Low fat vs full fat products
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kshama2001 wrote: »WinoGelato wrote: »Despite the fact that idea keeps being recycled, I hardly ever see a low-fat product with more sugar than the full fat. I think the "low fat = added sugar" thing started when low-fat baked goods were all the rage in the 80's, like Snackwells. But then the whole "hidden added sugar" thing confuses me - I eat a reasonable amount of processed food, and I hardly ever exceed my MFP sugar goal.
Anyway, eat whichever version strikes the best balance for you. Some full fat stuff is worth the calories, some low fat stuff tastes great and so why not save the calories for something else. No worries
Exactly what I was going to say. The myth that low fat foods must contain added sugar is almost as annoying as the belief that diet soda contains excessive sodium.
Is it a myth when it comes to baked goods though? I'm familiar with the Snackwells example. I don't buy baked goods so am not familiar with low fat baked goods.
I very rarely see baked goods labeled low fat anymore and I would never think of picking them up anyway, so I'm really not sure. That's why I wonder if it's really true for much of anything anymore.
Even low fat PB only has like 1g more sugar per serving than reg.
There is low fat peanut butter?! Huh. Is it spreadable? I've never seen it before.
Lol I've never tried it, I can't imagine the texture is right!0 -
kshama2001 wrote: »WinoGelato wrote: »Despite the fact that idea keeps being recycled, I hardly ever see a low-fat product with more sugar than the full fat. I think the "low fat = added sugar" thing started when low-fat baked goods were all the rage in the 80's, like Snackwells. But then the whole "hidden added sugar" thing confuses me - I eat a reasonable amount of processed food, and I hardly ever exceed my MFP sugar goal.
Anyway, eat whichever version strikes the best balance for you. Some full fat stuff is worth the calories, some low fat stuff tastes great and so why not save the calories for something else. No worries
Exactly what I was going to say. The myth that low fat foods must contain added sugar is almost as annoying as the belief that diet soda contains excessive sodium.
Is it a myth when it comes to baked goods though? I'm familiar with the Snackwells example. I don't buy baked goods so am not familiar with low fat baked goods.
I very rarely see baked goods labeled low fat anymore and I would never think of picking them up anyway, so I'm really not sure. That's why I wonder if it's really true for much of anything anymore.
Even low fat PB only has like 1g more sugar per serving than reg.
There is low fat peanut butter?! Huh. Is it spreadable? I've never seen it before.
Lol I've never tried it, I can't imagine the texture is right!
I love all types of pb but my favorite is reduced fat jif because of the texture. It makes it even better. Very easy to spread just like any other creamy pb. I get plenty of fat so don’t worry about it not having as much.
Eta: my dad, who also eats pb daily, introduced me to it because of the flavor/ texture combo.0 -
kshama2001 wrote: »WinoGelato wrote: »Despite the fact that idea keeps being recycled, I hardly ever see a low-fat product with more sugar than the full fat. I think the "low fat = added sugar" thing started when low-fat baked goods were all the rage in the 80's, like Snackwells. But then the whole "hidden added sugar" thing confuses me - I eat a reasonable amount of processed food, and I hardly ever exceed my MFP sugar goal.
Anyway, eat whichever version strikes the best balance for you. Some full fat stuff is worth the calories, some low fat stuff tastes great and so why not save the calories for something else. No worries
Exactly what I was going to say. The myth that low fat foods must contain added sugar is almost as annoying as the belief that diet soda contains excessive sodium.
Is it a myth when it comes to baked goods though? I'm familiar with the Snackwells example. I don't buy baked goods so am not familiar with low fat baked goods.
I very rarely see baked goods labeled low fat anymore and I would never think of picking them up anyway, so I'm really not sure. That's why I wonder if it's really true for much of anything anymore.
Even low fat PB only has like 1g more sugar per serving than reg.
There is low fat peanut butter?! Huh. Is it spreadable? I've never seen it before.
Lol I've never tried it, I can't imagine the texture is right!
I love all types of pb but my favorite is reduced fat jif because of the texture. It makes it even better. Very easy to spread just like any other creamy pb. I get plenty of fat so don’t worry about it not having as much.
Eta: my dad, who also eats pb daily, introduced me to it because of the flavor/ texture combo.
