NOT ALWAYS!
Processed low-calorie foods can be weak allies in the weight-loss war. Take sugar-free foods. ommitting sugar is perhaps the easiest way to cut calories. But food manufacturers generally replace those sugars with calorie-free sweeteners, such as sucralose or aspartame. And artificial sweeteners can back fire. One University of Texas study found that consuming as few as three diet sodas a week increases a person risk of obesity by morethan 40 percent. And in a 2008 Purdue study, rats that ate artificial sweetened yogurt took in more calories at subsequent meals, resulting in more flab. The theory is the promise of suger - without the caloric payoff - may actually lead to overeating. "too many people are counting calories instead of focusing on the content of food,: says Aldeman. "This misses the boat."
YOUR MOVE...
Avoid artificial sweeteners and load up your plate with the bona fide low-calorie saviors: fruits and vegetables.
