4. Sugar-free foods won’t raise blood sugar, so you can eat as much as you please
Sure, your diet ice cream has “Sugar Free” plastered all over it, but that doesn’t mean you have free reign to delve in without restraint. While, yes, zero-calorie natural sweeteners, artificial sweeteners, and sugar alcohols do not affect blood sugar, don’t be misled into believing sugar is the only nutrient that will raise your blood glucose levels. Snyder tells us that “all carbohydrates turn to sugar in the blood,” so you should always scope out the “Total Carbohydrates” line on a food label to see how many carbs you’re eating. (Looking for more tips on how to tackle the back of the box? Be sure to check out these 20 Ultimate TIps for Finally Understanding Nutrition Labels.)
Snyder points out that another issue with sugar-free foods “is that the label can often mislead us to believe they are healthier than they are and cause us to eat more than our usual portion size,” which can spell out disaster for our belly fat. She explains, “Often times, they have the same number of calories as the regular item.”