Cool, thanks for answering!0 -
kshama2001 wrote: »WinoGelato wrote: »Despite the fact that idea keeps being recycled, I hardly ever see a low-fat product with more sugar than the full fat. I think the "low fat = added sugar" thing started when low-fat baked goods were all the rage in the 80's, like Snackwells. But then the whole "hidden added sugar" thing confuses me - I eat a reasonable amount of processed food, and I hardly ever exceed my MFP sugar goal.
Anyway, eat whichever version strikes the best balance for you. Some full fat stuff is worth the calories, some low fat stuff tastes great and so why not save the calories for something else. No worries
Exactly what I was going to say. The myth that low fat foods must contain added sugar is almost as annoying as the belief that diet soda contains excessive sodium.
Is it a myth when it comes to baked goods though? I'm familiar with the Snackwells example. I don't buy baked goods so am not familiar with low fat baked goods.
I very rarely see baked goods labeled low fat anymore and I would never think of picking them up anyway, so I'm really not sure. That's why I wonder if it's really true for much of anything anymore.
Even low fat PB only has like 1g more sugar per serving than reg.
There is low fat peanut butter?! Huh. Is it spreadable? I've never seen it before.
Lol I've never tried it, I can't imagine the texture is right!
I love all types of pb but my favorite is reduced fat jif because of the texture. It makes it even better. Very easy to spread just like any other creamy pb. I get plenty of fat so don’t worry about it not having as much.
Eta: my dad, who also eats pb daily, introduced me to it because of the flavor/ texture combo.
That surprises me. I find that PB is not very spreadable until the fats are mixed back in. Now I'm curious. Does it add hydrogenated oil?
ETA I checked a couple of brands, and they do add hydrogenated oils (corn and soy).
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kshama2001 wrote: »WinoGelato wrote: »Despite the fact that idea keeps being recycled, I hardly ever see a low-fat product with more sugar than the full fat. I think the "low fat = added sugar" thing started when low-fat baked goods were all the rage in the 80's, like Snackwells. But then the whole "hidden added sugar" thing confuses me - I eat a reasonable amount of processed food, and I hardly ever exceed my MFP sugar goal.
Anyway, eat whichever version strikes the best balance for you. Some full fat stuff is worth the calories, some low fat stuff tastes great and so why not save the calories for something else. No worries
Exactly what I was going to say. The myth that low fat foods must contain added sugar is almost as annoying as the belief that diet soda contains excessive sodium.
Is it a myth when it comes to baked goods though? I'm familiar with the Snackwells example. I don't buy baked goods so am not familiar with low fat baked goods.
I very rarely see baked goods labeled low fat anymore and I would never think of picking them up anyway, so I'm really not sure. That's why I wonder if it's really true for much of anything anymore.
Even low fat PB only has like 1g more sugar per serving than reg.
There is low fat peanut butter?! Huh. Is it spreadable? I've never seen it before.
Lol I've never tried it, I can't imagine the texture is right!
I love all types of pb but my favorite is reduced fat jif because of the texture. It makes it even better. Very easy to spread just like any other creamy pb. I get plenty of fat so don’t worry about it not having as much.
Eta: my dad, who also eats pb daily, introduced me to it because of the flavor/ texture combo.
That surprises me. I find that PB is not very spreadable until the fats are mixed back in. Now I'm curious. Does it add hydrogenated oil?
ETA I checked a couple of brands, and they do add hydrogenated oils (corn and soy).
FWIW, it's reduced fat as opposed to low fat. The reduced only has 4 fewer grams of fat than the regular. Both have hydrogenated oils.0 -
It is true with some products that are low-fat have more sugar therefore not really better calorie wise. Low-fat is one of many health halos that companies use to lure customers. When I buy processed food I pay attention to what kind of oil the product is made with and sugar. Fat makes me feel more satisfied, but some days I enjoy fat free Greek yogurt and sometimes I eat the triple cream variety. As for the cappuccino I would go with the real deal, but choose the smaller size or indulge less often if it’s throwing your calories off. Fat doesn’t make you fat, extra calories do.0
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kshama2001 wrote: »WinoGelato wrote: »Despite the fact that idea keeps being recycled, I hardly ever see a low-fat product with more sugar than the full fat. I think the "low fat = added sugar" thing started when low-fat baked goods were all the rage in the 80's, like Snackwells. But then the whole "hidden added sugar" thing confuses me - I eat a reasonable amount of processed food, and I hardly ever exceed my MFP sugar goal.
