Americans love their frozen desserts, with ice cream leading the charge. Deliciously cold and refreshing, there are few things more satisfying on a hot summer day. Americans are the world-leaders in ice cream consumption, with the average person eating approximately 48 pints a year.

In the early 1980s, ice cream makers introduced a “healthier” ice cream alternative: frozen yogurt. Frozen yogurt stores began popping up throughout the nation. Currently, a 1.9 billion dollar industry, there are close to 3,000 frozen yogurt retailers throughout the country.

Sadly, commercial frozen yogurt is nothing more than a highly-processed, sugar-laden product. In the quest for a healthier option to ice cream, many people are unknowingly consuming loads of bone-depleting sugar, refined sweeteners, and artificial additives.

But don’t worry! Here at the Save Institute, we don’t believe in deprivation. There are plenty of ways to enjoy this cold, delicious treat without the all of the bone-harming effects.

Today I share with you one of our favorite frozen yogurt recipes, including bone-healthy ideas on how to serve it. The best part? It can be whipped up in minutes simply using a blender! So why not enjoy this super creamy, incredibly flavorful, bone-building treat? But first, let’s take a closer look at the toxic ingredients found in commercial “fro-yo.”

Toxic Ingredients Lurking In Commercial Frozen Yogurt

Unlike plain yogurt, which is made with only milk and live bacteria cultures, commercial frozen yogurt is chock full of bone-destroying preservatives, artificial colors and flavors, and refined sugars. Here are some of the typical ingredients in store-bought frozen yogurt:

Sugar: This bone-destroying ingredient damages your immune system, your brain cells, and robs your bones of minerals.

High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS): Made from genetically modified corn, studies have shown HFCS to be even more toxic than sugar.¹ This sweetener is packed with “unbound” fructose and glucose molecules that can cause tissue damage, contributing to heart disease², fatty liver disease³, diabetes⁴, and obesity.

Soybean Oil And Palm Oil With TBHQ: Soybean oil is nearly always genetically modified. Further, TBHQ, an additive used to preserve unsaturated vegetable oils, is also found in cosmetics, perfumes, varnishes, and lacquers to maintain stability.

Soy Lecithin: This ubiquitous additive in food is genetically modified and is used as an emulsifier to give products a smooth, uniform appearance.

Guar Guam: This thickening agent is a fiber from guar beans. While that sounds harmless enough, it feeds the bad bacteria in your gut, as well as causing GI distress. Guar gum swells in the gut often giving the sensation of a bloated abdomen.

Propylene Glycol: A food thickener, stabilizer, and emulsifier, it is derived from alginic acid esterified and combined with petroleum-derived propylene oxide. This “solvent” is used antifreeze and de-icers and should not be ingested by humans.

Carrageenan: Also a food thickener and emulsifier, this additive is void of any nutritional value and is highly inflammatory.

Artificial Color, Including Yellow #5, Yellow #6, Red #40: Artificial dyes are usually derived from coal tar. They are carcinogenic, cause hyperactivity in children, and have many more undesirable side effects.

Natural Flavors: The best-kept secret of the food industry is the term “natural flavors”. The term can encompass anywhere from 50-100 ingredients that the FDA deems “generally recognized as safe” or GRAS. There is nothing natural about these flavors.

A Bone-Smart Alternative

Highly acidifying, full of hormones, and overly processed, milk and cream are not recommended in the Osteoporosis Reversal Program. These dairy products acidify the blood pH and actually cause bone loss. In fact, studies have shown a clear link between dairy consumption and increased fracture risk.⁶

The good news is that there is an alternative. Savers know that fermented and cultured dairy, such as yogurt, kefir, and sour cream are all acceptable alkalizing options. In fact, yogurt is a Foundation Food in the Save our Bones Program, since it is a rich source of calcium, as well as zinc, potassium, Vitamins B2, B5, and B12. Additionally, yogurt is full of bacteria, or probiotics, which are good for your gut, immune system, and much more. The antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of probiotics help them to increase bone density, as well.⁷

Keep in mind that sweetened yogurt contains large amounts of bone-depleting sugar. Be certain to only use plain yogurt, preferably organic from grass-fed cows. While it still contains a small amount of sugar, it is the naturally occurring sugar as a result of lactose from the milk. Fortunately, the healthy bacteria in the yogurt eat lactose, thus reducing the amount in half.

