From the Mailbag: Duped By "Diet"

Dear Wenchypoo,

So-called 'diet,' 'lite' and 'low calorie' foods drive me crazy—like salad dressing, cheese and beer that are really just the exact same product with water added to them and sold at a higher price for less actual food!

(note the writer is talking about PROCESSED foods)

Dear Calorie-Deprived,

Water contains no calories, and is a way to stretch the contents of the food/drink item without adding additional calories, thereby verifying the math when the nutrient calculations are redone—less product means less calories, fat, cholesterol, or whatever they’re trying to cut down on. It’s a math trick more than a manufacturing trick. Water is cheap compared to completely reformulating and reconfiguring manufacture.

Here’s a suggestion: for all you “diet” buyers out there, why not just get the regular form of the product and add YOUR OWN water! Better yet, learn to live without the product altogether, or find a suitable substitute.