Anyway, eat whichever version strikes the best balance for you. Some full fat stuff is worth the calories, some low fat stuff tastes great and so why not save the calories for something else. No worries
Exactly what I was going to say. The myth that low fat foods must contain added sugar is almost as annoying as the belief that diet soda contains excessive sodium.
Is it a myth when it comes to baked goods though? I'm familiar with the Snackwells example. I don't buy baked goods so am not familiar with low fat baked goods.
I very rarely see baked goods labeled low fat anymore and I would never think of picking them up anyway, so I'm really not sure. That's why I wonder if it's really true for much of anything anymore.
Even low fat PB only has like 1g more sugar per serving than reg.
There is low fat peanut butter?! Huh. Is it spreadable? I've never seen it before.
Lol I've never tried it, I can't imagine the texture is right!
I love all types of pb but my favorite is reduced fat jif because of the texture. It makes it even better. Very easy to spread just like any other creamy pb. I get plenty of fat so don’t worry about it not having as much.
Eta: my dad, who also eats pb daily, introduced me to it because of the flavor/ texture combo.
That surprises me. I find that PB is not very spreadable until the fats are mixed back in. Now I'm curious. Does it add hydrogenated oil?
ETA I checked a couple of brands, and they do add hydrogenated oils (corn and soy).
FWIW, it's reduced fat as opposed to low fat. The reduced only has 4 fewer grams of fat than the regular. Both have hydrogenated oils.
True. Jiff calls theirs reduced fat, and Kraft calls theirs light.
Having hydrogenated oils depends on what brand you buy. My peanut butter's ingredients are roasted peanuts and salt.1 -
kshama2001 wrote: »WinoGelato wrote: »Despite the fact that idea keeps being recycled, I hardly ever see a low-fat product with more sugar than the full fat. I think the "low fat = added sugar" thing started when low-fat baked goods were all the rage in the 80's, like Snackwells. But then the whole "hidden added sugar" thing confuses me - I eat a reasonable amount of processed food, and I hardly ever exceed my MFP sugar goal.
Anyway, eat whichever version strikes the best balance for you. Some full fat stuff is worth the calories, some low fat stuff tastes great and so why not save the calories for something else. No worries
Exactly what I was going to say. The myth that low fat foods must contain added sugar is almost as annoying as the belief that diet soda contains excessive sodium.
Is it a myth when it comes to baked goods though? I'm familiar with the Snackwells example. I don't buy baked goods so am not familiar with low fat baked goods.
I very rarely see baked goods labeled low fat anymore and I would never think of picking them up anyway, so I'm really not sure. That's why I wonder if it's really true for much of anything anymore.
Even low fat PB only has like 1g more sugar per serving than reg.
There is low fat peanut butter?! Huh. Is it spreadable? I've never seen it before.
Lol I've never tried it, I can't imagine the texture is right!
I love all types of pb but my favorite is reduced fat jif because of the texture. It makes it even better. Very easy to spread just like any other creamy pb. I get plenty of fat so don’t worry about it not having as much.
Eta: my dad, who also eats pb daily, introduced me to it because of the flavor/ texture combo.
That surprises me. I find that PB is not very spreadable until the fats are mixed back in. Now I'm curious. Does it add hydrogenated oil?
ETA I checked a couple of brands, and they do add hydrogenated oils (corn and soy).
FWIW, it's reduced fat as opposed to low fat. The reduced only has 4 fewer grams of fat than the regular. Both have hydrogenated oils.
True. Jiff calls theirs reduced fat, and Kraft calls theirs light.
Having hydrogenated oils depends on what brand you buy. My peanut butter's ingredients are roasted peanuts and salt.
I usually have about four different kinds in the house. What I use depends on the recipe. I love the simple peanut and salt ones. Homemade is great as well.0 -
kshama2001 wrote: »WinoGelato wrote: »Despite the fact that idea keeps being recycled, I hardly ever see a low-fat product with more sugar than the full fat. I think the "low fat = added sugar" thing started when low-fat baked goods were all the rage in the 80's, like Snackwells. But then the whole "hidden added sugar" thing confuses me - I eat a reasonable amount of processed food, and I hardly ever exceed my MFP sugar goal.
Anyway, eat whichever version strikes the best balance for you. Some full fat stuff is worth the calories, some low fat stuff tastes great and so why not save the calories for something else. No worries
Exactly what I was going to say. The myth that low fat foods must contain added sugar is almost as annoying as the belief that diet soda contains excessive sodium.
