At Kifli, we not only aim to offer the country's widest range of free-from and special products, but also provide guidance alongside them, so we consulted an expert, dietitian Erzsébet Soltész, to help us understand the topic.

“Consumers who select special foods for their baskets either for health reasons or to follow a diet, not only consider 'free-from' important but also compliance with other aspects of their diet,” said Erzsébet, adding that beyond ingredients excluded due to allergies or intolerances, it may involve considering carbohydrate and sugar content in cases of insulin resistance or diabetes, or monitoring protein content for sports performance. She emphasized that, regardless of the diet, everyone benefits from regularly consuming ingredients rich in dietary fiber and probiotic foods that support the diversity and balance of gut flora.

She agreed that the level of carbohydrate intake, the consumption or avoidance of sugar and various alternative sugar substitutes is a truly divisive topic, and it is difficult to navigate through the many contradictory pieces of information. This is particularly challenging for those who not only want to limit their carbohydrate and sugar intake but also wish to adhere to other rules of their diet.

The dietitian shared some guidelines and thoughts on the consumer preferences of the three most common diets for those who are just starting on the path or seeking reinforcement for their long-held diet.

 

VEGAN DIET

The vegan diet excludes meat and meat products, as well as dairy and eggs. Among followers of the vegan diet, some are not bothered if the food consumed contains minimal amounts or 'traces' of animal-derived products (e.g., egg lecithin, gelatin), but for most, this is a disqualifying factor. For vegetarians, only meat is taboo, but they consume milk, dairy products, and/or eggs and/or fish.

What about carbohydrates and sweetening:

The diet's high fiber content is ensured by plenty of vegetables, dry legumes, fruits, cereals, and seeds, characterized by dishes made from slow-absorbing carbohydrates. Since the blood sugar-raising effect is not a primary concern in this diet, vegans can consume products with a higher glycemic index (such as rice flour, corn flour, potato starch often found in gluten-free products). Counting and monitoring carbohydrate content is not expected.

The vegan diet is not just about 'free-from' but also a philosophy. The emphasis is on using natural ingredients, but for many, consuming intense artificial sweeteners (e.g., sucralose, aspartame) and sugar alcohols (erythritol, xylitol, maltitol) is not taboo. Sugar-free is not a primary concern, but naturally sweet ingredients like dates or bananas, and plant-based sweeteners like stevia are popular for replacing added sugar.

 

INSULIN RESISTANT, DIABETIC DIET

Impaired carbohydrate metabolism is characteristic of several diseases (diabetes, impaired glucose tolerance, insulin resistance). A proper diet is a fundamental part of treatment. Key rules include reduced carbohydrate intake, proper distribution throughout the day, avoiding simple sugars, and moderating the blood sugar-raising effect (glycemic index) of meals. Due to often associated obesity, attention must also be paid to energy intake, including the amount of fats and proteins. Apart from sugar, other 'free-from' is not generally expected, only recommended to exclude certain food ingredients in cases of proven allergy, food intolerance, or gluten sensitivity.

What about carbohydrates and sweetening:

In the diabetic/insulin-resistant diet, we primarily select sources of so-called slow-absorbing carbohydrates. Foods rich in dietary fiber are excellent because fibers slow down blood sugar level increase and support healthy carbohydrate metabolism by aiding gut flora. Low-fiber, high-starch, processed carbohydrates should be avoided. Popular new ingredients include low glycemic index (high fiber content) legume and seed flours (e.g., almond flour), konjac flour, bamboo fiber flour, psyllium husk, chia seeds.

No form of sugar is recommended (brown sugar, cane sugar, fructose, honey, apple sugar, fig sugar, coconut flower sugar, maple syrup, date syrup are also not recommended), and foods containing added sugar should be avoided. However, the 'witch hunt' against sugar is not justified; natural sugar sources like fruits, vegetables, and dairy products are an important part of the diet in measured amounts. Store-bought products made with sweeteners can be consumed primarily for variety, but the diet should not be based on these, rather on dishes made from natural ingredients rich in fiber. Numerous sweeteners can be used to replace sugar. When choosing, it should be considered that several of these have countable carbohydrate content (maltitol, sorbitol, xylitol) and can raise blood sugar levels, and may even affect gut flora. Besides the popular erythritol-stevia combination, glycine is a novel sweetener, which is a sweet-tasting, protein-like substance.

 

PALEO AND KETOGENIC DIET

The background philosophy of the paleo diet and the ketogenic diet, which emerged a few years ago, is completely different, and both have several variations and levels of strictness. For simplicity, we focus on common rules: avoiding gluten (and generally cereals), avoiding dairy products, minimizing sugar intake (or completely excluding sugar). Meat and eggs are abundant in the diet.

What about carbohydrates and sweetening:

The allowed foods are inherently low in carbohydrates, and the ketogenic diet extremely restricts the daily allowed intake. Similar to the diabetic and insulin-resistant diet, seed meals, seed flours, nuts, and oily seeds, coconut, and natural cocoa powder are popular. Consumption of cereals and legumes is generally prohibited.

Even natural forms of sugar are avoided (among fruits, only lower sugar content berries are allowed). Among sugar substitutes, naturally deemed erythritol and stevia are accepted, while other sugar alcohols (e.g., maltitol, sorbitol) and artificial sweeteners are not preferred. Glycine is a new sweetener, its use has not yet spread (protein-like, sweet substance). The 'monk fruit' sweet extract, available in several places, is currently not approved in the EU.

 

FOOD CHARACTERISTICS

Understanding what certain food labels mean helps navigate between foods more easily. With the help of an expert, we have compiled the most important ones (these are precisely described by Regulation 1924/2006/EC). The new categories for sugar have been valid since 2016, following the discontinuation of the 'diabetic' label – the dietitian emphasized that these do not provide information about the total carbohydrate content of the product, including the amount of starch and dietary fiber. Dieters must consider these based on the nutritional labeling and the list of ingredients.

 

The table below was prepared by dietitian Erzsébet Soltész.