The big difference between Diet and Light is in the amount of ingredients that were reduced in the preparation of the product:
- Diet : they have zero of any ingredient, like zero fat, zero sugar or zero salt. Thus, they can be used by people with chronic problems, such as diabetes, high blood pressure or high cholesterol, for example; Light : show a reduction of at least 25% in the amount of some ingredient or in calories in general, when compared to the normal version of the product.
Thus, neither version guarantees that the product to be purchased is healthy or low in calories, as this will depend on the ingredient that was reduced in the recipe. So it is very important to always read the label before purchasing the product.
For example, there is no point in dieting and buying a light food that only reduced the amount of sodium in the product, as your calories will remain the same.
Watch the following video and check out these differences between light and diet products and tips for healthy eating with these products:
What are Diet products for
Diet products should only be purchased in specific cases of illness or blood test changes. Therefore, depending on the type of ingredient that was removed from the recipe, the products are more suitable for:
- Zero added sugar: for diabetics; Zero fat addition: for those with high cholesterol or high triglycerides; Zero sodium / salt added: for those with high blood pressure.
Thus, it is important to know the health problem that must be treated to be able to buy specific foods, being necessary to always look at the product label to identify which of the ingredients has been changed and if it really fits the diet.
Diet have less calories?
Although some Diet products are sugar-free, it does not mean that they have fewer calories, and some may even contain a higher amount of calories than a non-diet product. This is because to maintain the flavor and texture, manufacturers add a greater amount of fats or other ingredients, leaving the food more caloric.
What Light products are for
Light products must be purchased when it is desired to have a reduction in a specific nutrient or in the general calories of the product. By law, light products must contain 25% less calories or some nutrient, such as salt, sugar, fat or protein, which does not always represent a significant reduction and which will bring health benefits.
So, before buying a light product, it is important to note which nutrient has been reduced and whether this reduction is interesting for the diet that is being followed. It is also important to know that Diet or Light products can also be high in fats, so you need to understand why eating these foods does not always help you lose weight.
