| If you are trying to lose weight, looking at labels | | | | dressing would be much lower in calories. They |
| to find the lowest fat foods may actually be | | | | are somewhat lower (and greatly depend on each |
| sabotaging your efforts. Food labels can be quite | | | | variety and brand) but also have calories added |
| misleading in an attempt to try to sell more | | | | back from the other ingredients to keep the |
| products: and it works! One of the most falsely | | | | flavor and texture in the dressing. A |
| held beliefs is that when you find a food that is | | | | two-tablespoon serving of regular ranch dressing |
| fat free, it is also calorie-free. This leads you to | | | | has 145 calories; the low-fat variety has 80, and |
| believe you can eat all you want. And that's what | | | | the fat-free, 50. As the fat goes down, the |
| the manufacturers want you to think. | | | | calories drop significantly, but certainly not |
| In actuality, when fat is taken out of a product, | | | | altogether. And people tend to pour more on, |
| other additives must go in to take its place, | | | | since it's lower in calories! If you aren't careful |
| enhancing the flavor and texture of the food. | | | | using this type of product you could be |
| Carbohydrates are often added and these provide | | | | sabotaging your weight loss efforts. |
| a substantial amount of calories; even artificial | | | | Snack foods: These are probably the biggest |
| sweeteners provide a small number of calories | | | | culprit. We all love to snack on cookies and chips, |
| and you can get the accurate information on the | | | | and are secretly hopeful we will find a way to |
| nutrition facts panel if you look closely. | | | | enjoy all we want without adding hundreds of |
| Here are a few types of foods people look for in | | | | calories to our diet. But it just can't be done. |
| low fat varieties to enjoy guilt free... and why you | | | | Regular Lay's chips provide 150 calories per ounce, |
| can't have all you want without piling on the | | | | and although the Baked Lay's reduces the fat |
| calories: | | | | content from 10 grams to only 1.5, the calories |
| Candy: Candy bars containing nuts or chocolate | | | | are still at 130 per ounce. Not a significant |
| have a significant portion of their calories provided | | | | difference--especially while people are eating |
| by fat. But there are also calories from the sugar | | | | more, figuring they are lower in calories to allow |
| (and a small amount of protein). Candy that does | | | | for a double serving! |
| not contain fat (like skittles, starburst, jelly beans, | | | | Another example is the Low-Fat Oreo Cookie. At |
| pixie stix, lollipops or marshmallows) provides | | | | 50 calories a piece there is not much difference |
| calories from the sugar. Ironically these often | | | | between this and the 54-calorie regular Oreo. |
| advertise "no fat" on the label, implying that the | | | | Especially if you have an extra one. |
| original product did contain fat, but this particular | | | | The bottom line is, if you are watching your |
| brand does not. In fact, they--along with other | | | | calorie intake you can't go by the 'low fat' |
| products like some sodas--will advertise "fat free" | | | | advertisement on the front of the label--or even |
| to get you to buy theirs. There is not any | | | | by the fat content of the food. You need to |
| difference, though, between one brand of sugary | | | | compare the actual calories provided, and by alll |
| candy and another when it comes to fat and | | | | means be aware of what they call a serving size! |
| calories. | | | | The best way to reduce calories from fats is to |
| Salad dressings: Virtually all the calories in salad | | | | cut back on your serving size, and eat dressings, |
| dressing come from the fat in them. So it may | | | | candies, cookies and chips a little less often. |
| seem logical to assume that a low fat or fat free | | | | |