I just love the marketing tactics used to try to get us to purchase products. When it comes to food, these gimmicks run rampant. For instance, I was using a low carb wrap to put my eggs and bacon in over the weekend when I noticed at the top it stated "94% Fat Free." I immediately wondered why I hadn't read this before, realized I probably had and just ignored it; and then wondered to myself 'how much fat is in a non-low carb piece of bread or wrap?'
Of course the answer is that most breads are pretty low in fat as they are made from wheat, or processed from wheat or multi-grains etc. The 94% fat free comment is there to coerce the fat phobic consumer to purchase the product, as most people (doctors) still hold on tenaciously to the fallacy that eating fat is dangerous.
Actually, those who have read my book or have been following my blog know that eating fat is not only safe, but healthy. And the more saturated fat one eats, the higher the HDL will go. So we really do not want the food we're eating to be low fat. We want the fat and by this I am referring to saturated, poly and monounsaturated fatty acids.
So in my mind when I see fat free or low fat, I say to myself 'No, I want the food that has the fat in it' and I try to avoid eating low fat foods. In fact, I tell my patients to try to avoid eating low fat/low cholesterol products whenever they can.
It also makes me chuckle when I see a product that has always been low carb, now with the words "Low in Carbs" written on the package. I've seen this on hot dog, sausage, chicken and believe it or not on mayonnaise as well. This is good for us low carbers for alot of people just starting out aren't sure how many carbs are in the food they're about to eat--it makes me laugh as to how food manufactures, who could care less about your health, change their marketing to opportunize certain diets.
Just my thoughts for the day. Tomorrow I'll talk a little bit about how our pets should be eating. That's right, I did say pets, but my focus will be mainly on our canine friends.
Dr Jim
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I have a co-worker who proctors weight watchers meetings. She talks about counting points all the time and cannot believe how I eat every day. She sees me with a slab of cold cuts on a flax wrap and a ton of real mayo and she expects to one day have to start chest compressions. The brainwashed one say's "You eat too much fat, it's not healthy" Meanwhile, I overhear how hungry she gets in the afternoon when I'm stuffed from my sandwich, cheese bar & sugar free peppermint patty (for dessert.)
ReplyDeleteLike the last time I walked out of Dr. Jim's office when he said "I don't see how anyone would not like eating like this."
By the way, Applebee's 12oz sirloin, substitute brocolli for the fries and loads of butter. Yep, we're eatin'.