Is it a myth when it comes to baked goods though? I'm familiar with the Snackwells example. I don't buy baked goods so am not familiar with low fat baked goods.
The Snackwells craze was from about 20-30 years ago. I don’t even know if they still make them - it’s actually an impressive feat of marketing that so many people remember this example of a low fat product - I couldn’t name many other brands from decades ago. But regardless - for so many people to extrapolate that one singular example of a cookie which had added sugar to replace the fat from 20 some years ago - to the belief that all low fat products are high in added sugar is just silly, annoying, and incorrect.7 -
Bread is naturally low fat. There’s not much fat in angel food cake either. There will be fat in the icing though. Flaky pastries, croissants and butter based cakes will all be naturally high fat.
What’s the point of a low fat croissant?1 -
It is true with some products that are low-fat have more sugar therefore not really better calorie wise. Low-fat is one of many health halos that companies use to lure customers. When I buy processed food I pay attention to what kind of oil the product is made with and sugar. Fat makes me feel more satisfied, but some days I enjoy fat free Greek yogurt and sometimes I eat the triple cream variety. As for the cappuccino I would go with the real deal, but choose the smaller size or indulge less often if it’s throwing your calories off. Fat doesn’t make you fat, extra calories do.
Can you give some example of low fat products that have more sugar?2 -
It is true with some products that are low-fat have more sugar therefore not really better calorie wise. Low-fat is one of many health halos that companies use to lure customers. When I buy processed food I pay attention to what kind of oil the product is made with and sugar. Fat makes me feel more satisfied, but some days I enjoy fat free Greek yogurt and sometimes I eat the triple cream variety. As for the cappuccino I would go with the real deal, but choose the smaller size or indulge less often if it’s throwing your calories off. Fat doesn’t make you fat, extra calories do.
Can you give some example of low fat products that have more sugar?
Reduced fat or fat free sour cream.
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IMO, most (not all) low-fat versions of products taste bad. So I don't eat them.1
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tennisdude2004 wrote: »It is true with some products that are low-fat have more sugar therefore not really better calorie wise. Low-fat is one of many health halos that companies use to lure customers. When I buy processed food I pay attention to what kind of oil the product is made with and sugar. Fat makes me feel more satisfied, but some days I enjoy fat free Greek yogurt and sometimes I eat the triple cream variety. As for the cappuccino I would go with the real deal, but choose the smaller size or indulge less often if it’s throwing your calories off. Fat doesn’t make you fat, extra calories do.
Can you give some example of low fat products that have more sugar?
Reduced fat or fat free sour cream.
Maybe your brands, but that's brand specific. According to USDA, this isn't the case. As was said: the correlation between fat and sugar in products is weak at best and can't be generalized.
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amusedmonkey wrote: »tennisdude2004 wrote: »It is true with some products that are low-fat have more sugar therefore not really better calorie wise. Low-fat is one of many health halos that companies use to lure customers. When I buy processed food I pay attention to what kind of oil the product is made with and sugar. Fat makes me feel more satisfied, but some days I enjoy fat free Greek yogurt and sometimes I eat the triple cream variety. As for the cappuccino I would go with the real deal, but choose the smaller size or indulge less often if it’s throwing your calories off. Fat doesn’t make you fat, extra calories do.
Can you give some example of low fat products that have more sugar?
Reduced fat or fat free sour cream.
Maybe your brands, but that's brand specific. According to USDA, this isn't the case. As was said: the correlation between fat and sugar in products is weak at best and can't be generalized.
Yes the Tesco's Full Fat Sour cream has 3.63g of sugar per 100ml and the Tesco's Half Fat Sour cream has 5.28g of sugar per 100ml.
I agree the differential is minimal and I personally don't see any issues with the levels of sugar in low fat options of foods, at the end of the day there is generally a calorie reduction and thats the main benefit.
I was just giving an example. 3 -
tennisdude2004 wrote: »amusedmonkey wrote: »tennisdude2004 wrote: »It is true with some products that are low-fat have more sugar therefore not really better calorie wise. Low-fat is one of many health halos that companies use to lure customers. When I buy processed food I pay attention to what kind of oil the product is made with and sugar. Fat makes me feel more satisfied, but some days I enjoy fat free Greek yogurt and sometimes I eat the triple cream variety. As for the cappuccino I would go with the real deal, but choose the smaller size or indulge less often if it’s throwing your calories off. Fat doesn’t make you fat, extra calories do.
