If any of you have followed the green eco-friendly bike lane down to Marshall Street, you’ve probably bumped into Dorothy, the Tin Man and anyone who’s anyone at the newly-opened Yogurtland.

But just how sweet and innocent an addition is a tub of frozen yogurt to a Marshall Street jaunt? On first glance at Yogurtland’s official nutrition guide, it’s pretty angelic: All Yogurtland yogurt is gluten free, kosher friendly and meets National Yogurt Association criteria for Live and Active Culture Frozen Yogurt.

“So, my yogurt’s alive?” I asked myself as I peered into the bottom of my tub. Well, sort of. Organisms that aid the fermentation process, such as Lactobacillus bulgaricus, are present in all Yogurtland yogurts. And they may have a beneficial effect on the immune system, lower cholesterol and help combat certain types of carcinogens, according to the AboutYogurt website.

Shannon Morehouse, an integrative nutritionist who works in the Syracuse area, said half a cup to two thirds of a cup is a good yogurt portion. That translates to roughly 130 grams in a half-cup serving.

But judging by the gigantic Hello Kitty-themed tubs Dorothy and the Tin Man are toting around like the newest It Bag, I think portion sizes on campus might be out of control. I felt judged by a freshman on my sports team when she pointed out just how full my tub of salted caramel was to the whole shop on my Labor Day weekend voyage.

But rest assured, I’m not alone.

Robert Molke, a senior marketing and public relations dual major and cross country runner, thought the size of the tubs were very big, but didn’t feel bad about it because it was yogurt, not ice cream.

“I didn’t feel full because I run so many miles, but I can definitely see people taking too much and overeating due to the bowl size,” he said.

Froyo is endlessly compared to ice cream in terms of health, so what’s the actual nutritional comparison? According to my calculations using Yogurtland and Haagen Dazs’ official nutrition guides, 100 grams of Madagascar Vanilla Bean yogurt contains 133 calories, compared to the 255 calories in 100 grams of Vanilla Bean Haagen Dazs. Red Velvet Cake Batter yogurt isn’t much worse at 145 calories per 100 grams.

So far, so healthy-ish. But beware of the Wicked Witch of the Waistline if you turn going to Yogurtland into a daily habit.

“Yogurt is lower in fat and calories; however, higher in sugar, which can eventually store as fat, so in short, no, it is not healthier,” Morehouse said.

And the self-dispensing yogurt pumps are the least of your worries. It takes a courageous Lion to pay attention to calories when you reach the toppings section. One ounce of almonds adds 160 calories to your snack, closely followed by frosted animal cookies, adding 130, according to Yogurtland’s nutrition guide.

From what I witnessed on Sunday night, students are throwing the candy version of the kitchen sink on top of their yogurt.

But I’m an advocate for everything in moderation. So after you’ve cashed out and chosen the color of your biodegradable spoon, consider zooming up and down the green bike lane to burn off the gummy bears.

“If you are the type who could eat ice cream every day, and you are active, then the frozen yogurt would be a good choice for you,” Morehouse said. “The sugar concern is primarily for those who are not active.”

Health debates aside, Yogurtland is a colorful and delicious addition to Marshall Street, so go dip your spoons into a true frozen yogurt experience, and get Toto to pay.

Iona Holloway is a senior magazine journalism and psychology dual major. Her column appears every Wednesday. She’s just landed in the tweeting tree, so follow her @ionaholloway. She can also be reached at ijhollow@syr.edu.

Published on September 5, 2012 at 12:18 am