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I am a bit torn about these new labels. I'm from Argentina and they were implemented over there some time ago. On the one hand, I think it's great to warn "ign

I am a bit torn about these new labels. I'm from Argentina and they were implemented over there some time ago. On the one hand, I think it's great to warn "ignorant" people about the content of their foods. And by Ignorant I don't mean poor uneducated people. You'd be surprised how many college-educated, well-off people in Argentina think that a cereal bar is a "healthy food". Or that corn flakes is a healthy food. So, suddenly, these black scary labels started appearing everywhere and people were like "Oh wow, does this have a lot of sugar in it? I thought it was healthy". So that's a good thing. But on the other hand, they'r extremely simplistic. A label that says "excess fat" can actually be a good thing. If it's some raw, healthy fat (say, Oil, butter, etc), that's a great type of food. But it'll share the same "excess fat" label with a crappy hydrogenated-fat based food. Take for example whole milk, which it is now known that is the ONLY healthy type of milk. It'll have a "excess fat" label. While Skim milk will contain non such labels. Anyway, I think the balance is favorable for those labels. At least "protect" the uneducated people. If anybody wants to learn more about food, they'll put the time and learn to ignore those labels and just focus on the raw macronutrients. EDIT: I know the "whole milk is better than Skim milk" might STILL be a hot take (not for long I hope...). Here's my answer to another comment: > The gist is: fat is not bad; at all. Most of Vitamins contained in Milk are fat-soluble. That means that all the good properties of milk are transported by fat. Also, whole milk is less processed. > Here's a very "intuitive" reasoning, as an exercise: if Vitamin D is fat soluble... how is it possible that Skim milk has MORE Vitamin D (or A) than whole milk? (answer: because it's artificially added). Sources: - https://qz.com/405498/the-case-for-drinking-whole-milk https://qz.com/405498/the-case-for-drinking-whole-milk - https://archive.is/0yBjZ https://archive.is/0yBjZ

selimthegrim 3y ago
How is whole milk the only healthy type?
- em-bee 3y ago
  apparently it's because it is less processed than other milk.
  - santiagobasulto 3y ago
    Yes, exactly, among other things. See my updated comment.
kubanczyk 3y ago
> extremely simplistic In this case I'd take "extremely simplistic" any time over well-balanced-through-slightly-more-complex-set-of-rules. Thing is, the rules will be gamed in the long run, period. Simpler rules would eventually allow consumers to easily determine how are they being cheated.
- santiagobasulto 3y ago
  Yes, I agree with you as well. But with the word of caution that they're not the silver bullet and people should still educate themselves regarding macronutrients.
bruce343434 3y ago
> which it is now known that is the ONLY healthy type of milk That seems like a strong claim, according to whom?
- santiagobasulto 3y ago
  You can find just a few sources below, out of the MANY studies done. The gist is: fat is not bad; at all. Most of Vitamins contained in Milk are fat-soluble. That means that all the good properties of milk are transported by fat. Also, whole milk is less processed. Here's a very "intuitive" reasoning, as an exercise: if Vitamin D is fat soluble... how is it possible that Skim milk has MORE Vitamin D (or A) than whole milk? (answer: because it's artificially added). Sources: - https://qz.com/405498/the-case-for-drinking-whole-milk https://qz.com/405498/the-case-for-drinking-whole-milk - https://archive.is/0yBjZ https://archive.is/0yBjZ
  - bruce343434 3y ago
    Does artificial addition of vitamins imply unhealthiness?
    - santiagobasulto 3y ago
      Implies unnecessary tempering of the product... but more importantly, Vitamin D/A added WITHOUT fat, is just wasted. The body absorbs those vitamins only in the presence of fat. So, most of the artificially added Vitamins will end up being disposed adding extra stress to your kidneys.
lopis 3y ago
I didn't look into what the labels actually mean, but if "excess fat" means more than 30% fat, that sounds perfectly reasonable to me. Your diet should avoid processed food that are mostly fat. But in the end, I don't think these labels work by instantly educating individuals. It works by continuously reminding people that these foods are not healthy. Most will not stop eating them because of the labels, but many will probably give it at least a second though.
em-bee 3y ago
to be more clear, (from a quick search on the subject), vitamin D needs fat so that the body can absorb it. that doesn't mean skimmed milk with vitamin D is useless, but only as long as there is other fat coming from elsewhere at the same time (and i don't know how much time that means), so skimmed milk is simply less practical.
- santiagobasulto 3y ago
  You actually have to consider what's the body going to do with the excess Vitamin D that can't be absorbed (because of the lack of fat). The answer is: probably going to stress more your kidneys. For me, the bottom line is, why would I drink skim milk if it's just a more "watery" version of the perfectly healthy whole milk? Btw, and this is just me, I'm not lactose intolerant (I eat A LOT of yogurt, milk, cream, cheese, etc), but skim milk makes me "sick" (lactose-intolerant symptoms). Maybe it's just my brain.
  - em-bee 3y ago
    why would I drink skim milk if it's just a more "watery" version of the perfectly healthy whole milk i suppose an argument can be made that it makes up for more fat elsewhere, but i agree. personally i avoid any milk product that has less fat than is natural for that product. and i am a big fan of raw milk. when we had the opportunity we used to buy milk directly from a farmer because it just tastes so much better.
    - santiagobasulto 3y ago
      EXACTLY! We weren't even considering the taste in this whole discussion!

