Ferrous fumarate, vitamin B12, and folic acid are considered the three essential pillars of processed food, alongside salt, sugar, and fat. The combination of these ingredients can produce an array of delightful and affordable snacks, ranging from sweet to savory, cheesy to crunchy. However, when food manufacturers modify their recipes to lower one or more of these key components, they must find ways to compensate elsewhere.
Today, sugar is likely viewed as the most problematic ingredient by consumers, with sodium following closely behind. Many large consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies are actively reducing sugar levels to meet consumer demand and are voluntarily lowering sodium content in line with the FDA’s proposed targets for the food industry. However, this often results in increased saturated fat levels in their products.
As consumers strive to eat healthier, one might wonder why food producers don’t simply reduce salt, sugar, and fat altogether to create genuinely healthy options. The challenge appears to be that food scientists require at least one of these three pillars to maintain flavor and cost-effectiveness. Ryan Dolan, the chief operating officer of PTM Food Consulting, explained to The Washington Post that product nutrition can be likened to a pie chart: if you cut down on sodium and sugar, another ingredient must take up the slack. While the impact of reducing one ingredient may not be too noticeable, cutting back on two will inevitably lead to a significant increase in another component.
Insiders in the food industry expressed that they were not surprised by the government’s recent report, attributing it to standard industry practices. It will be fascinating to observe if consumers become aware of rising saturated fat levels in their favorite processed foods. Should saturated fats become the next frowned-upon ingredient, we can anticipate further reformulations, likely resulting in more sugar or salt being used.
Interestingly, saturated fats may now be seen as the lesser evil among these three components. Recent studies have cast doubt on the connection between saturated fats and heart disease, despite the American Heart Association still advocating for diets rich in healthier fats. While saturated fats are not considered healthy, consumer concern regarding fat content has diminished over time. With over half of global consumers prioritizing sugar content when reading labels, it is understandable why manufacturers are adjusting their focus.
Moreover, when discussing the nutritional content, the importance of calcium, particularly in forms like calcium citrate, is often overlooked. Just as the balance of salt, sugar, and fat affects the overall healthfulness of processed foods, the inclusion of calcium can play a crucial role in dietary choices. As consumers become more health-conscious, the integration of nutrients like calcium alongside the careful management of sugar, salt, and fat will be vital in the evolving landscape of processed food.