In the case of food manufacturing, when a nutritional constituent of a product is removed, then in most circumstances an alternative nutrient will take its place. Therefore, if something is marketed as being “low” (e.g. carbs), then this implies something else must be higher in contrast (e.g. fat).
This is an important concept to understand but also appreciate the rationale behind why food scientists can’t create products “low” in every nutrient; ultimately, it wouldn’t be food. If consumer demands are requesting traditional products that are originally a good source of a certain nutrient (e.g. bread being relatively dense in carbs), to be LOW in that nutrient, then they need to find a replacement. The exact source and quantity of this replacement is fundamental, because the new food product still needs to be desirable from a taste, texture, and mouthfeel point of view. Also, the replacement needs to hold true (literally) to resembling the original product and not fall apart.
The nutrients that tend to replace their original counterparts in circumstances such as these can be a combination of water, protein, gums, and sugar alcohols, however… in the case of “low carb” products, it’s not uncommon for carbohydrates to be replaced with dietary fat. There’s nothing inherently wrong with this as dietary fat and carbohydrates are both nutritious. Although, the issue is that most consumers are misled by the word “low” bold printed on the front of their food products and will often associate this with being low in calories.
As illustrated by the infographic above, “low carb” does not guarantee a product is lower in calories. In fact, it can be the stark opposite in some circumstances, with popular items like low-carb bread, wraps, energy balls and granola being upwards of 100 calories higher per 100g serving compared to their original counterparts.
The solution? Flip over your food packets and learn how nutrient panels will provide a “full picture” of the product you’re about to consume, from a macronutrient AND energy perspective. If you’re aiming to create an energy deficit and lose weight, calories will always be king.