selimthegrim 3y ago

How is whole milk the only healthy type?

em-bee 3y ago
apparently it's because it is less processed than other milk.
- santiagobasulto 3y ago
  Yes, exactly, among other things. See my updated comment.

kubanczyk 3y ago

> extremely simplistic In this case I'd take "extremely simplistic" any time over well-balanced-through-slightly-more-complex-set-of-rules. Thing is, the rules will be gamed in the long run, period. Simpler rules would eventually allow consumers to easily determine how are they being cheated.

santiagobasulto 3y ago
Yes, I agree with you as well. But with the word of caution that they're not the silver bullet and people should still educate themselves regarding macronutrients.

bruce343434 3y ago

> which it is now known that is the ONLY healthy type of milk That seems like a strong claim, according to whom?

santiagobasulto 3y ago
You can find just a few sources below, out of the MANY studies done. The gist is: fat is not bad; at all. Most of Vitamins contained in Milk are fat-soluble. That means that all the good properties of milk are transported by fat. Also, whole milk is less processed. Here's a very "intuitive" reasoning, as an exercise: if Vitamin D is fat soluble... how is it possible that Skim milk has MORE Vitamin D (or A) than whole milk? (answer: because it's artificially added). Sources: - https://qz.com/405498/the-case-for-drinking-whole-milk https://qz.com/405498/the-case-for-drinking-whole-milk - https://archive.is/0yBjZ https://archive.is/0yBjZ
- bruce343434 3y ago
  Does artificial addition of vitamins imply unhealthiness?
  - santiagobasulto 3y ago
    Implies unnecessary tempering of the product... but more importantly, Vitamin D/A added WITHOUT fat, is just wasted. The body absorbs those vitamins only in the presence of fat. So, most of the artificially added Vitamins will end up being disposed adding extra stress to your kidneys.

lopis 3y ago

I didn't look into what the labels actually mean, but if "excess fat" means more than 30% fat, that sounds perfectly reasonable to me. Your diet should avoid processed food that are mostly fat. But in the end, I don't think these labels work by instantly educating individuals. It works by continuously reminding people that these foods are not healthy. Most will not stop eating them because of the labels, but many will probably give it at least a second though.

em-bee 3y ago

to be more clear, (from a quick search on the subject), vitamin D needs fat so that the body can absorb it. that doesn't mean skimmed milk with vitamin D is useless, but only as long as there is other fat coming from elsewhere at the same time (and i don't know how much time that means), so skimmed milk is simply less practical.

santiagobasulto 3y ago
You actually have to consider what's the body going to do with the excess Vitamin D that can't be absorbed (because of the lack of fat). The answer is: probably going to stress more your kidneys. For me, the bottom line is, why would I drink skim milk if it's just a more "watery" version of the perfectly healthy whole milk? Btw, and this is just me, I'm not lactose intolerant (I eat A LOT of yogurt, milk, cream, cheese, etc), but skim milk makes me "sick" (lactose-intolerant symptoms). Maybe it's just my brain.
- em-bee 3y ago
  why would I drink skim milk if it's just a more "watery" version of the perfectly healthy whole milk i suppose an argument can be made that it makes up for more fat elsewhere, but i agree. personally i avoid any milk product that has less fat than is natural for that product. and i am a big fan of raw milk. when we had the opportunity we used to buy milk directly from a farmer because it just tastes so much better.
  - santiagobasulto 3y ago
    EXACTLY! We weren't even considering the taste in this whole discussion!