Processed Foods Have More Fat Than Before, but Less Sugar
In a November government report, there is good and bad news about how the nutritional value of processed foods has changed over time. The good news is that new foods often have less sugar, less salt, and more fiber. But this is offset by the change in fat content: new cereals, yoghurts, and snacks tend to be higher in fat.
This is likely due to the fact that you need to add something when you remove sugar from the composition, according to the Washington Post . However, there are caveats. First, the report covers changes from 2008 to 2012, so it does not include new products over the past few years.
In addition, it does not provide details on which product changes are responsible for these trends. The higher fat content of yoghurt is not due to full-fat yoghurt becoming more common, but the report does not break down whether there is more than 2% yoghurt and less fat-free yoghurt.
Bottom line: If you want to pay attention to what’s in your food, make sure you study all the nutrition facts. Don’t think that one or two numbers tell the whole story.