Ask the doctor: Whats the skinny on fat-free half-and-half?
Q. Is fat-free half-and-half good for you? A. Sure, in the same way that diet soda is good for you — because of what you are not having. But it’s not good for you in the way that fruits, vegetables, and whole grains are. Fat-free half-and-half is made with skim milk, a touch of milk or cream, corn syrup and other sweeteners, carrageenan (a seaweed extract used as a thickener), and other additives. As the name implies, each 2-tablespoon serving contains no fat, but it does have about 20 calories. Regular half-and-half is a mixture of milk and cream. A serving delivers 3 grams of fat (2 grams of which are saturated fat, or about 10% of the recommended daily limit), a bit of cholesterol, and 40 calories. If you use a lot of half-and-half or cream in your coffee or when making soups or desserts, a fat-free version is a simple way to cut back on saturated fat. But don’t fall into the trap that trips up so many people who switch to low-fat or no-fat products — feeling so virtuous for making
