Food labels and ingredients: what do sugar-free and gluten-free labels hide?
Labels like sugar-free and gluten-free create the illusion for consumers that a product is absolutely healthy and good for the figure. However, behind these attractive phrases often lie manufacturing technological features that can be no less harmful to the body.
When sugar is removed from a familiar recipe, the manufacturer is obliged to maintain the texture and taste, so intensive sweeteners, starch, or an increased amount of fats are added instead. As a result, the caloric content of such a product may remain at the same level or even increase.
A similar situation occurs with gluten-free food products, which are necessary for people with celiac disease, but are often bought by healthy people for weight loss. More oils, salt, and stabilizers are added to the dough to compensate for the gluten.
For an objective assessment of such products, use the following order of actions:
Specialized product lines are needed for specific medical indications, not for everyday weight loss. Understanding these nuances will help build a truly balanced diet without illusions.