Reading Labels

So you think you’ve found a diet that appeals to you. Let’s say this diet tells you to reduce your intake of fat calories. When shopping anywhere looking for a meal or a snack, you really need to read the labels. Then, you need to think about what you will be eating if it is labeled “fat-free.” Dave Zinczenko and Matt Goulding of Men's Health say that food manufacturers think you’re stupid. In fact, their marketing strategies rely on it. For instance, it may be that the packaged food manufacturer is hoping you’ll equate “fat free” with “healthy” or “non-fattening” in the hopes you’ll forget about all the sugar or salt these products contain. It’s a classic bait-and-switch.

Let’s face it, fat-free food just plain sucks. So it has to be made to taste good and that’s where sugar and salt make up for the loss of fat. Don’t forget, sugar is turned into fat if it is not used up in the body immediately after a meal. Next time you’re considering “low-calorie” or “fat-free” read the nutrition label and ingredients. This is where you will find-out what your food is really made of.