Understand why light and diet foods do not always lose weight

Light and diet foods are widely used in weight loss diets because they have less sugar, fat, calories or salt. However, these are not always the best choices, as to keep the taste pleasant for the consumer, the industry often compensates for the reduction of sugar by fat, for example, making the food even more caloric than its 'normal' version.

In addition, daily consumption of diet or light products increases the person's risk of developing degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's or having a stroke by 3 times. Therefore, it is important to read the label and compare the two versions to find out which nutrient was removed from the product, and to understand that light foods cannot be consumed at will, as they also toxins, in addition to more calories and, for this reason, put on weight. See tips on how to read food labels to make better choices.

When to consume diet or light foods

Diet products are indicated only for those who are diabetic and light products are indicated for those who have fat in their liver or are on a weight loss regimen. Therefore, those who are not in any of these cases should not consume diet or light products in their daily lives.

But even so, when it is really necessary to consume some diet or light product one should compare this version with the 'normal' one because many times the amount of fat or sodium is higher, and this also harms health.

The following figure shows an example of a diet food that brings more fats than normal food, which would be harmful for people who want to lose weight or who have high cholesterol, for example.

Labels comparing normal chocolate and diet chocolate

In this example, it is possible to see that for the same amount of chocolate, the diet version has more fat and sodium than the normal version, which is harmful to health and does not contribute to weight loss. See the answers to 10 other myths and truths about weight loss diets.

Difference between diet and light

The difference between diet and light is in the amount of nutrient that was removed from the product. While diet foods have zero or only a very small amount of the nutrient, light foods have only a reduction of this nutrient, which must be at least 25%.

For example, 200 ml of a normal soda has about 20g of sugar, but a light soda can have up to 16g of sugar, while the diet version has 0g of sugar. However, in other foods this reduction can happen for both sugar and other nutrients, such as saturated fat, cholesterol, protein and salt, and not always the reduced nutrient helps in the weight loss process.

Watch the following video and learn more about the differences between diet and light, and when to use each:

How to lose weight without eating diet and light

To lose weight without eating diet and light products one should prefer whole products, which are rich in fibers and vitamins and minerals essential for the proper functioning of the body. It is necessary to consume at least 3 fruits a day, preferably with peel, eat salad with the main meals and avoid foods rich in sugar and fat, such as cakes, frozen frozen food and fried foods.

In addition to food, physical activity should be performed at least 3 times a week, as exercise increases metabolism, improves blood circulation and helps with the proper functioning of the intestine, accelerating weight loss and improving the health of the body.

If you are always thinking about food, know if you have a fat mind and what to do to treat.