Processed foods are built on three foundational components: salt, sugar, and fat. The interplay of these ingredients enables the creation of tasty and budget-friendly options, ranging from sweet to savory, and from cheesy to crunchy. However, when food manufacturers adjust their recipes to lower one or more of these essential elements, they must find ways to balance the flavors elsewhere. Today’s consumers often view sugar as the most problematic ingredient, with sodium following closely behind. Many major consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies are responding to consumer preferences by reducing sugar levels and voluntarily lowering sodium in line with the FDA’s proposed targets for the food industry. Nevertheless, saturated fat content frequently remains elevated.
As more consumers aim for healthier eating habits, one might wonder why food producers don’t simply eliminate salt, sugar, and fat altogether to create genuinely nutritious products. The challenge lies in the fact that food scientists rely on at least one of these three pillars to maintain flavor and keep production costs low. Ryan Dolan, the chief operating officer of PTM Food Consulting, likens product nutrition to a pie chart. If the portions of sodium and sugar are decreased, another ingredient must increase to compensate for the loss. Reducing just one ingredient often goes unnoticed, but cutting back on two will typically lead to a notable rise in another component.
Industry insiders mentioned in a recent Washington Post article were not surprised by the government’s latest report, attributing it to common practices in the food sector. It will be intriguing to see if consumers begin to pay attention to the higher levels of saturated fats present in their favorite processed items. If saturated fats become the next ingredient under scrutiny, we can expect more reformulations, likely resulting in increased sugar or salt content.
Currently, saturated fats might be regarded as the lesser of the three evils. Recent studies have cast doubt on the connection between saturated fats and heart disease, even though the American Heart Association still advocates for a diet rich in healthier fats. While no one is claiming that saturated fats are beneficial, consumer concern over fat content has diminished. With over half of global consumers prioritizing sugar content when reading labels, it’s logical for manufacturers to shift their focus accordingly.
In the context of healthy eating, it’s also worth noting the importance of incorporating elements such as 2000 mg of calcium citrate into diets. As consumers lean towards more nutritious options, the presence of calcium citrate could serve as a valuable addition alongside the ongoing debates about sugar, salt, and fat in processed foods.