If you love indulging in sweet treats, you might be familiar with Yasso bars, or most of you have probably eaten them.
Yasso bars are a frozen dessert made from a blend of milk and nonfat Greek yogurt. They are often marketed as a healthier alternative to traditional ice cream bars due to their low-calorie content.
And while Yasso bars are available in various delicious flavors, are they healthy for you?
Short answer: Yasso bars are not very healthy for you due to their high sugar content and highly processed ingredients like cornstarch, maltodextrin and oils. However, they are moderate source of protein and free from artificial ingredients and, therefore, a better alternative than regular ice cream.
Let’s dive deeper into Yasso bars, including their ingredients, sugar and protein content and more.
Also read: Is Noosa Yoghurt Healthy? Everything You Need To Know
What are the ingredients in Yasso bars?
The exact ingredients in Yasso bar vary depending on the flavor. In general, they are made up of Nonfat milk, Greek yogurt, and sugar as the main ingredient.
Here are some of the common ingredients that you would find in most of the flavor:
Nonfat milk: It is a type of milk that has been processed to remove all fat. It is also known as skim milk and is lower in calories.
Greek yogurt: It is made from milk that has been strained to remove the whey. Yasso bars use nonfat milk prepared Greek yogurt.
Sugar: Sugar is one of the main ingredients in Yasso bars. It has been used in many forms, including regular sugar, confectioner’s sugar, powdered sugar, and inverted cane sugar.
Milk protein concentrate: It is a dried form of milk specially added to increase the protein content of Yasso bars.
Maltodextrin: It is a white powdery substance derived from starch. It is used as a thickening agent or stabilizer in processed foods.
Natural flavor: Yasso uses natural flavors among its bars. However, the ingredients label does not disclose what these natural flavors are.
Locust bean gum: It is an ingredient derived from the carob tree and used as a thickening agent or stabilizer in food products. It helps to make the ice cream smoother and creamier and keeps it from melting too quickly.
Guar gum: It is a type of fiber obtained from the guar bean. It is commonly used as a stabilizer that helps improve the bars’ texture and quality.
How much sugar is in Yasso bars?
Yasso bars are high in sugar containing 12-16g per serving(62g) depending on the flavor. About 70% of the total sugar in Yasso bars is added sugar.
Among all the flavors, pistachio brittle has the least sugar(12g per serving), while sea salt caramel has the highest sugar(16g per serving).
The added sugar in Yasso bars often comes from chocolate chips, caramel swirls, cake chunks, and other ingredients.
According to American Heart Association, men should limit their sugar intake to 36g(9 teaspoons) a day, while women should limit it to 24g(6 teaspoons).
Consuming just a single serving(62g) of the Yasso bars can exhaust up to 44% of the daily sugar limit for men and 66% for women.
Here is a table showing the sugar content of each Yasso bars flavor:
| Yasso bars flavor | Added sugar(g) | Total sugar(g) |
|---|---|---|
| Chocolate chip cookie dough | 9 | 13 |
| Birthday cake | 9 | 13 |
| Chocolate fudge | 8 | 12 |
| Fudge brownie | 10 | 13 |
| Mint chocolate chip | 9 | 13 |
| Sea salt caramel | 12 | 16 |
| Coffee chocolate chip | 9 | 13 |
| Pistachio brittle | 7 | 12 |
| Cookies n cream | 9 | 13 |
| Chocolate peanut butter chip | 9 | 12 |
| Black raspberry chip | 10 | 14 |
Are Yasso bars a good source of protein?
Yasso bars are a moderate source of protein, providing 5g per serving (62g). The Chocolate Fudge flavor is the only one that contains 6g of protein per serving.
The protein content in Yasso bars comes from the Nonfat milk and milk protein concentrate. Compared to regular ice cream, Yasso bars contain 150% more protein.
Are Yasso bars good for muscle building? Although the amount of protein in Yasso bar is not significantly high, it can still be eaten on a muscle-building diet.
Here is the comparison of the protein content of Yasso bars to other popular ice cream brands.
| Brands | Serving size(g) | Protein(g) |
|---|---|---|
| Yasso bars | 62 | 5-6 |
| Halo top | varying | 5-6 |
| Keto pint | 58 | 3 |
| Skinny cow | 74 | 3-4 |
Are Yasso bars a good source of calcium?
