Elite Nutrition and Fitness, LLC

"The 10 Flat Out Lies and Myths The Food Companies

Are Using To Make You Fat"

The food manufacturers are in the business of selling food. The consumer is in the business of buying foods that they want whether it be reduced fat, sugar free, all natural or whatever it may be. The manufacturers are providing what the consumer wants with sneaky marketing on paper. Though if you dig deeper what is on paper isn't always accurate to what is inside. For years now manufacturers have been able to get away with deceptive marketing claims because the FDA has not tightened up the rules enough. This hurts you the consumer because you end up being confused and misled. Studies have been done that show that most consumers are confused by food labels and tend to make the wrong choices because of it. In the manufacturers defense they are not breaking any laws, but they are using every gray area to hide certain facts that would turn you off to their food. Their objective is to sell you their food. They will use every advantage they have to complete this objective. So what can you do to protect yourself and make sure you are making informed correct choices?

You can arm yourself with the correct facts on food labels and be better prepared to see through the deceptive marketing ploys. Let's get started!

1. Does "reduced sugar" and "no added sugar"mean that the product has limited or no sugar. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) defines the term "reduced sugar" as products with "at least 25 percent less sugar" than the standard product. In other words, that means a reduced-sugar product must have 25 percent less sugar than the regular product. (Which means that it can still contain 75 percent of the sugar that is in the original formula.) Food with "naturally occurring sugars" such as jams, jellies, preserves, yogurt, milk, some vegetables, and tomato sauce will tend to have the claim of "no added sugars". The product may still be entirely sugar yet the manufacturer wants you to think that it is low in sugars or contains no sugar at all.

2. "Sugar Free": Does it mean no sugar? The FDA which sets labeling guidelines allows manufacturers to claim "sugar free" if the product contains less than .5 grams per serving. This means about 1/8 (or less) of a teaspoon of sugar might be in that cookie you're eating. This isn't really a problem if you are consuming only one serving of this product, but if you are eating multiple servings then this starts to add up. Not to mention that most "sugar free" products contain higher amounts of fat so that it tastes good. Again, the food manufacturers want to try and confuse you into thinking something that is not true. Watch the food label and stick to the recommended serving size.

3. Are other sugars such as barley malt,maple syrup, and brown rice syrup better for you than white sugar? Manufacturers would want you to believe that you should choose "natural sugars" instead of other sugars. Well guess what, Sugar is Sugar. It behaves all the same once it is inside the body. They are all metabolized by our bodies like sucrose, raising our blood sugar levels rapidly. So don't fall for "contains only natural sugars" or any marketing like that. Overall, the food label should contain low to moderate sugar levels.

4. If the label says "low fat" or "reduced fat" then it must be a healthy choice To claim that a product is "reduced fat" the amount of fat must be at least 25% lower than the standard product. The reduced fat version can still have a significant amount of fat because of the standard product containing a lot of fat. Most consumers think that the reduced fat choice is the choice to make, but you still may be consuming too much fat per serving. The fat is also usually replaced by other ingredients, such as sugar so the product may end up with the same or an even higher calorie level. Make sure you look at the amount of fat per serving to determine how many of the calories come from fat per serving. You may find it higher than you thought.

5. Does low-fat or fat-free mean no calories? Generally a fat free or low fat food is lower in calories than the same size portion of the full fat product. But many processed low fat or fat free foods have just as many calories as the full fat version of the same food-or even more calories. They may contain added sugar or flour to enhance the flavor. This in turn adds calories. Don't just read what is on the front of the box. Make sure to carefully read the label and look at individual serving sizes to see how many calories each serving is.

6. Does 95% fat free means only 5% of the calories come from fat. When you see a product advertised as 5% fat, this means that 5% of the total weight of the product comes from fat. The calories from fat can actually range from 25-65%. Here is an example: Some lunch meats advertise 95% fat free. When you look at the label you will see that for 1 slice of lunch meat it contains 50 calories and 2 grams of fat. Well each gram of fat equals 9 calories so that means 18 out of the 50 calories is fat which is 36%, not 5%. Now isn't that deceiving?

7. All Natural When you're shopping for groceries, watch out for the phrase "all natural" as claimed on the front of various product packages. The phrase "all natural" can mean just about anything; it actually has no nutritional meaning and isn't really regulated by the FDA. "All natural" is another way to hide ingredients such as sugar. Manufacturers want you to believe that the product is completely healthy for you. Which sometimes that is the case, but other times it is a way to hide added ingredients or sugars that you don't necessarily need. So pay attention to detail and read the food label. Look to see if the product is most made up of sugar. If it is then depending on the product it may not be the best choice to make.