Can you give some example of low fat products that have more sugar?
Reduced fat or fat free sour cream.
Maybe your brands, but that's brand specific. According to USDA, this isn't the case. As was said: the correlation between fat and sugar in products is weak at best and can't be generalized.
Yes the Tesco's Full Fat Sour cream has 3.63g of sugar per 100ml and the Tesco's Half Fat Sour cream has 5.28g of sugar per 100ml.
I agree the differential is minimal and I personally don't see any issues with the levels of sugar in low fat options of foods, at the end of the day there is generally a calorie reduction and thats the main benefit.
I was just giving an example.
That does not mean there is added sugar. Take out the fat and everything else will be in higher concentrations.6 -
Lillymoo01 wrote: »tennisdude2004 wrote: »amusedmonkey wrote: »tennisdude2004 wrote: »It is true with some products that are low-fat have more sugar therefore not really better calorie wise. Low-fat is one of many health halos that companies use to lure customers. When I buy processed food I pay attention to what kind of oil the product is made with and sugar. Fat makes me feel more satisfied, but some days I enjoy fat free Greek yogurt and sometimes I eat the triple cream variety. As for the cappuccino I would go with the real deal, but choose the smaller size or indulge less often if it’s throwing your calories off. Fat doesn’t make you fat, extra calories do.
Can you give some example of low fat products that have more sugar?
Reduced fat or fat free sour cream.
Maybe your brands, but that's brand specific. According to USDA, this isn't the case. As was said: the correlation between fat and sugar in products is weak at best and can't be generalized.
Yes the Tesco's Full Fat Sour cream has 3.63g of sugar per 100ml and the Tesco's Half Fat Sour cream has 5.28g of sugar per 100ml.
I agree the differential is minimal and I personally don't see any issues with the levels of sugar in low fat options of foods, at the end of the day there is generally a calorie reduction and thats the main benefit.
I was just giving an example.
That does not mean there is added sugar. Take out the fat and everything else will be in higher concentrations.
The pot size is still the same so they have removed fat and replaced some of that removed fat with more sugar.
No matter how badly you want it not to be true, in the same volume of cream 5.28g of sugar is more than 3.63g of sugar.
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@tennisdude2004 it is just as possible that the fat reduced dairy does not have any added sugar. Dairy has naturally occurring sugar.
I’ve mentioned before that I am disappointed in reduced fat peanut butter as sugar IS ADDED in that case and I am not a fan of sweetener peanut butter.8 -
@tennisdude2004 it is just as possible that the fat reduced dairy does not have any added sugar. Dairy has naturally occurring sugar.
I’ve mentioned before that I am disappointed in reduced fat peanut butter as sugar IS ADDED in that case and I am not a fan of sweetener peanut butter.
Sugar is sugar at the end of the day. How would the sugar content increase in the same volume of liquid if it hasn't been added either directly or as a consequence of adding a product that naturally produces additional sugar?
I have no issue with there being more sugar in the reduced fat sour cream, but I do have an issue with accepting that 'additional sugar' is in fact 'no additional sugar'.
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tennisdude2004 wrote: »@tennisdude2004 it is just as possible that the fat reduced dairy does not have any added sugar. Dairy has naturally occurring sugar.
I’ve mentioned before that I am disappointed in reduced fat peanut butter as sugar IS ADDED in that case and I am not a fan of sweetener peanut butter.
Sugar is sugar at the end of the day. How would the sugar content increase in the same volume of liquid if it hasn't been added either directly or as a consequence of adding a product that naturally produces additional sugar?
I have no issue with there being more sugar in the reduced fat sour cream, but I do have an issue with accepting that 'additional sugar' is in fact 'no additional sugar'.
This is how it can happen:
- You have a cup of cream, it has some milk sugar, and it has fat.
- You remove the fat, it becomes less than a cup but sugar stays the same.
- You top up the volume with cream to make a cup again, so it ends up having more milk sugar (think of it as eating 1 1/4 cup of cream instead of 1)
- Some processes try to remove some whey to make the cream thicker, which removes some of the sugar, but other processes don't. That's why you have lower fat dairy with higher sugar content sometimes and with lower content other times. You will also notice the lower sugar low fat dairy has more protein for the same reasons above - standardizing the volume on the nutritional label.
By that logic, are you eating added sugar when you eat a larger portion of cauliflower?
No added sugar involved unless sugar is clearly stated as one of the ingredients
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