How it possible is that obesity and heart disease is on the rise when “health-conscious” food manufacturers are loading up our supermarkets with “healthy foods?” The answer – MISLEADING LABELS by shrink labels manufacturers.
We have been overwhelmed with dubious food labels such as; “lightly sweetened” and “all-natural” blah blah; all of these sound like healthy choices but are not. Food suppliers don’t blatantly “break” any rules; however, they guilefully bend them.
The following are some common misleading food labels and how to navigate around them:
“Lightly Sweetened”
This misleading label is usually applied to cereals, nuts, crackers and many beverages. The FDA puts strict regulations regarding the usage of the terms “no sugar added” and “sugar-free”. Therefore, marketing agencies came up with “low sugar “or “lightly sweetened”, which the FDA has not covered in its rulings.
Example – Fiber One Caramel Delight Cereal has 10g of sugar per serving which is the same as eating 2.5 teaspoons of sugar. That doesn’t sound lightly sweetened to me!
Don’t be fooled: If it has more than 4 grams (1 teaspoon) of sugar per serving it’s not lightly sweetened.
“Sugar-free”
This is self-explanatory right – Not exactly. The FDA permits manufacturers to put this labeling on products that contain less than.5 grams of sugar per serving. Most products that are sweet but have the “sugar-free” label usually contain sugar alcohols. Sugar alcohol is derived from sugar, which cannot be completely absorbed by the body and therefore has about half the amount of calories as regular sugar.
Don’t be fooled: The downside of sugar alcohol is if you consume a high amount of them it can cause bloating, gas and diarrhoea. If a “sugar-free” diet is something you want to continue, Probiotics* can help reduce these symptoms.
* Living microorganisms that are believed to help the immune system and digestion in humans. The most common way to take probiotics is in supplement form or as an additive in fermented foods such as yoghurt.
“Good Source Of”
This means the product contains between 10-19% of your daily requirement for a particular nutrient. In the case of fiber, this may be misleading. Many food manufacturers are adding “isolated” fiber to many products that have never had fiber before such as yogurts, ice cream, drinks and processed foods to make it appear healthier.
There is very little evidence that “isolated” fiber provides any of the disease-protective benefits that the real soluble and insoluble fibers do so if you’re looking for more fiber try and eat more “whole” foods such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
Don’t be fooled: If you see the words “inulin,” “polydextrose,” and “maltodextrin” listed in the ingredients, you are eating “isolated” fiber.
“Enhances Your Immune System”
Most of the products “claim” either they contain probiotics that improve your digestion or has vitamin C. A healthy digestive track does lead to a healthy immune system, but if the product is loaded with sugar it will negate any positive immune health you will get from eating this product.
Vitamin C is an antioxidant that has been known to strengthen the immune system against some pathogens. Make sure you check the prices of these products so you are not over-paying for these “immune-boosting” items that are relatively inexpensive in supplement form or in fruits and vegetables.
Don’t be fooled: Stay away from high sugar content that naturally impairs the immune system. If you want to strengthen your immunity and improve your health, eat more legumes and vegetables. They contain antioxidants such as vitamin e, selenium, vitamin C Zinc, and consume probiotics in supplement form so you get a higher dose of healthy floral bacteria with zero sugar.
“All Natural”
We all have seen and heard this term, YET this is the most misleading among all. The FDA and USDA have set no definition to the usage of this term and are used completely at the manufacturer’s discretion. Okay, I may be exaggerating a tiny bit. There is one exception – meat and poultry. Other than those two, its fair game!
Don’t be fooled: The rule of thumb I like to go by is if I can’t pronounce the ingredient or is not naturally found in nature then it’s probably not natural.
For example, if the ingredient list says “partially hydrogenated”, “modified”, or “mono or di-glycerides” or contains an ingredient that does not grow in nature and therefore it’s not “all-natural”.
“Nothing Artificial”
This is not as prevalent as it used to be, but it is still out there. This is not a specific claim but it is usually a claim that is stated on the front of the product. This one is difficult to pinpoint because there are so many different possible claims, but once I tell you what to look for you will never fall for it again! Manufacturers can trademark a phrase on a product to provide brand distinction. These trademarks are not nutritional claims but they are made to look like them.
Don’t be fooled: When you see a possible claim on a product make sure to look at the end of the claim for a little “R” or a little “TM”. If you see either one of these, it’s a trademark and not an actual claim.
“Reduced Fat”
According to the FDA, this means that the total fat has been reduced by at least 25% compared to the original formula. This sound great, however many food companies will dilute certain products with water to reduce the fat content and then add salt and sugar to compensate for lack of flavor.
Don’t be fooled: Compare the sugar and sodium content of the original item to the “reduced fat” item to make sure they didn’t replace the fat with additional sugar and sodium.
Last Word
DON’T GET FOOLED THROUGH MISLEADING MARKETING HYPE.
Reading the facts and ingredients regarding nutrition might seem time-consuming and tedious; however, your health is worth it. Over time you will exactly know what to search for and it will become your habit.
