When Light is Right

It’s July…the sun is finally shining and unfortunately, my research into alternative sweeteners has been pushed aside – sorry Evan but you’ll have to stay tuned until next week!

With so many opinions floating around about what it means to eat healthy, eating can feel like a game with too many choices to choose from. So for this week, I pass on one of my many food philosophies that will hopefully help you out.

When I was a kid, my mom and I use to battle in the middle of the cereal aisle over buying Frosted Flakes or the gross (albeit cheaper) generic brand. I would swear to her that the two were different, yet she would claim they were exactly the same. So one day, she bought the generic brand and put it into my Frosted Flakes box thinking I wouldn’t be able to tell the difference. And guess what? I could. And I’m sure this story isn’t all too different than our experiences buying light food products.

In this day and age, North Americans struggle with consuming too much fat and calories. Fortunately for us, food companies are aware of this, hence the creation of “light” versions of our favorite products. These light products contain less fat and calories than their original counterparts, and if you can’t tell the difference between the two, then why aren’t you eating the healthier one? Unfortunately, sometimes they do taste different (a little runnier, a weird aftertaste, etc.). If it’s bearable though, then power through – your body will thank you. But if the light version is terrible, than don’t settle – life is just too short. With that being said, I still dare you to try the light versions first before judging too quickly.

Even though our taste buds may differ, here are some examples of light products that I think taste like their full fat counterparts: sour cream, yogurt, ice cream, salad dressings, mayonnaise, lattes/cappuccinos, extra lean ground beef, and of course my favorite…Coke Zero. Start with these, but promise me you’ll experiment with others.

I know you’ll be surprised – keep me posted.

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Image courtesy of hello lovely