Do You Know How Food Makers Are Taking Salt and Sugar Out of Processed Food? 

The food manufacturing industry is recognizing the need to reduce salt and sugar from its products, basically because of government’s pressure after realizing the overweight and obesity increase and other health issues associated to salt and sugar in processed food.

But do you how are they doing it not to lose sales due to the consumer not accepting the changes in their products?

Keep reading to find out.

Decisions Are Based on Convenience, Value and Taste

 Let’s face it. The majority of people make their eating decisions based on convenience, value and taste.

 Food manufacturers know about convenience, and that’s why they make their food as convenient and easy to eat as possible, selling it everywhere and allowing the food to have a shelf life as long as possible.

 They also know about value, that’s why they have long brainstorming meetings to price the products right so they make good money but make sure that you consumer feel the value added when purchasing and consuming that product.

And of course, they know about taste. That’s why they follow closely the ingredient companies to make sure that they fill their products with pleasure fulfilling ingredients that you consumer feel as a plus to that product.

As a result, you have processed foods packed with the right bomb combination of fat, salt and sugar, the “Incredible Trio” that goes directly to your pleasure receptors in your brain.

People Like the "Original" Product

Processed food makers also know how most consumers are very resilient to accept diet products. They automatically reject the healthy alternatives assuming that it won’t be as tasty as the original ones. But something is changing in the food manufacturing industry, since they are recognizing the need for a change to healthier options.

I am suspicious that what is making the small changes possible is more the governments pushing the industry to manufacture products lower in salt and sugar to try to attack the overweight and obesity epidemic, rather than the industry natural inclination to make healthier products.

As I said before, healthier versions of the traditional products haven’t been very welcomed by the general public so the food manufacturers are relying in the ingredient companies to find new products to add to its products to maintain the original taste while being able to reduce some of the fat, salt and sugar.

Before, Fat Was the Enemy

While fat was considered the worse weight loss enemy ever, food manufacturers managed to reduce fat content by increasing salt and sugar to maintain the rich flavors. So you ended up with products lower in fat but with almost the same calories and probably less healthier than the initial product (depending of which fat had the initial product).

Now It's Salt and Sugar

Now we are renegotiating our terms with fat, but we really need to fight hard salt and sugar because of the very negative consequences in weight management and health related problems.

Governments know about it and are pushing the food manufacturers who know there is no way out. So, to avoid consumers backing up from the original products, they are hiding those changes, reducing salt and sugar to agree with government policies, by adding other substances that nobody really know much about and that are only tricking your brain to makes you think (feel) you are eating the same salty and sugary product.

What are you Learning?

As a result, you are NOT learning anything!

You are not learning why fat, sugar and salt are not good for your health, how much is too much, how to stay away from manufactured foods, how to make good choices, how to shop at the grocery store the right products, how to read labels, how to cook the basics to have a healthy meal, how to educate your kids.

Not only that, but by tricking your brain with substances that simulate salt and sugar but really aren’t, your salt and sweet senses are being misleading and stunt in the end, losing your right ability to determine what is too salty or sweet and craving still more.

Learn the Right Way to Lose Weight

I am not saying that to have processed foods with less salt and sugar is not a good step towards managing your weight loss. But the real pathway comes with learning an alternative way of eating. If not, years will pass, and nothing will change. You won’t see big differences in yourself, your kids and your grandchildren.

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