The food industry answers the call for all diet fads by removing the ingredient shamed as unhealthy, like sugar and fat. The truth of the matter is products “free” from certain ingredients are not always better for your health and tend to be left out of effective weight loss programs. At the end of the day reading the ingredients is the only way to be sure of what you are actually putting in your body. Don’t be fooled by claims that don’t necessarily mean that the product will aid in your weight loss.

“Sugar-Free” Foods

Sugar-free foods may be free of sugar but can be loaded with artificial sweeteners, which may seem like the best option for weight loss but can have adverse effects. Not only have artificial sweeteners been linked to cancer but a study written about by Diabetes in Control has found that it can increase insulin resistance in individuals who are overweight. So those trying to shake off weight and improve their health may actually be doing more damage in this pursuit when they use foods labelled as sugar-free.

Often time’s products are labelled with “no sugar added.” It is important to remember that this does not mean the product is free from sugar it just means no extra sugar has been added. This is misleading because many things naturally contain a large amount of sugar so be mindful of this when reading food labels.

It is better to cut down or cut sugar out of your diet rather than keeping old habits and only replacing the source of the sweet taste. If you struggle with any insulin related conditions you should steer clear of non-nutritive artificial sweeteners completely.

“Fat-Free” and “Low-Fat” Foods

Studies have found that processed foods labelled as fat-free or low-fat can contain almost as much as half again the original amount of sugar in an attempt to replace the flavour lost by removing fat. They can even contain the same, if not more, calories as the regular “full fat” version of the product.

Juice

Fruit juice is undeniably packed with vitamins and minerals but will only hurt your diet program to lose weight. It is highly calorific because if you think that you wouldn’t eat five oranges in one sitting it is quite easy to drink the calorie equivalent in the form of a large glass of orange juice. Though it is a healthy option when compared to sugary carbonated drinks it is still high in calories and will stunt your weight loss.

As a general rule you are better off eating fresh produce that you cook yourself because processed foods will always be unhealthier no-matter what the label on the front claims. Be sure to read the ingredients and nutritional facts before buying into any “health food” because a little bit of research can go a long way when it comes to trying to lose weight.

Consult weight loss specialists to see what will work. Effective weight loss programs will rarely suggest the use of processed foods. Slender Wonder aims to help you lose weight and keep it off. Visit our website for more information on our diet program to lose weight.