Is Lite Right or Regular Better?

When I was younger, I religiously purchased the light and low-fat versions of every product I could find. I thought it would be healthier choice.

As I became more interested in the nutritive value of food rather than just the caloric count, I began investigating the food I was consuming. I took classes, read literature and generally made myself more aware.

I discovered that the light choice wasn’t always the best choice. I also realized it was imperative to read the ingredients as well as the food label of every product I bought, rather than relying solely on the manufacturer’s health claim on the front of the package.   

Some versions of snack items, for example, are labeled as light simply because the company has decreased the serving size from the regular version. While smaller portions are good, you are probably paying more money for packaging while receiving less product.

Ultimately, each of us may have different criteria for our food needs. A diabetic must be vigilant about sugar content, whereas a person with high cholesterol needs to be conscious of saturated fat levels. 

If you are concerned about caloric content, you must decide if you are willing to consume additives and substitutes in exchange. We’ve taken a look at several common food products to help guide you in your decision making process.

The Good

Calories are reduced in many light versions of cheese by using 2 percent or skim milk instead of whole milk, which contains saturated fat. For example, Sargento's Reduced fat shredded Mexican cheese contains only 80 calories with 6 grams of fat (three saturated), as opposed to the regular version with 110 calories and 9 grams of fat (five saturated).  You can substitute this reduced-fat cheese in recipes such as tacos to reduce calories and fat levels. 

Some breads and salad dressings have reduced fat or sugar content without substituting additives, making them an attractive and healthier choice.  Only your food label and ingredient listing can tell you.

The Bad

In some cases, lite versions may just be slightly healthier than the regular version.  For example, both the light and original version of Aunt Jemima's Maple Syrup contain high fructose corn syrup and are high in sugar grams. 

While 100 percent pure maple syrup still contains a lot of added sugar, there is no high fructose corn syrup in the ingredients. By simply reducing the amount of syrup used, you may be better off with this option. 

Compare this to sugar-free maple syrup. While it is low in calories and has no sugar, flavor substitutes, such as aspertame, sorbitol, citric acid and artificial maple flavoring are added. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration claims artificial sweeteners are safe, but many believe there are health risks associated with some of them.  

Often manufacturers replace fat or sugar with another substitute to retain texture and flavor.  Although most additives involved are deemed safe, some do have side effects. For example, some chips contain olestra (brand name Olean) as a substitute for fat. Olestra has been found to deplete blood levels of valuable carotenoids and other cancer-fighting vitamins. It also can cause severe gastrointestinal distress, with "anal leakage" a common side effect. Hmmm, doesn't sound like something that I'd want to put into my body.

Food manufacturers may increase the amount of added sugar to replace flavor. Reduced-fat peanut butter, for example, contains more sugar than the regular version. Also, fat from peanut butter, although calorically dense, is a healthy fat that we need. Why reduce a good thing?  Simply cut back on your serving size if you are concerned about calories. 

The So-so

Mayonnaise is a common ingredient in many of our favorite recipes. Are you better off buying regular or the lite version? 

A serving of regular Hellman's real mayonnaise (one tablespoon) contains 90 calories and 10 grams of fat.  The lite version contains only 35 calories and 3 grams of fat–a significant reduction. However, to maintain the proper texture, additives such as xanthum gum (a derivative from the fermentation of corn sugar) and cellulose gel have been added. Although these are not harmful per the FDA, they may cause bloating and flatulence in some people. Is it worth possible side effects to save the extra calories?   

In the end, consumers must learn to assess products by their food labels and ingredient listings, rather than relying on marketing claims from the manufacturer.  And as always, natural and unprocessed foods are the optimal choice.