FAT FREE = DANGER! (How I hate fat-free half & half)

OK, so I’m exaggerating a little–but only a little. I’m really concerned that the presentation of “fat-free” as some “healthy option” is not only a misrepresentation of the facts, but is down-right dangerous.

Be skeptical of the Claim

Visions of farms, green grass and fresh cream begin to fill my mind. Secondly, the sense of “health” is clearly expressed in both copy and layout. But behind this expression of health lies a very sinister mixture of fructose and deception. Just take a look at the ingredients

Always read the label

Simply put, the fat is gone. But it’s replaced with corn syrup. And there lies the rub. You see, there’s no such thing as a free lunch (or cup of coffee). When the fat is removed, the taste and mouth feel leaves you wanting more. So sugar–in the form of fructose and glucose–is added to make up this concoction called “fat-free half and half”. It’s not all the great taste of half and half with the fat removed. It’s a sugar drink that is masquerading as half and half. Sure it’s low-fat. But it’s high-sugar.

At first blush, the concept of “low-fat” triggers a simple response: HEALTHY

This is where a major part of the problem lives. Low fat isn’t really a term that, as it does at face value, means the fat has been reduced. It generally means that the composition of the food has been re-processed to give you a great taste experience without the dietary consequences of fat. But what do we really get for this trade-off?

Unfortunately, we get more than we bargained for. We get the intrusion of sugar and high-fructose corn syrup into our diets and the metabolic impact is dire. In fact, fructose is metabolize more like alcohol and the health ramifications are very similar.

The toxic truth about sugar

The impact is well represented in the video featuring Robert Lustig, MD. He’s a pediatric endocrinologist and has a wise and informed perspective on the evil of sugar:

So the next time you reach for a “low-fat” food” make sure you’re actually picking an option that doesn’t play bait and switch and loads you up on sugar!