Latest frozen yogurt touts true health benefits
A recent college reunion brought memories of study breaks at TCBY flooding back. But today, The Country's Best Yogurt serves as the sweet grandparent to the newest twist in the frozen yogurt -- or fro-yo -- trend, which is a healthy, subtly tart, soft-serve treat.
A year after Gourmet Magazine bemoaned the fact that celebu-yogurt shop Pinkberry had set up shop on both coasts, but not Chicago, there are at least a dozen frozen yogurt shops in the city and suburbs filling the bill. They include Red Mango in Evanston and Naperville, berry chill, 635 N. State, starfruit -- which offers a frozen version of the company's signature kefir similar to yogurt -- at 1745 W. Division, and Yoberri, 2814 N. Halsted.
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A visit to several Chicago area shops noted that they serve up their treats in much the same way you'd order anything from a cup of ice cream to a sundae, with anything from picture-perfect berries to nuts. And most claim about 25 calories per ounce.
All are part of the probiotic movement, with live and active cultures or good bacteria that not only claim health benefits such as good digestion, but also provide that real-yogurt flavor. Get the true yogurt and the live and active cultures break down lactose in milk, making it a great treat for the lactose intolerant, according to the National Yogurt Association.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration defines yogurt as a product made with a bacterial culture containing Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus, says NYA spokesman Chuck Fuqua.
No such standard of identity exists for frozen yogurt products, but they too might contain live and active cultures, notes Fuqua, whose trade group represents manufacturers, processors and retailers of both traditional, refrigerated yogurt and frozen yogurt.
In fact, Red Mango and berry chill each has the NYA's seal of approval.
The starfruit shop at Division, near Ashland, is a product of Morton Grove-based Lifeway Foods and its star-seller, kefir, a creamy probiotic dairy beverage sold in stores that has about a dozen friendly cultures compared to two or three in yogurt, the company says.
"Frozen kefir is something we've been experimenting with for many years," says Julie Smolyansky president and CEO of Lifeway Foods. "My father founded the company back in 1986, and he was afraid of using the phrase probiotic; we thought people weren't ready to hear about live and active cultures."
But judging from the lines at starfuit, Red Mango and berry chill, not to mention the lineup of probiotic products in the dairy section of the grocery story, we're definitely there.
Curious about an unusual edible or kitchen tool? Want to share some mysteries in your own cabinets? E-mail the Food Detective at ldonovan@suntimes.com.