The following recipe is an easy, bone-healthy alternative to commercial ice cream or frozen yogurt. All you need is a high-speed blender and a few bone-building ingredients to whip up this delicious treat.

Don’t Stop At Just The Yogurt

Once the frozen yogurt is made, there are a plethora of bone-nourishing toppings that you can add for additional crunch on top. Sprinkle with some flax seeds, almonds, or pumpkin seeds, all of which are Foundation Foods in the Osteoporosis Reversal Program.

Homemade frozen yogurt is also an excellent addition to this bone-healthy cake recipe. Better yet, surprise your loved ones with a breakfast of pancakes topped with frozen yogurt.

One of my favorite ways to enjoy frozen yogurt is as a Broiled Banana Split. Bananas are a delicious, bone-healthy food, rich in bone-smart nutrients, including Vitamin B6, Potassium, and Magnesium. This fiber-rich fruit also boosts calcium absorption.

To make a Broiled Banana Split, simply cut a banana lengthwise and place in on a pan. Brush the banana with a small amount of melted coconut oil, drizzle a bit of honey, sprinkle with cinnamon, and broil for 3-4 minutes. Then, top with your prepared frozen yogurt and any additional toppings mentioned above.

Food Can Be Bone-Healthy And Easy To Prepare!

As you can see, eating your way to strong, healthy bones does not have to be tedious and time-consuming. Often, our food choices are habitual. Interestingly, a recent study found that people who ate ice cream frequently enjoyed it less as time passed. The researchers found that the added sugar and fat in ice cream alters the reward center of the brain, making it less pleasurable. The body, in response, tries to eat more to achieve the same desired response. The study concluded that ice cream shared the same addictive qualities as drugs like cocaine.⁸

Savers will be glad to know that there are easy ways to enjoy a large variety of foods without the bone-depleting harm. In Bone Appétit, there are over 200 pH-balanced recipes, so you will be able to create scrumptious meals and treats while building your bones.

And while you have your blender out, Bone Appétit also includes the Blender Magic bonus. It contains 30 bone-healthy, alkalizing smoothie recipes that you can whip up in minutes.

If you don’t have it yet, click here to get more details on Bone Appétit, Blender Magic, and more.

Eat Your Way to Stronger Bones!

Discover over 200 mouth-watering bone healthy recipes for breakfast, smoothies, appetizers, soups, salads, vegetarian dishes, fish, and plenty of main courses and even desserts!

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Till next time,

References

¹ Ruff JS., et al. Compared to Sucrose, Previous Consumption of Fructose and Glucose Monosaccharides Reduces Survival and Fitness of Female Mice. Journal of Nutrition. 2015. 145(3), 434-441. Web: https://jn.nutrition.org/content/145/3/434.full

² Stanhope KL., et al. A dose-response study of consuming high-fructose corn syrup–sweetened beverages on lipid/lipoprotein risk factors for cardiovascular disease in young adults. Am J Clin Nutr2015. 1-11. Web: https://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/early/2015/04/22/ajcn.114.100461.full.pdf

³ Basaranoglu M., Basaranoglu G., Bugianesi E., Carbohydrate intake and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: fructose as a weapon of mass destruction. Hepatobiliary Surg Nutr. 2015. 4(2). 109-116. Web: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4405421/

⁴ Goran MI, Ulijaszek SJ, Ventura EE. High fructose corn syrup and diabetes prevalence: A global perspective. Global Public Health. 2012. 1-10. Web: https://www.cinnamonvogue.com/DOWNLOADS/High%20Fructose%20Corn%20Syrup%20and%20Diabetes.pdf

⁵ Potera C. Diet and Nutrition: The Artificial Food Dye Blues. Environ Health Perspect. 2010 Oct; 118(10): A428. Web: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2957945/

⁶ Michaelsson K. Milk intake and risk of mortality and fractures in women and men: cohort studies. BMJ 2014; 349. Web: https://www.bmj.com/content/349/bmj.g6015

⁷ McCabe, Laura, et al. “Probiotic use decreases intestinal inflammation and increases bone density in healthy male but not female mice.” Journal of Cellular Physiology. DOI: 10.1002/jcp.24340. Web. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jcp.24340/abstract

⁸ Burger KS, Stice E., Frequent ice cream consumption is associated with reduced striatal response to receipt of an ice cream–based milkshake. American Journal Clin Nutr. 2012. 95(4) 810-817. Web: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3302359/