The truth about groceries in the supermarket

There is a clear definition of what can be called milk, cottage cheese, yogurt, ice cream, cheese, and what cannot. All these products should be made only from milk and may not contain a single gram of vegetable fat. Read the label carefully. Is there milk fat (it must be at least 50%) and vegetable fat along with it? This is not cottage cheese, but a cottage cheese product, that is, milk-containing.

What is the difference. Cheese, yoghurt or any other product is cheaper than the original, but at the same time, in terms of nutritional value, it is practically not inferior to it. However, its production is less expensive. We came up with these new items to support low-income citizens. The composition of fatty acids in such substitutes is almost identical to the composition of milk fat. That is, you will not notice the difference in taste. As for the impact on health, scientists are unanimous in their opinion: products with high-quality “substitutions” are no less useful than natural ones. True, the originals are rich in vitamins A and D, and their cheap relatives are deprived of them, but they are saturated with vitamin E. The only “but” is that it is possible to understand whether a high-quality fat substitute is used or not, only with the help of expertise.

It is not a substitute, it does not contain any vegetable fat or protein, and its taste is difficult to distinguish from real kefir.

What is the difference. Only in the way of production. Kefir is fermented with live kefir fungi, which are a symbiosis of lactic acid microorganisms and yeast, and dry starter cultures consisting of the same components are added to the kefir product. This technology is simpler and cheaper for the manufacturer, while the nutritional value for the consumer remains the same. However, to true connoisseurs of kefir, the taste of the product may not seem so exquisite.

It is unlikely that you will see this word in large letters on the label, it is often hidden, and in the foreground something like “Peasant” or “Ghee” flaunts. A spread is an edible fat product that contains at least a small amount of non-dairy fat. It looks like oil, but this word cannot be in the title (prohibited by technical regulations). However, manufacturers are tricky, giving the product invented names of the neuter, such as “Krestyanskoe” and the like.

What is the difference. Most often in stores there are spreads that consist of a mixture of butter and various unmodified vegetable fats, that is, one might say, from natural ingredients. And in terms of their nutritional value, they are often superior to butter. True, unlike the original product, a cheap replacement sometimes contains preservatives. But not always, therefore, carefully reading the composition, you can choose a completely “healthy” spread, much more affordable than butter, and certainly healthier than margarine, which usually contains harmful hydrogenated fats.

Here is a surrogate chocolate substitute, which usually contains cocoa powder, but instead of cocoa butter, its cheaper version based on other fats is presented.

What is the difference. At the very least, it’s not as tasty as chocolate. Less in such a product and antioxidants, and the alkaloid theobromine, which stimulates the work of nerve cells and the release of the “hormone of happiness.” Today, cocoa butter substitutes are widely used by various candy manufacturers. The label of such a product will simply say “candy”, but not “chocolate”. There are different alternatives to cocoa butter: lauric and non-lauric types. The former are less similar to cocoa butter in their physical and taste properties, but the latter may contain hydrogenated fats that are unhealthy. Therefore, when choosing sweets, be sure to study what fats are present there. If it is hydrogenated (partially hydrogenated), then it is better to refuse such a product, as well as one that contains fat with an unspecified composition (“confectionery”, “vegetable” or “cocoa butter substitute” without specification).

This drink is made by mixing juice or puree with water with added sugar. The minimum content of natural fruit or vegetable components in nectar is determined by the relevant technical regulations and ranges from 5 to 20%, depending on the specific type of fruit or vegetable.

What is the difference. From many fruits in industrial conditions, in principle, it is possible to make only nectar: ​​plum, cherry, cherry, banana, peach or apricot. But nectar from those fruits from which juices come: oranges, apples, tomatoes or pineapples – this is already a kind of cheaper alternative to juice, but less useful. Both products today are made from the same concentrate, but if just enough water is added to the juice to restore it, then more water is poured into the nectar. And all would be fine, but the manufacturers add sugar and citric acid there, that is, empty calories so that the drink is not too watery. In other words, nectar is a product that is inferior in nutritional value to juice just as much as it is cheaper.

Soy, collagen protein, mechanically deboned meat are cheap surrogate additives that are increasingly found in sausages and sausages. The number of non-meat ingredients in a product can be judged by the name: “meat product” indicates the content of meat ingredients in an amount of more than 60%. If there are more than 40% vegetable ingredients, then this is already a meat and vegetable product, and if there are more than 70% of them, then it is a vegetable and meat product.

What is the difference. Many substitutes for beef and pork are perfectly acceptable and are identical to the originals in terms of nutritional and biological value. For example, poultry meat is simply a cheaper raw material, soy protein is also a protein that is not inferior to meat protein in terms of the content of essential amino acids. However, there are some ingredients used as alternatives that reduce the nutritional value of a product or increase health risks.

For example, collagen protein, also known as “animal protein”, “protein stabilizer” and “pork skin emulsion” (obtained from meat waste), is a harmless additive, but has an extremely low biological value.

MMO, that is, mechanically deboned poultry meat, contains a lot of collagen, bone fragments. It is not dangerous, but, again, the nutritional value is lower, plus the taste of the product is worse.

The liquid in semi-finished meat products is water in the form of a solution of humectants such as phosphates, carrageenan, and gum. Phosphates in excess are harmful to health, they disrupt calcium metabolism.

The “ultra” prefix scares many consumers. It seems to them that something so terrible was done with the milk that nothing natural was left in it. In fact, this is a product that has undergone a very short-term (literally a few seconds), but effective heat treatment.

What is the difference. The taste of UHT milk practically does not differ from the perishable pasteurized milk. But it is stored much longer – several months, and without cold. Thanks to the processing regime in such milk, all microbes are guaranteed to die, and most vitamins and other useful substances are preserved. This is practically canned milk.

Almost everything that has been said applies to sterilized milk, but it already has a more pronounced boiling flavor, and the content of vitamins in it is less. But it is stored even longer. Such a product is usually used for feeding young children. Vitamins are usually added to it to compensate for the loss of nutritional value.