What do the “sugar-free, calorie-free and fat-free” labels on foods really mean?

What tricks do food manufacturers use and why is it necessary to read the composition before buying?

What do the inscriptions “sugar-free, cholesterol-free and GMO-free” on product labels really mean and why is it really just a simple deception?

Manufacturers realize that consumers are now focused on purchasing products that can do good. That’s why, in order to increase sales, they put those inscriptions on labels that many of us want to see.

The problem is that very often they are created to attract attention, and the product itself may have nothing to do with healthy eating.

The most common tricks that brands utilize

These include inscriptions such as:

Sugar-free. Nowadays, it’s hard to find a person who doesn’t know the harm of excessive sugar consumption. Realizing this and the desire of many to lose weight by reducing their sugar intake, manufacturers write the coveted words “sugar-free” on their packages.

In fact, they are not lying: there is no white sugar in the product that we are used to. But there are its substitutes: glucose, fructose, sucrose, crystalline dextrose, maltose, molasses, various types of syrups, honey and others. This does not reduce the caloric content of the product, as well as the consumption of sugar. But its cost is always higher due to the fact that the product belongs to the “healthy” line.

Few calories. The problem here is that there are no clear boundaries and designations that can regulate this term. For example, there is a cake labeled “low calorie” and there is a regular cake. The difference in caloric content can be any, even 50 kcal. It turns out that the first cake is really more dietary, and therefore, the inscription is correct.

Only such a large difference in caloric content does not greatly affect the overall picture of nutrition. Moreover, when a person sees such inscriptions, he has the impression that the product is harmless and you can eat more than the norm. Therefore, an ordinary cake, but in reasonable quantities, is more favorable.

Low-fat. This designation is often used by manufacturers of dairy products. They have two tasks: to make the product useful and sellable. Here a contradiction usually arises. If the fat is removed from the product, the consumer will buy the product only once and is unlikely to return for a second purchase because he will not like the taste of the low-fat product. So there is a problem with the sale.

To solve all the problems at once, a trick is used in the form of added sugar, which allows you to make the flavor more pleasant. Thus, it is better to choose dairy products of moderate fat content but without sugar. Animal fat, if consumed in moderation, carries human benefits and, of course, has a positive effect on flavor.

Antibiotic and hormone free. These labels refer to meat and poultry. The term “no added antibiotics” can be used on food labels if the manufacturer provides sufficient supporting documentation. Except that there is no system in place to verify claims of this type. Importantly, the term also has no regulatory definition.

As for the “no added hormones” designation, it’s important to understand: hormones are simply not allowed in the raising of pigs, poultry or goats. The label “hormone-free” is not allowed on the labels of beef, pork or poultry products because animal proteins contain naturally occurring hormones regardless of production methods.

Whole Grain Bread. As for the name, be aware: whole grain bread can be called that bread which is made from whole grain flour that has been ground together with all the fiber and vitamin-rich shells. It is the mixture of fiber and antioxidants that can reduce the risk of many chronic diseases.

In addition, different seeds can be added to the bread. But manufacturers confuse buyers: there are so many ways to convince people that there are more whole grains in the product than there actually are. For example, you may see the label “multigrain bread” when in fact it is mostly made from refined flour.

The designation “whole grain bread” indicates that the product contains some whole grain, but does not mean that it is completely whole grain. This is why bread without whole grain containing the original endosperm, germ and bran cannot be considered as such.

What rules should you follow when visiting the store?

There are a few simple recommendations that will help you put together a healthy grocery basket.

Read the composition. This is the first and most important rule concerning all products. You don’t even have to look at anything that is written large and brightly on the package itself. The task of the front of the package is to draw your attention to itself, not to tell the truth about the quality of the product.

Do not believe loud promises. All the benefit claims we see on packages increase the risk of overeating because they make us misjudge the true properties of the product. Take note: the more claims of benefits, the fewer positive properties the product has.

Understand what is relevant to you. With so many features of different products, it can be hard to focus. So understand what is of particular importance to you or what you are having trouble with. For example, you want to lose weight but you love sweets. Then prepare a list of the main names behind which sugar can hide, and choose those products that do not contain it.

If you can not imagine your morning without a sandwich, then just look for bread with the simplest composition, and you do not have to study every word, checking its meaning. The best quality and healthiest bread has only a few ingredients and is reasonably priced.

Remember that many claims about the benefits of the product on the front of the package are exaggerated or based on indirect conclusions rather than on rigorous scientific data. These inscriptions promise much more than quality and health concerns would suggest.

Try to distinguish between caring for your body’s needs and marketing terms designed to create the illusion that products are beneficial, whether or not they actually are.