Little fat or no sugar? How harmful are substitutes for humans

Low fat, no sugar - worth knowing about substitutes in food
More and more people want to eat healthier. Food manufacturers have long responded to this trend by promoting products with promises like "less sugar", "less calories" or "less fat". But substitutes that are used instead are often not healthier.

Use substitutes with care
The trend towards a healthier diet is unbroken. More and more people want to eat more consciously and eat less calories. However, consumers do not always get what they are promised on the packaging. Although there are in the supermarket of many products, a so-called "light" variant. "Legally, however, only one substance has to be reduced by 30 percent," said Armin Valet of the Hamburg consumer center in a report by the dpa news agency. Frequently, however, the total calorie content is the same or even higher. In many products there are substitutes for these and according to the experts, just like fat and sugar, they should only be consumed in moderation.

Substitutes are usually not healthy. Image: abcmedia - fotolia

"A lot of chemistry in the products"
The consumer advocate cited as an example Halbfettmargarinen: "There replace the manufacturer fat through water," said Valet. In order for the water to be somewhat firm, it is usually blended with binders, according to him. "This is not directly questionable, but there is of course a lot of chemistry in the products," said the food expert. However, scientists at the Leipzig University Hospital warned years ago that some fat substitutes may well be harmful to health. According to this, the sterol levels in certain persons may increase as a result of the plant-based substitutes, which also increases the risk of myocardial infarction. Valet further explained that carbohydrate-based gels are often a substitute for fat in reduced-fat ice creams or salad dressings. And another frequently used fat substitute consists of finely chopped egg white or milk protein. One of these two terms must then also be in the list of ingredients on the packaging.

Sweeteners do not necessarily have to be healthier
Since many consumers also like to save on sugar, there are now numerous products that are sweetened with substitutes. For example with Stevia. However, this substance may only in certain quantities in a product and is therefore usually supplemented with normal sugar. For example, the new green Coca Cola Life, which is advertised to have been sweetened with Stevia, but was described by consumer advocates as a "sugar bomb". Valet says many sweeteners are not even aware that they are less unhealthy than sugars. "Then there are sugar alcohols such as xylitol (E967), maltitol (E 965) or lactitol (E966)." These substances can lead to gastrointestinal problems. Products containing them must therefore bear the warning: "May be able to dissipate when consuming larger quantities." In smaller quantities, however, such substances can also help to stimulate digestion, according to health experts. (Ad)