Light products attract. After a product marked as light, we expect reduced caloric content. We think that no bite eaten will dare to be deposited in the form of adipose tissue, we will eat as much as before, but healthier. But the weight loss is not coming……
Not so “light” again…
- After snacking on something “light”, the feeling of hunger is felt in the blink of an eye. We allow ourselves an additional portion, because light is not fattening. If we counted all calories at the end of the day, there’s a good chance we’ve absorbed a lot more than we originally intended.
- The European Union has established that a product may be marked as “light” only if its calorific value is reduced by at least 30 percent than if a traditional recipe was used instead of a light recipe. Although we are an EU member state, no one controls or certifies light products in Poland, which in many cases leads to abuses and producers attribute this name to products that do not meet the consumer’s expectations. Sugar deleted from the composition often replaces aspartame, in combination with other substitutes, the caloric value is often higher than that resulting from the usual recipe.
- Although in the case of a can of cola light, calories were kept to a minimum, like the original version, it enhances insulin production. The blood sugar level drops, and we feel weak and tired, moreover, the feeling of hunger increases, and the metabolism slows down. As a result of these changes, our body may develop insulin resistance, i.e. weakened sensitivity of tissues to insulin, which leads to weight gain. How to diagnose yourself with insulin resistance? Nothing can replace a doctor’s opinion, although we can suspect it in the case of a feeling of hunger that accompanies us all the time, intensified thirst, drowsiness, and the desire for a sweet snack immediately after a meal.
Opt for less processed food!
Instead of looking at the shelves with light food, it would be much more reasonable to reach for the least processed food and refer to the glycemic index that has been assigned to them. Remember, the lower the GI, the less likely it is that we will be tempted too early for an additional snack. Much healthier for our metabolism will be ordinary diet cola and chocolate with a high cocoa content, which was produced using a traditional recipe.