Dr Oz: No-Calorie Foods
Dr Oz kicked off his show talking about zero calorie foods that promise to satisfy your sweet tooth and curb cravings, without causing you to gain weight. Dr Oz asked NBC News correspondent Jenna Wolfe to investigate. There are zero calorie products everywhere and people believe that zero calories means that they can have as much of it as they want, but when they looked at the ingredient list, they had no idea what they were looking at.
Jenna took a bag full of zero calorie foods to the Culinary Institute of America to find out exactly what was in it.
Dr Oz: Do You Have Zero-Calorie Foods At Home?
we consume zero-calorie foods thinking that we’re actually doing our bodies a favor, when in reality we have no idea what we’re actually eating. (slippyd / Flickr)
Jenna and a woman named Tiffany joined the show. Tiffany said she hasn’t lost weight with the products, but she hasn’t gained weight either. Jenna said there’s no such thing as cheating the system, which is “move more, eat less.” Dr Oz did a survey, asking his audience who had zero-calorie foods at home and 74% of the audience said they did.
But how can something really have zero calories?
Dr Oz: What’s In Zero Calorie Foods?
Dr Oz welcomed a food scientist from the Culinary Institute of America, to show the anatomy of a zero-calorie food. A zero-calorie food needs richness and texture, which is where cellulose fiber and xantham gum come into play. Those ingredients provide body.
To give zero-calorie foods taste, products may use something like tomato powder or cocoa powder, which are raw materials that are concentrated and pungent. But the major concern is the artificial sweeteners: sucralose and aspartame.
If you’re looking for a food with nutritional value, a zero-calorie food is more like water than it is full of good nutrients. Basically, the scientist explained that if these zero-calorie foods are used to help you eat more healthy foods, than it could be okay, but if you’re only consuming a ton of them by themselves, you’re not getting any sort of benefit.
Dr Oz: The Truth About Artificial Sweeteners
Dr Oz explained that he was most concerned about the artificial sweeteners that promise sweet foods without guilt. He said they actually trick your brain, potentially causing you to gain weight. When you eat something sweet, sugar generates a lot of blood sugar. But when you consume artificial sweeteners, your brain thinks you got the sugar, but you’re not, causing more and more cravings, reminding you what you didn’t get.
Plus, for a lot of people, they can irritate your intestine causing bloating.
Dr Oz: Shirataki Noodles
Dr Oz said he had a “zero hero food” that isn’t made in a lab. It’s called Shirataki noodles that is high in soluble fiber and stabilizes blood sugar. It only has ten calories and can be used instead of regular pasta. Excuse me while I run out and buy all the shirataki noodles I can get my hands on!
Are you guilty of consuming zero calorie foods, thinking you’re actually doing your body a favor?
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