sodium (difference - 2mg)
Which food is richer in vitamins?
Soft serve
Soft serve is relatively richer in vitamins
Which food is lower in Cholesterol?
Frozen yogurt
Frozen yogurt is lower in Cholesterol (difference - 78mg)
Which food is lower in Sugar?
Frozen yogurt
Frozen yogurt is lower in Sugar (difference - 1.24g)
Which food is lower in Saturated Fat?
Frozen yogurt
Frozen yogurt is lower in Saturated Fat (difference - 5.134g)
Which food is lower in glycemic index?
Frozen yogurt
Frozen yogurt is lower in glycemic index (difference - 28)
Which food is cheaper?
?
The foods are relatively equal in price ($)

References

All the values for which the sources are not specified explicitly are taken from FDA’s Food Central. The exact link to the food presented on this page can be found below.

  1. Frozen yogurt - https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/168105/nutrients
  2. Soft serve - https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/173465/nutrients

All the Daily Values are presented for males aged 31-50, for 2000-calorie diets.

Data provided by FoodStruct.com should be considered and used as information only. Please consult your physician before beginning any diet.