Diet foods packed full of sugar!!!

[Twiggie]

I've been checking food labels very closely over the last few weeks to try and work out what I can and can't eat post-op and I'm absolutely dismayed to find that very many so-called DIET foods are packed full of sugar!!!

It even includes Weight Watchers foods, which I'd previously thought of as "safe" and have eaten guilt-free without even checking labels

 

[galm37]

I know, it's disgusting. In a lot of low fat foods the 1st ingredient is sugar!

That's why I've been making a lot of my own stuff rather than pre-packaged.

There was a programme on a few weeks ago (drop a dress size, I think) They did a lot of looking in to labels and there were some low fat foods that were actually higher in calories than their full fat versions. Labels and processed food are very confusing ! :wave_cry:

 

[Dawn36]

I am amazed at which foods contain sugar. Whilst on liquids I wanted to buy packet soups and every one I picked up contained sugar - in soup??

 

[lamornamiss]

Rice Krispies has something like 4 teaspoons of sugar per 100g. And I always thought they were healthy

 

[Mixman]

This is the reason I switched my protein shakes from slimfast shakes etc.

The slimfast shakes have 10.6g per 100g of sugar!!!

You have to really watch the labels rather than relying on what you 'think' will be good for you.


The result of recently implemented nutrition labeling regulations. These products can be called "margarine", but this identification must be preceded by one of the Food and Drug Administration's approved nutrient content claims. To qualify, the product must meet certain criteria:

• Reduced-fat or reduced-calorie/diet margarine -- will contain no more than 60 percent oil (25% reduction in fat and calories)
• Light/lower fat margarine -- will contain no more than 40 percent oil (50% or more reduction in fat)
• Fat-free margarine -- virtually fat-free, will contain less than 1/2 gram of fat per serving

So to be called diet, they only have to reduce the fat and calories by 25%. Which isn't a lot!

 

[Twiggie]

I do actually cook 95% my own main meals, with maybe the occasional frozen lasagne/cannelloni/pizza if I can't be bothered to cook.

It's the other stuff such as the WW yoghurts, frozen desserts and cakes etc that I buy as a sweet treat thinking I can have one of these without feeling guilty. I've stopped making puddings and baking things at home as I just can't resist scoffing the lot as it's far too yummy!!

I'm also noticing it in a lot of low-fat stuff too. It's getting to the point that I just don't know what I'll be able to eat! I can't have anything with aspartame in it for health reasons (causes chronic depression) so I'm going to be very limited in what I can eat

This is just one example, look at the amount of sugar in this!!!

Weight Watchers Low Fat Carrot Cake Slices (6) in Ocado | mySupermarket

In fact it's only when I started using this site that I started noticing it more!

 

[Twiggie]

This is the reason I switched my protein shakes from slimfast shakes etc.

The slimfast shakes have 10.6g per 100g of sugar!!!

I asked this on another thread but didn't get a response from anyone so maybe you will know. When I start the pre-op liquid diet it says to have 4-5 Slimfast shakes per day but I can't stand Slimfast products (and now you've told me this I wouldn't want them!) so do you think I could substitute them with whey protein drinks instead?

You have to really watch the labels rather than relying on what you 'think' will be good for you.


The result of recently implemented nutrition labeling regulations. These products can be called "margarine", but this identification must be preceded by one of the Food and Drug Administration's approved nutrient content claims. To qualify, the product must meet certain criteria:

• Reduced-fat or reduced-calorie/diet margarine -- will contain no more than 60 percent oil (25% reduction in fat and calories)
• Light/lower fat margarine -- will contain no more than 40 percent oil (50% or more reduction in fat)
• Fat-free margarine -- virtually fat-free, will contain less than 1/2 gram of fat per serving

So to be called diet, they only have to reduce the fat and calories by 25%. Which isn't a lot!

This doesn't surprise me at all especially after something else I recently learnt regarding food labels.

Apparently the FSA recommendation for daily sugar intake for an adult is 60g of refined and 30g of unrefined sugar per day. What a lot of manufacturers are doing is lumping the totals together and saying RDA is 90g sugar so if their product contains 30g refined sugar they say it's 33% of RDA whereas in reality it's 50% RDA.

The whole thing stinks and they wonder why obesity is becoming such a problem in the UK

 

[Mixman]

I can't advise you on that as I wouldn't want any harm to come to you because of bad advice!

All I can say is they have been great for me. They work out cheaper and are much less sugar loaded.

Slim Fast Shakes
MyProtein shakes
per 100g
Carbs 10.6 6.0
Protein 4.2 75
Fat 0.8 7.0


Fat is the only place that it falls behind but I think the protein content more than makes up for it.

