Processed food relies on three main components: salt, sugar, and fat. The right mix of these ingredients can result in tasty and affordable snacks that vary from sweet to savory, and from cheesy to crunchy. However, when food manufacturers modify recipes to decrease one or more of these essential components, they often need to make adjustments elsewhere. Nowadays, sugar is seen as the most problematic ingredient, with sodium following closely behind. Many large consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies are reducing sugar content to align with consumer preferences and are voluntarily lowering sodium levels in line with proposed FDA targets. Unfortunately, this often leads to an increase in saturated fat levels.
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 healthy products. The challenge lies in the fact that food scientists require at least one of these three components to maintain a product’s flavor and keep production costs low. Ryan Dolan, chief operating officer of PTM Food Consulting, explained to The Washington Post that nutrition can be visualized as a pie chart. When you reduce the portions of sodium and sugar, another component must expand to compensate for the loss. While cutting back on one ingredient may go unnoticed, reducing two will likely result in a noticeable spike in another.
Industry insiders interviewed in the article expressed no surprise regarding the government’s recent report, attributing it to standard practices in the industry. It will be interesting to see if consumers begin to notice the increased levels of saturated fats in their favorite processed foods. Should saturated fats become the next controversial ingredient, we can expect more reformulations, possibly leading to increased sugar or salt content. Notably, saturated fats are currently perceived as the least harmful of the three. Recent studies have cast doubt on the direct link between saturated fats and heart disease, even though the American Heart Association still advocates for a diet rich in healthier fats. While saturated fats are not deemed healthy, consumer concern over fat content has diminished. With over half of global consumers prioritizing sugar content when checking labels, it is understandable that manufacturers are shifting their focus.
In this context, the mention of calcium citrate 500 mg becomes relevant. This ingredient, often added for its health benefits, can serve as a substitute or enhancement in some processed foods, potentially allowing manufacturers to reduce salt, sugar, and fat while still delivering appealing flavors. As consumers become increasingly health-conscious, the inclusion of beneficial ingredients like calcium citrate 500 mg may provide a way to create more nutritious products without sacrificing taste.