Common Misconceptions with Low Calorie Foods: Do they all offer nutritional benefit?

Do you often find yourself consuming foods that are advertised as being low in fat, low in calories, low in trans fats, and low in carbs? If so, does it make you feel like you’re choosing “healthy” foods, foods with nutritional value? Well, depending on what you choose, you may in fact, not be choosing the right foods at all.

Shocking isn’t it? How could foods that advertise to be low in calories actually not always be nutritious? Well here are a few reasons why:

1. Low in fat - may actually contain other ingredients that would compensate for the lower fat content, for example sugar. Just because a food is low in fat, does not mean it is low in calories. Sometimes sugar is added to increase the taste appeal of a product (i.e. some low fat brands of yogurt). Also, other additives may be included that aren’t very good on the body.

TIP: Read the ingredients. If sugar is the first or second ingredient listed, then chances are that there is too much sugar in the product to be considered low in calories.

 TIP:  Avoid additives and preservatives that are known to increase flavor but are not very good for you. This includes ingredients such as MSG (monosodium glutamate), aspartame/neotame, hydrolyzed proteins, autolyzed yeast, yeast extract, caseinates, and artificial fats.

TIP: Is the food something that is made with fat? For example, gummy bears; these candies are purely made of sugar, not fat. Just because it does not contain fat, does not mean that it is good for you, in fact it’s quite the opposite. Be careful — don’t always be taken in by the claims a product makes. Even though there are laws against wrongful claims, there are always those that are not applicable, which means that these foods are not necessarily a healthy choice. 

1. Low in Trans Fats - although a food may contain little trans fats (which believe me is excellent), you still want to make sure that the saturated fat content is low, and that the cholesterol content is low as well. Saturated fats and high cholesterol products are both types of lipids that we should all avoid. They immediately get stored in our blood vessels and cells, which to weight gain and plays a contributing role to many heart and blood sugar diseases.

TIP: Read the nutrition facts label. Look for low amounts of trans fats, saturated fats AND cholesterol.

TIP: Read the ingredients, there can be unhealthy fats hidden. Hidden traces of fat can be in ingredients such as coconut oil, palm kernel oil, palm oil, which are all high in saturated fats and should be avoided.

1. Low in Carbs - With the recent diet crazes focusing on decreasing or eliminating carbohydrates in the diet, many food companies decided to advertise this claim to increase sales. But what does this really mean? If you’re drinking beer that is advertised as “low carbs” does that mean this beer is “healthy” – NO. What about a food that may not contain many carbs (such as sour cream), but it may have a high fat content. Low carbs do not mean low calorie content or Healthy! In fact, carbohydrates yield less calories per gram than fat.

TIP: There are some foods that are always better to avoid, such as alcoholic beverages, deep fried items, highly processed foods, and foods with high fat or sugar content.

TIP: Don’t just buy a food because of the claim on the package, pick it up and read the nutrition facts and ingredients. Think about the food before you make the purchase, do you really believe it is good for you?

1. Low in calories - Some foods may actually not contain many nutrients, and thus not yield many calories. However, some may not offer any real nutrition either. Although these foods may be useful as a snack once in a while, it’s not a good idea to use them as a large part of your diet. Good examples of these are rice cakes. They are low in fat and calories, but they do not offer any benefits such as protein or a good source of vitamins and minerals. Another example is salted (no butter) popcorn, low in calories, but high in salt…not good for your cardiovascular system. Also, remember that even if a food is low in calories, the calories that it does contain may come directly from things that should be avoided such as fat and sugar (for example thin chocolate bars, little cookies, mini donuts). Often because the portion size is so small, the product is advertised is being low in calories, but if you eat too much, the low calorie count goes out the window.

TIP: Try choosing foods that supply your body with nutrients including protein, good carbohydrates, essential fats, vitamins and minerals. Beware of foods that don’t offer any benefits.

TIP: Read the nutrition facts. Where are the calories coming from (however low they may be)? If the food contains only fat and sugar, then you’re more likely to overeat thinking that it is low in calories (a guilty pleasure food)…then before you know it, you’ve eaten more calories with no added health benefit.

Overall, it is ok to treat yourself once in a while. But keeping the amounts in mind is very important; you don’t want to overdo it. The best way to try and keep a balanced and healthy diet is to:

• Limit use of added fats and added salt, avoid very processed foods, and decrease consumption of high sugar foods and beverages.
• Include more of the following items: whole grains, fresh/frozen fruits and vegetables (canned is fine, but packed in water without added sugar or salt), protein foods that are low in fat (poultry without the skin, meats with little marbling, legumes, lentils, etc.)
• Get variety in the diet (don’t always eat the same thing, switch it up!)
• Read labels and ingredients, know what you’re eating.
• Enjoy what you’re eating!

Christina Gopal, Drive Fitness Nutritionist