Yasso bars are a good source of calcium, providing 130 to 150mg per serving, depending on the flavor. That’s about 13 to 15% of the daily need for average adults.
On average, Yasso bars have 40 to 50% more calcium than regular ice cream.
Here is a table showing the calcium content of each Yasso bars flavor:
| Yasso bars flavor | Calcium(mg) |
|---|---|
| Chocolate chip cookie dough | 130 |
| Birthday cake | 150 |
| Chocolate fudge | 150 |
| Fudge brownie | 130 |
| Mint chocolate chip | 150 |
| Sea salt caramel | 140 |
| Coffee chocolate chip | 150 |
| Pistachio brittle | 150 |
| Cookies n cream | 150 |
| Chocolate peanut butter chip | 130 |
| Black raspberry chip | 130 |
Are Yasso bars good for weight loss?
Despite being low in calories, Yasso bars are not ideal for weight loss due to their high sugar content.
Yasso bars are lower in calories containing 80-100 calories per serving, depending on the flavor. This is significantly less than the calories found in a serving of regular ice cream.
However, Yasso bars are high in sugar and, therefore, not ideal for losing weight.
In fact, if consumed in excess(2-3 bars a day), they might hinder your weight loss efforts.
Remember that weight loss depends not on one specific food but on your overall diet and lifestyle.
Are Yasso bars keto-friendly? Yasso bars are not keto-friendly as they have a significant amount of carbs(14-18g) per serving(62g).
Do Yasso bars have probiotics?
Yasso bars are a good source of probiotics as they are made with a blend of various yogurt cultures, such as;
- Bifidobacterium
- Lactobacillus Acidophilus
- Lactobacillus Paracasei
- Streptococcus Thermophilus
- Lactobacillus Bulgaricus
These are the same cultures typically used to make yogurt and are known to provide probiotic benefits.
Are Yasso bars gluten-free?
Yasso bars are available in both gluten-free and non-gluten-free varieties.
The gluten-free flavors of Yasso bars include chocolate fudge, chocolate peanut butter, coffee chocolate chip, mint chocolate chip, pistachio brittle, sea salt caramel, and black raspberry chip.
However, note that Yasso bars are manufactured in the same facilities that use soy, tree nuts, eggs, peanuts and wheat.
Therefore, they are not labelled as gluten-free on the packaging.
Do Yasso bars contain caffeine?
Yasso bars are caffeine-free except for the Coffee chocolate chip flavor. It contains 12-15mg of caffeine per serving.
Are Yasso bars better than regular ice cream?
Yasso bars can be considered better than regular ice cream in certain aspects.
Compared to regular ice cream, Yasso bars are lower in calories and fat and contain more protein. However, the sugar content in Yasso bars is comparable to that of regular ice cream.
In addition, Yasso bars are made with Greek yogurt, which offers probiotic benefits, while regular ice cream is usually made with milk and cream.
Furthermore, Yasso bars do not contain sugar alcohols or artificial ingredients, such as colors and flavors commonly found in regular ice cream.
Here is a quick nutrition comparison between Yasso bars and regular ice cream.
| Nutrients | Yasso bars(62g) | Regular ice cream(66g) | Premium ice cream(107g) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calories | 80-100 | 137 | 266 |
| Carbohydrates(g) | 16 | 16 | 24 |
| Sugar(g) | 14 | 14 | 22 |
| Fat(g) | 0-2 | 7 | 17 |
| Protein(g) | 5 | 2 | 4 |
| Fiber(g) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sodium(mg) | 45-100 | 40-50 | 50-70 |
| Calcium(mg) | 130-150 | 50-70 | 80-120 |
Final words
While Yasso bars are available in various delicious flavors, they are not very healthy for you. This is because they are high in sugar and contain highly processed ingredients such as cornstarch, maltodextrin and oil.
However, they do not contain any artificial ingredients and offer a moderate amount of protein and a good source of calcium, making them a better alternative to traditional ice cream.
Consuming Yasso bars occasionally or having them as a replacement whenever you are craving ice cream is not bad.
But they are not fit to be called your everyday go-to ice cream bars.
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