8. Net Carbs What are "net carbs"? Many of these foods, like protein bars and desserts, claim "1 gram of net carbs," and yet they taste surprisingly sweet. How do they accomplish that without using carbohydrates? The answer is that they are using carbohydrates called "sugar alcohols". These carbohydrates do not have the same glycemic index effect on ones blood sugar. They're not using refined carbohydrates, added sugars, or high-fructose corn syrup. Instead, they're typically using sugar alcohols such as sorbitol, xylitol, and manitol. Because these sugar alcohols are not absorbed and digested in the same way that sugar is, they can sometimes cause digestive disorders such as diarrhea and stomach cramps when overly consumed. Look for products that contain small amounts of "sugar alcohols". A "sugar alcohol" shouldn't be the first ingredient listed on the label. This means that this particular product contains "sugar alcohol" as its most abundant ingredient.

9. Hidden Ingredients There are other ingredients used on food labels that are toxic to the human body, and yet are not listed as such. One such ingredient is sodium nitrite. Sodium nitrite is added to most packaged meat products found in grocery stores. Sodium nitrite to most people must be a form of salt, when in actuality it is a carcinogenic. When combined with your saliva and digestive enzymes, sodium nitrite can create cancer causing substances called nitrosamines. You can go to your grocery store and find hundreds, if not thousands, of products using sodium nitrite. Look for it on ham, pepperoni, and other packaged meat products. This ingredient is especially prevalent in hot dogs and lunch meats. Why do food manufacturers use it if many believe it to be dangerous? It adds a red color to meat products that would appear to be a gray color if not added. By making meat look red with the help of this color additive sodium nitrite, these meat products look more delicious and fresh, even though they are not. Another good example of ingredients that are hidden on food labels is MSG, also called monosodium glutamate. MSG is an excitotoxin, an ingredient known to overexcite nerves. MSG enhances the taste of your food by overexciting the taste buds on your tongue. It is usually hidden in other ingredients, such as yeast extract or hydrolyzed vegetable protein. These ingredients contain monosodium glutamate. The ingredients mentioned here are only a small example of the kind of ingredients used by food manufacturers that pose potential problems to consumers. Of course, the manufacturer does not want the consumer to be aware that these ingredients are harmful, or that they are even present in the foods, so they rely on confusing names to make you feel comfortable and safe. 10. Food manufacturers use unclear marketing statements like "Reduced Fat" and "98% Fat Free." Just because a product label claims "reduced fat" or "light" doesn't mean it's healthy, or low in fat. Here are the real definitions behind what the claims mean. · Low Calorie - Fewer than 40 calories per serving. · Low Fat - 3 grams of fat or less per serving. · Low Cholesterol - 20 milligrams of cholesterol or less per serving, and 2 grams or less of saturated fat per serving. · Low Sodium - 140 milligrams or less per serving. · Very Low Sodium - 35 milligrams or less per serving. · Lean - Less than 10 grams of fat, 4.5 grams of saturated fat, and less than 95 milligrams of cholesterol per serving. · Extra Lean - Less than 5 grams of fat, 2 grams of saturated fat, and 95 milligrams of cholesterol per serving. · Fat Free - Less than 0.5 grams of fat per serving · Light - Half the fat of the regular version · Reduced Fat - 25% less fat than the regular version Now that you know the real truth behind food labels you will be better informed the next time you go to the store and have to decide which product you should purchase. Now don't be discouraged that every product you look at has something bad in it. Your goal is to minimize the overall quantity of those ingredients and not necessarily eliminate. It still comes down to you eating healthy overall and that means all your meals and snacks combined, not just one meal. About the Author Jayson Hunter RD, CSCS is a registered dietitian, weight management expert and personal trainer with over 10 years of experience. His nutritional programs have helped hundreds of clients successfully lose weight and create permanent lifestyle changes. Jayson's method of eating and nutritional programming gets results with every type of client regardless of their body type. The keys to successful weight loss is understanding your needs and providing the necessary tools to be successful. Society's obesity problem isn't necessarily a result of bad genetics, but rather a result of bad choices and decisions. Also, make sure to sign up for the free newsletter that will provide you with tips and ideas on how to help you reach your weight loss goals at www.realworldweightlossexpert.com/newsletter.htm www.Realworldweightlossexpert.com © Elite Nutrition and Fitness, LLC Contact Us Elite Nutrition and Fitness, LLC Jayson Hunter, RD CSCS 40 Goldtrail Dr St. Charles, MO 63301 Voice (636) 493-0326 jayson@realworldweightlossexpert.com