Healthy foods are they really?

Many conditions are considered, because when we buy food we are not only looking for something that nourishes us but something that generates a certain pleasure or well-being, because we know that we like its taste, because it calls us the pay attention to the colors and other attributes of the container or because we think that with this product, in addition to feeding ourselves, we are taking care of ourselves.

The food legislation establishes that the labeling must offer information to the consumer, and the food industry looks for the most attractive formula to give this information in accordance with the law, but in a way that draws the consumer's attention and ends up in the shopping cart.

In short, each one must look out for their interests and as consumers we have the need to be really well informed in order to make appropriate purchases, since advertising tends to photograph "the good side" of the product that describes us and food products are not always what they appear to the naked eye. As an example we will say that there are products that are advertised as supposedly healthy food, certain characteristics stand out in them, but they often hide a different reality that we must be aware of in order to choose well.

What should we look at?

What we must read in a product are not the short sentences that appear large and on the front of the packaging, as they are advertising claims that should not mislead, they always show "the good side" of the product. That is why it is very important to know. If necessary we can wear glasses to read, then the relevant information is in the ingredient lists (sometimes in diminutive). We must bear in mind that in these lists the foods appear ordered from highest to lowest quantity. Other useful information is that given by the nutritional content tables of the product. Although they are not always there, if they appear it is convenient to compare, as it is the best way to choose.

By following these tips and trying to be well informed about nutrition and healthy foodThrough reliable sources, we will avoid falling into confusion and common mistakes that can occur if we are left with only the "cover" information of a food.

Let's see the following examples of foods that cause confusion.

Veggie burgers

Eye, vegetables, But of what? A homemade vegetable burger made from legumes or seeds can be a delight and a food very healthy. When instead of making it homemade, we are buying it in a supermarket, we must read its label well to know what we are buying. The fact that it is vegetable is not at all a guarantee that it is a healthy product. Sometimes these burgers can be advertised as lentil burgers and contain 12% lentils, and the rest? They may be vegetables, cereals, but also oils, gelling agents, sugar, salt ... In short, highly processed products.

It is better to buy legumes, tofu or the one that in principle is the main raw material and consume it in a healthier way.

Whole grain cookies

That it is integral means that it is "diet", right? Understanding as "diet" that it is low in fat or calories. Well the answer is no, nothing is further from the truth: a comprehensive product is a comprehensive product, that is, with more fiber and some minerals more than refined, nothing more and nothing less. The fiber biscuits that are sold in the diet product line do not have to be a product low in sugar and fat, in fact, in general they are not. The cookies are fatty and sugary foodsThey usually provide more than 400 kcal per 100 g, so they are not light, and their consumption should be occasional.

It is preferable that we opt for a good whole wheat bread or some simple toast than for any type of cookies, no matter how healthy they may seem from the packaging.

Fruit juice and dehydrated fruits

We have been talking about for a long time, and many people are already aware that drinking a juice is not the same as having a fruit, no matter how much this image is intended to be sold by some brands. We must look at the labeling as always and it goes without saying that if the juice has added sugars We cannot recommend it, since the fruit already contains naturally present sugars. If it is a natural juice is the best option but it will never be comparable to fresh fruit, since it provides less fiber, we absorb sugar more quickly and even if it is enriched in vitamins, contains calcium or whatever, it is still better to have a fruit. Something similar happens with dehydrated fruits, that are becoming fashionable as a snack, as a salad dressing or to offer children as a snack. Well, a freeze-dried fruit is not the same as taking it fresh, and the difference is even greater if it also turns out that it has dried and sweetened well then we will be before an "almost" candy due to the high sugar content it contains.

fresh whole fruit or homemade fruit juices with no added sugar.

Low-fat dairy desserts

There are so many varieties of yogurts, muses, custards, puddings, curds, creams, custards ... In general, we are clear that the sweetest options can be tasty, but they are not a healthy alternative. And the skimmed ones? There are many skim products, with a thousand variables: flavors, fruits, seeds, cereals, chocolate, creamy. But we must not allow ourselves to be carried away by the temptation by the fact that they are skim products. While a whole plain yogurt contains around 80 kcal, 4.8 g of fat (2.9 g saturated) and about 5 g of sugars, a skimmed chocolate yogurt can provide more than 100 kcal, plus or minus 1 g of fat but also contain about 19 g of carbohydrates, of which more than 15 g are sugars. Less fat yes, but much more sugar and more calories.

natural skimmed dairy products to which we can add seeds, chopped fresh fruit ... to make them a healthier dessert or snack with no added sugar or fats ...

Fruit or dried fruit muesli

It is designed as an adult product and is a presentation mode for cereals that appears to be protected by a healthy product aura. If it also contains fruits or nuts, this feeling increases. Well, let's not trust blindly, since normally the mixtures of cereals type muesli with fruits, contain a lot of sugar and often fat not very healthy. In this case it is again a matter of reading the labels.

The most common ways to find cereals with little or no sugar is by choosing flaked or puffed cereals, as is, sometimes in a mixture, but generally only one variety: wheat, corn, oats, rice, etc.

• There are products that in general we consider healthy, light, etc. when in fact they are not so much, sometimes even less than another basic product of the same group.
• The adjective "integral" should not confuse us and consider cookies as a healthy product. It is a good idea to look at the ingredients because they can include more sugar and unhealthy fats.
• Fresh fruit is always a better option than juice, and much more if it has added sugar.

Mercè Gonzalo

Bachelor of Food Science and Technology Diploma in Dietetics and Human Nutrition