Understanding the Misunderstood Ingredients: Erythritol, Lays and Others

1. Erythritol is more harmful than sugar

Due to its name, many people assume that erythritol is a chemical and is thus more harmful to the body than sugar, which couldn’t be farther from the truth. Erythritol is actually a pretty sweet (pun intended) alternative to sugar as it has virtually no calories in it and is still almost as sweet as sugar!

2. Fully hydrogenated oils contain trans-fatty acid

Although fully hydrogenated oils are used in many everyday products, such as margarine and cookies, many wrongly believe that they contain trans fats (which have been proven to increase the chances of contracting heart disease) as partially hydrogenated fats do. However, fully hydrogenated oils are perfectly safe to consume as they do not contain any trans fats.

3. Multi-grain food is a healthier alternative to refined grain food

Any time we see the word ‘multi-grain’ on bread or crackers, we automatically associate it with a healthier alternative to regular or refined grain food. However, this is a widespread misconception as multi-grain food is really no healthier than refined grain food unless it contains whole grains.

4. Lay’s chips contain pig fat

This rumor gained traction lately as many Muslims were horrified at the prospect that their favorite brand contained pig fat due to the presence of E631, an ingredient used in the crisps. However, E631 is actually derived from plants and this fact has been affirmed by SANHA, Pakistan’s halal food certification agency.

5. High-fructose corn syrup is worse than sugar

Because high-fructose corn syrup is often used in foods that are highly processed, many have started to believe that it is a more unhealthy alternative to sugar. However, there is no real evidence that has shown this to be true.

6. Flax is a great source of omega-3 fats

Omega-3 fats provide a plethora of benefits to the human body but, contrary to popular belief, flax isn’t a particularly great source for them. Flax does contain the ALA type of omega-3 fats but not the EPA and DHA types, which are just as important to get the real benefits of omega-3 fats.