fat free vs sugar free?
tronapage
Posts: 23
Which do you go for? It seems to me that most the fat free products shows higher carbs and sugars. Why is that? My bff thinks that the manufacturers add sweetness to put SOME flavor in fat free products. I'm not sure that I disagree with her.
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Replies
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Def go with sugar free!0
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This is one of those da*&ed if you do/da*&ed if you don't situations. A lot of sugar free foods have added fat to make them taste better and a lot of fat free foods have a lot of sugar and sodium to get them to taste better. Best thing to do is read the labels and see how much, if any, of the extra additives you are willing to tolerate.
It's all a pain in the tushie.
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Being a diabetic I usually shoot for Sugar free but there is usually about twice as much fat...because not having the sugar they need to add flavor. Fat Free usually has sugar added for a taste I do my best to have fresh natural foods. I eat fruits in place of my old candies.0
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I try to go with neither if at all possible.
They do add more sugar to fat free products to make up for it and sugar free is usually sugar free due to added artificial sweeteners. Neither is that appealing.0 -
You're absolutely right and I saw a thing going around on FB that says "when you see fat-free, think 'chemical *kitten* storm" and that's about right. I stay away from sugar free (I'm not diabetic) and fat free processed foods unless I'm having a "cheat", then I go for the full-fat version. Other than that I eat REAL food with as little refined sugar as possible!0
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Sugar free generally means they used something else to sweeten - usually splenda or aspartame. Fat free..most of that stuff has a whole lot of added stuff it, and a lot of "fat free" stuff has more calories than the "regular" version.
I try to avoid processed / packaged food to avoid these situations.0 -
Your bff is correct! For fat free items, more sugar is added to hide the lack of fat. I'd rather go with sugar free as long as the sweetener is natural like xylitol or stevia.0
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I try to skip both of them.... but if I have to have my dark chocolate... I go for sugar free.0
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What is wrong with either in moderation? Fat does not make you fat and you need a certain amount of saturated fat. Sugar in moderation is also relatively harmless, key work being in moderation. Why the fear of foods (orthorexia). Foods don't harm you or make you overweight. Eating more calories than you burn each day over a period of time makes you overweight.0
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Sugar free,,,,,, nothing wrong with fat, as long as it's not hydrogenated0
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I go for the less processed stuff. I don't need sugar added to things. I dont need it taken out of things either. I usually get plain greek yogurt and plop some berries in there. Tastes better and I can read the ingredient list to a 5 year old and they can understand whats in it0
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I go for sugar free everything and if I can find a non-fat item with low sugar then it's a win-win! :bigsmile:0
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Look at the labels - if the item has ingredients you can't pronounce - don't buy it! Most fat free items are full of substitute chemicals. Sugar free sometimes is too.
The cleaner you eat, the happier your body will be!0 -
Sugar free....I would avoid sugar before I avoid fat.0
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I choose neither, there's always something else added in it that I have to be worried about. I may be a small percentage of people like this, but when I see fat free or sugar free and a dozen of other ingredients added in the product, I just feel uneasy about eating something that may be even worse for me.0
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I generally try to get products that are as unprocessed as possible. Anything that advertises itself as "diet" food of some kind is generally more expensive and overly processed.
- things that are "fat-free" typically have a lot of added sugar and/or salt to give them flavour when they take the salt out.
- things that advertise themselves as "sugar-free" often have some kind of hidden sugar or a chemical sweetener.
Go for actual food or ingredients (rolled oats, natural yoghurt as a couple of examples) and you can add your own flavouring or extra fat if you want it. Then you know what's in it and you get to control the quantities.0 -
Which do you go for? It seems to me that most the fat free products shows higher carbs and sugars. Why is that? My bff thinks that the manufacturers add sweetness to put SOME flavor in fat free products. I'm not sure that I disagree with her.
