July 28--It's hot, and you're in the mood for a sweet treat.
But if you're counting calories or concerned about sugar, should you reach for the shaved ice or the frozen yogurt? Is all ice cream off limits?
Occasional indulgences aren't a problem for most, but if you are counting calories or watching sugar intake, there are ways to make those treats slightly healthier.
Iced mocha
Coffee fans don't need to give up their favorites just because it's hot outside. Iced mochas and other coffee drinks help caffeine junkies cool down while getting their fix.
But how do those drinks compare with other summer treats? Pretty well. A Starbucks 16-ounce Caffe Mocha made with 2 percent milk and whipped cream delivers 8 grams of saturated fat and 330 calories, according to starbucks.com.
Make it healthier: Skip the whipped cream and opt for lower-fat milk. The same 16-ounce drink made with nonfat milk and sans whipped cream has just .5 grams of saturated fat and 220 calories.
Not half bad for a chocolate treat.
Milkshake
These thick, creamy treats are not the best choice for the health-conscious. A large hot fudge shake at Dairy Queen packs 1,220 calories -- the equivalent of three Deluxe Cheeseburgers.
Make it healthier: Go small. A small hot fudge shake has half the calories of its large counterpart. At 610 calories, it's still not the healthiest, but when you really want ice cream, who cares?
Consider the flavors as well; a small Dairy Queen chocolate shake has 100 more calories than a small strawberry shake.
Ice cream
Sweet, smooth, luscious -- and full of calories and sugar. But what is summer without a bit of ice cream?
Austin Humphries, who has worked at Baskin Robbins in Twin Falls for two years, said customers often ask about the nutritional profiles of the store's ice cream, sherbets, sorbets and frozen yogurts.
"People ask about sugar the most," he said. He directs them to no-sugar-added flavors like Cabana Berry Banana. For those concerned about calories, a binder behind the counter holds nutritional information on most of the treats.
Al Cantu brings his 8-year-old daughter, Kaydee, to Baskin Robbins once or twice a week for a treat. Her favorite: peanut butter chocolate ice cream (320 calories per scoop) in a chocolate waffle cone. Al isn't too concerned about the calories, he said, and lets her splurge.
"I like how it's really chocolately," Cantu said.
Make it healthier: Consider skipping the cone and asking for a bowl instead. A Baskin Robbins plain waffle cone contains 160 calories and 4 grams of fat.
And consider the flavors. A 4-ounce scoop of mint chocolate chip contains 16 grams of fat, 10 of which are saturated. That's half of the daily recommended saturated fat for adults on a 2,000-calorie daily diet.
Frozen yogurt
Frogurt fans have a new place to score in Twin Falls.
Local business Kiwi Loco, which opened in April, uses YoCream brand yogurt to fill its dispensers. The Oregon-based manufacturer offers dozens of flavors, several of which rotate through Kiwi Loco's lineup. Last Thursday, offerings included Premium Red Velvet Cake, Nonfat Root Beer Float, Nonfat Euro Tart and Non-dairy Mango Tango Sorbet. The website kiwilocoyogurt.com lists daily flavor rotations.
Owner Doug Burch fields many inquiries about his yogurt's contents. A lot of people ask about sugar, gluten and dairy content, he said, while a few others ask about calories or live yogurt cultures. On any given day, the store offers at least one dairy-free sorbet, one sugar-free variety and one gluten-free "tart" flavor. And while the store switches out flavors regularly, employees keep the peanut flavor contained in one machine so those with nut allergies can avoid cross-contamination, Burch said.
Make it healthier: Calorie counters, fear not the froyo. Nearly all of the yogurt offerings come in at under 140 calories for a half-cup serving, with several under 100. If you're hyperconcerned about calories and plan to eat more than half a cup, though, stick with the nonfat and tart flavors and avoid those with the "premium" prefix.
"There's quite a bit of difference as far as those go," Burch said.
When it comes to toppings at Kiwi Loco, think fruit and nuts. Stay away from fatty add-ins like cookie dough and Oreos and opt for fruits and nuts like blueberries, raspberries, sliced almonds or dry coconut.
"We fresh cut all of our strawberries during the day, and that is by and far our most popular topping," Burch said.
Shaved ice
Sugary flavored syrup on ice -- how can you go wrong?
Snoasis employees Lauren Chandler and Mikayla Harris said they often field inquiries about sugar content, but not as much about calories.
Outside the Blue Lakes Boulevard stand in Twin Falls, Tyler Bringhurst ate his Tiger's Blood shaved ice, alternating between slurping it with a straw and spooning it into his mouth.
"It feels good on a hot day," Bringhurst said.
Make it healthier: Shaved ice is flavored with sugary syrup, so if you're concerned but want to partake in the frosty treat, get a smaller size, or find a booth -- like Snoasis -- that offers up sugar-free varieties.
Smoothies
Between fast-food restaurants and coffee shops, there are plenty of smoothie choices in Magic Valley. But customers are hard-pressed to find smoothies made the old-fashioned way -- from milk, yogurt and chunks of fresh fruit.
Drink-wise, though, you could do a lot worse than ordering a smoothie. A large Strawberry Banana Real Fruit Smoothie from McDonalds has fewer calories -- 330 -- than a small Triple Thick strawberry shake, which has 420. (The large smoothie, however, has 70 grams of sugar. Ouch.)
Make it healthier: Know that just because a smoothie says "fruit" or "real fruit" doesn't mean it isn't from a mix with pureed fruit and preservatives. If you're concerned about fillers, ask about ingredients.
Or just break out the blender at home.
Melissa Davlin may be reached at mdavlin@magicvalley.com or 735-3234.
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