Are Reduced-Fat and Low-Sugar Foods Actually Healthier? Experts Weigh In

'Healthy' food labels may not mean what shoppers think

Opting for low-fat foods and drinks may seem like the best option, but have you ever looked at the rest of the ingredients list?

Are Reduced-Fat and Low-Sugar Foods Actually Healthier? Experts Weigh In

Labels like “reduced-fat,” “low-sodium,” or “sugar-free” can make a packaged food or drink seem like the healthier choice. But new research published in Nature Food suggests those claims don’t always tell the full story. Researchers found that products with health or nutrition claims weren’t always significantly healthier overall — and some that were lower in one nutrient often had less favorable levels of another. For example, some foods market…

“Baked”, “natural”, “low-fat”: What these healthy-sounding food labels really mean, and what they don’t tell you | - Dining and Cooking

Words such as “baked”, “natural” and “low-fat” can make a packaged food look healthier than it actually is. Here is what these claims really tell consumers, and what they leave out. The words on the front of a food packet can be persuasive. “Baked” sounds lighter. “Natural” brings to mind something wholesome. “Low-fat” can make [...]