Neither. I eat organic, whole, unprocessed food.0 -
Sugar free is better. You're right. They put more sugar into fat free products for flavor. There's a book about it but I can't remember the name off hand. But the answer is still choose sugar free over fat free.0
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Sugar free. There's nothing wrong with fat.0
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Although I don't eat a lot of fat, I'd be more inclined to go with less sugar. I buy unsweetened soy/almond milk rather than buying low fat.0
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I don't go for "____ free" foods at all, as a general rule. I try to focus more on eating less processed food in general. Besides, they both tend to taste shoddy compared to the "regular" version of the products, and if I'm buying something that I have to start worrying about the sugar or fat content, then it's supposed to be a treat that's rarely eaten anyway — and who wants to go for the cruddy version of something that's supposed to be a treat, that they're not going to enjoy to its fullest? Better to just eat less of it but get it in the full-fat or sugary version instead.0
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If I had to choose one I'd go sugar free.
I try to eat very little processed food so its a non issue for me really. My day if full of fresh vegies, some fruit and lean protein.0 -
Exactly. I was ranting to my bf the other day about how manufacturers trick innocent people into thonking somethings healthy when its not. My favorite story was the company that put out the fat free salsa and started making allot of money on it because of that wonderful free word.I don't go for "____ free" foods at all, as a general rule. I try to focus more on eating less processed food in general. Besides, they both tend to taste shoddy compared to the "regular" version of the products, and if I'm buying something that I have to start worrying about the sugar or fat content, then it's supposed to be a treat that's rarely eaten anyway — and who wants to go for the cruddy version of something that's supposed to be a treat, that they're not going to enjoy to its fullest? Better to just eat less of it but get it in the full-fat or sugary version instead.
...the majority of salsa is fat free...you can now find salsa with labels saying things like "fat free like all the rest"0 -
its true, most "nonfat" foods add sugar (milk is a perfect example, compare heavy cream to nonfat and HC is actually better for you sugar-wise). its really up to you to determine what fits your goals better. for me I try to get a good balance of nonfat stuff if its loaded with protein or fiber, i'm willing to overlook the sugar content unless its abnormally high. on a good day i like to get most of my meals to at least break even when it comes to the carb vs protein ratio. i'm a label reader so i like to see whats going in my food, if its fat free and still meets all my calorie/fiber/protein criteria but loaded with a bunch of 20-syllable words i'm probably not going to buy it lol0
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Exactly. I was ranting to my bf the other day about how manufacturers trick innocent people into thonking somethings healthy when its not. My favorite story was the company that put out the fat free salsa and started making allot of money on it because of that wonderful free word.I don't go for "____ free" foods at all, as a general rule. I try to focus more on eating less processed food in general. Besides, they both tend to taste shoddy compared to the "regular" version of the products, and if I'm buying something that I have to start worrying about the sugar or fat content, then it's supposed to be a treat that's rarely eaten anyway — and who wants to go for the cruddy version of something that's supposed to be a treat, that they're not going to enjoy to its fullest? Better to just eat less of it but get it in the full-fat or sugary version instead.
...the majority of salsa is fat free...you can now find salsa with labels saying things like "fat free like all the rest"
Boy, I sure hate "thonking"!
Lol, j/k. Couldn't resist.0 -
who would have thonk it.
Exactly. I was ranting to my bf the other day about how manufacturers trick innocent people into thonking somethings healthy when its not. My favorite story was the company that put out the fat free salsa and started making allot of money on it because of that wonderful free word.I don't go for "____ free" foods at all, as a general rule. I try to focus more on eating less processed food in general. Besides, they both tend to taste shoddy compared to the "regular" version of the products, and if I'm buying something that I have to start worrying about the sugar or fat content, then it's supposed to be a treat that's rarely eaten anyway — and who wants to go for the cruddy version of something that's supposed to be a treat, that they're not going to enjoy to its fullest? Better to just eat less of it but get it in the full-fat or sugary version instead.
...the majority of salsa is fat free...you can now find salsa with labels saying things like "fat free like all the rest"
Boy, I sure hate "thonking"!
Lol, j/k. Couldn't resist.
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