 

[Twiggie]

I can't advise you on that as I wouldn't want any harm to come to you because of bad advice!

All I can say is they have been great for me. They work out cheaper and are much less sugar loaded.

Slim Fast Shakes
MyProtein shakes
per 100g
Carbs 10.6 6.0
Protein 4.2 75
Fat 0.8 7.0


Fat is the only place that it falls behind but I think the protein content more than makes up for it.

Thanks, and no worries I wouldn't hold you responsible

Thinking about it, it makes far more sense as we're supposed to be reducing carbs so why have something that's higher in carbs and contains so much sugar!!

The higher fat shouldn't do any harm as we need something for energy if not getting it from carbs, but I will check with the dietician beforehand to be on the safe side.

 

[jaxx]

Before I started this journey I used to eat McVities Go Ahead Yoghurt bars as I thought they'd be better for me than chocolate and because of this I ate more of them. But looking at the values of them now, I can understand why I didn't lose any weight! lol

McVities Go Ahead Strawberry and Yoghurt Breaks

Calories 144 Protein 2.2 Carbohydrate 24.8 Fat 4 Fibre 0.8 Alcohol 0

 

[Miss Tickle]

Coincidently I had everything out of my cupboards the other day as I'm practising new eating habits so I'm ready for my op ( whenever the heck that might be) and I'd read on here about keeping sugar under 5% as well as fat. The fat thing I've been doing but never thought to check the sugar.
Special K is loaded with sugar, think weetabix is too but porridge and shredded wheat are okay thankfully.
So many of my savoury low fat foods are loaded with sugar-even my beloved dutch crisp bakes! I'm glad I've looked now coz I'm going to have to get used to low sugar stuff as I have a morbid fear od dumping!

 

[Gail-michelle]

Well to be honest I eat grapes quite a lot thinking Ime O.K but after reading the contents I might give them a miss for a while. A usual punnet contains approx: 500g, 100g of the grapes is only 63cals, However...... protein 0.4g, carbs 12g of which sugars 12g. Ime sure I have read on here that these count as natural sugars but it still looks a bit iffy. Gail x

 

[Mixman]

You're right Gail. Natural sugars aren't as bad. You still have to be careful as regards to dumping. That's why I was advised that if I had fruit juice, water it down.

 

[Gail-michelle]

Ime still a bit flumexed on this nice sugar and bad sugar to be honest Mixy, I dont dump at all on anything, dont get me wrong Ime not a chocoholic but does this grape thing mean I can have them in moderation???? Gail x

You're right Gail. Natural sugars aren't as bad. You still have to be careful as regards to dumping. That's why I was advised that if I had fruit juice, water it down.

 

[Mixman]

Grapes you will be fine with. It's natural sugar so you'll be fine. Obviously, don't go eating 1lb at a time lol

As with everything, it's got to be balanced.

If grapes are your vice, you're very lucky xx

 

[LisaG]

Shocking isn't it? Low fat=high sugar. But fat contains 3 x the amount of cals gram for gram so that's kind of how they work. Hmmm...

 

[Tracey ( eyore)]

Gail your not the only one confused lol.i an doing my preop diet now ans so worried i am doing something wrong x

 

[ladylite]

I am confused completely.​

 

[tiarasandtantrums]

I have no ideas with sugars, so try to avoid them as much as possible. I need to get my head around anything that ends with 'ose' - glucose, fructose, lactose etc etc. On top of that, my husband is allergic to Aspartame (which is a sweetener) - and I try to only have it in small amounts as it has awful side effects. Shopping is a nightmare these days - I walk around the supermarket putting my glasses on/taking them off/putting them on - just to read the labels! xx

 

[LisaG]

I asked this on another thread but didn't get a response from anyone so maybe you will know. When I start the pre-op liquid diet it says to have 4-5 Slimfast shakes per day but I can't stand Slimfast products (and now you've told me this I wouldn't want them!) so do you think I could substitute them with whey protein drinks instead?



This doesn't surprise me at all especially after something else I recently learnt regarding food labels.

Apparently the FSA recommendation for daily sugar intake for an adult is 60g of refined and 30g of unrefined sugar per day. What a lot of manufacturers are doing is lumping the totals together and saying RDA is 90g sugar so if their product contains 30g refined sugar they say it's 33% of RDA whereas in reality it's 50% RDA.

The whole thing stinks and they wonder why obesity is becoming such a problem in the UK

I asked Lucy about the Slimfast thing when I was on the liquid diet but she had no answers. Just told me not to worry and that it would be fine. I haven't had them post op at all...like Mixxie found other shakes and protein bars that are much less sugar.