Each and everyone of us falls for ‘fancy packaging’ and ‘marketing gimmicks’ when we walk into a supermarket flooded with health food products today to entice all of us!
While many of us are well aware of what’s good and what isn’t (thanks to Google and many other sources) – we don’t take the trouble to take that extra step and read the label behind to understand what exactly goes into the making of your favorite protein bar or that bag of “low carb” chips.
A few of the ingredients that are ‘not so good’ for you are listed below
- Brown sugar/ Cane sugar/ Coconut sugar/ Jaggery/ Honey
All of these are nothing but sugar in different forms. 90% of the famous brands market as NO REFINED SUGAR ! What they mean is we use Brown sugar/ Cane sugar/ Coconut sugar/ Jaggery/ Honey instead. Make sure to flip your product and take a close read. - Soy Lecithin – A preservative/ a binding agent
This additive is an extract of Soy – causes bloating and IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) in the long run. However, it allows for your product to last 10-12 months! - Rice Bran oil – Taste enhancer and shelf life extending agent
Heavy on calories, bad fat, highly processed and hence, a bad option if you’re eating that low calorie product to hit a weight loss goal! - Dark Chocolate – Majority of the healthy products that say NO ADDED SUGAR usually add sugar with agents like dark chocolate. Dark chocolate = sugar! So our expert advice is to stay away from that bag of Muesli that reads dark chocolate/ cranberries at the back!
- Sodium aka Salt
Salt is a taste enhancer and a hidden preservative. Copious amounts of salt go in the making of that bag of nuts to ensure you come back for that very product the following week. The solution is to buy a simple, plain bag of nuts and roast it with minimal salt at the comfort of your own kitchen!
This 2021 – let us re-evaluate REAL FOOD and stick to eating wholesome meals with fresh fruit, vegetables, whole grains with complex carbs!
Here’s to a healthy New Year!
Shyma Menon
Kilobeaters, Founder
Pune
