Many plant foods contain small amounts of fat, such as dark greens, starchy vegetables (potatoes, pumpkins, corn, peas), and whole grains. However, you will never see signs like “fat-free potatoes” at farmers’ markets. But in the supermarket, almost every department has low-fat products. On the packaging of bread, chips, crackers, salad dressings, dairy products, and frozen foods, you may see the words “fat-free/low-fat” on the packaging. In order for manufacturers to be eligible to write “fat-free” on the label, a product must contain less than 0,5 g of fat. A “low-fat” product must contain less than 3 g of fat. This is worth thinking about. You might be saying, “Well, that’s not so bad – it just means there’s no fat in the product.” At first glance, yes, however, let’s explore this issue deeper. Suppose we see such an inscription on a rice cracker. A rice cracker is just puffed rice, so it’s quite possible that it doesn’t contain any fat. And what does the same label on a salad dressing, pudding, cookie, or nutrient-fortified energy bar say? If you were to cook these foods at home, you would certainly add vegetable or butter, nuts or seeds to them – all of these foods contain fats. And manufacturers should add something else instead of fat. And usually it’s sugar. To replace the texture and taste of fats, manufacturers can also use flour, salt, various emulsifiers and texturizers. When replacing fats in a product, its nutritional value also decreases, that is, this product cannot satisfy the feeling of hunger. How does sugar affect the body? Sugar raises blood sugar levels, while overall energy levels drop, and we feel even more hungry. And if we can’t get enough of a food, we want to eat something else. Hello bulimia. In addition, replacing fats with other ingredients causes the product to lose its flavor and become less attractive to the eye. Fat-free products, the composition of which should be paid attention to: • salad dressings; • crackers; • crisps; • sauces for pasta; • puddings; • cookies; • pies; • yoghurts; • peanut butter; • energy bars. Before you buy these products, check: • how much sugar is in the product; • what are the other ingredients; • how many calories are in the product; • what is the serving size. What about a similar product that doesn’t have a low-fat/low-fat label? If you want to lose weight or just care about your health, forget about fat-free foods. Instead, opt for whole foods and foods with healthy fats. Source: myvega.com Translation: Lakshmi
2022-11-11