"Robin's Rescue" is a weekly column that tackles your food and dining dilemmas. Nutrition expert and cookbook author Robin Miller lives in Scottsdale. Her books include "Robin Takes 5 for Busy Families" and "Quick Fix Meals," a book named after her five-year run on Food Network.
Question: Can you explain fat-free, non-fat, low-fat, etc.? I find it confusing. I'm working to lose weight and hear that fat-free has more sugar and salt.
Robin's Rescue: I'm sure you're not alone in your confusion. Store shelves are bulging with multiple fat variations in our favorite foods. First, I'll clarify some terms. According to the Food and Drug Administration, manufacturers must follow these guidelines when making label claims:
Fat-free: Food must have less than 0.5 gram of fat per serving, whether it's five crackers or an entire meal. Also, the food can't contain an ingredient that is fat or understood to contain fat, unless it's noted with an asterisk that says the ingredient "adds a trivial amount of fat." Synonyms: zero, no, non-, trivial source of fat.
Low fat: Food must have 3 grams of fat or less per serving. Synonyms: low, little, contains a small amount of, low source of fat.
Reduced fat: Food must have 25 percent less fat than the original version of the food. Synonym: less fat.
Light: According to the FDA, "light" can be used only to describe the physical or organoleptic attributes (taste, color, odor, feel) of the food. But some foods are grandfathered in thanks to their long history of using the term (such as light corn syrup, light brown sugar). That said, you'll find that some "light" products actually are lighter, either one-third fewer calories or 50 percent less fat. Read labels to find out.
Now that you're armed with information, let's talk about whether these fat-reduced foods are healthy. As you mentioned, not all fat-free and low-fat foods earn the healthy-choice award — many have added sugar, flour, thickeners, salt and chemicals. That's gross (and it often adds calories), so why do they add them? To make the food taste good. Never mind that the food is now equally unhealthy (or perhaps more so) than its full-fat counterpart.
Follow these tips when shopping:
Before you buy: Always check labels. Make sure the product you're considering isn't loaded with salt, sugar or additives, and that it's actually lower in calories than the regular version.
Check serving size: To lose weight, you need to cut back on overall calories, as well as fat. Sometimes fat-free foods are less satisfying and we tend to over-eat them. I'd rather you enjoy a regular-size portion of the real thing and be truly satisfied than overindulge on extra calories and sugar from something less exciting (regular ice cream vs. fat-free ice cream or frozen yogurt, for example).
Choose whole foods: I realize you asked about fat labels, but don't forget your friends in the produce aisle. Fruits and vegetables are crammed with nutrients and fiber, and fiber keeps you full longer. Fresh produce also has fewer calories and fat grams than most packaged foods. Let's face it; a baked potato is better than Baked Lay's.
Ask Robin Miller
E-mail your questions to email@example.com and she'll dish up delicious answers every Wednesday.