7 Food Label Claims That Are Meaningless
Food labels can be utterly confusing. One one hand, they contain vital information about nutrition and contents, and on the other hand, they contain marketing ploys that mean absolutely nothing!
Some of the words used DO mean something, and are a part of the vital nutrition information that we have come to rely on. Words like:
- Organic -- organic products have to meet certain strict criteria in order to be labeled "organic". This includes how and where these products were grown.
- Low Fat -- The product must have less than 3 grams of fat per serving.
- Sugar Free -- For a product to be labeled sugar free it must contain no sugars as an ingredient, and have less than 0.5 grams of sugar per serving.
But many other words that are used to describe specific products actually mean nothing-- and can be misleading.
"Doctor Recommended" -- Whose doctor? If only one doctor tasted the product, liked it, and recommended it to a friend, then the product can be labeled as such. Be sure to check the other ingredients on the label before blindly accepting that something is good for you!
"Good Source of Fiber" -- This means nothing. To really know if something is a good source of fiber, it should be at least 10% of the daily recommended dosage for an average sized adult. Check the label for the percentage of fiber, and the percentage of the daily recommended amount of fiber you should be eating. Fiber should come from beans, whole grains, and fruits.
"Made with Whole Grains" -- The "made with whole grain" claim can really throw people. When the first ingredient is refined flour, does it much matter that it is "made with whole grains?" That's quite often the case. Such claims are typically made when more meaningful claims can't be. The Center for Science in the Public Interest has asked Congress to require companies that makes such a claim to specify the percentage of whole grains. Check the label if you're looking to eat foods that are really are whole grain. They won't have white flour among the ingredients.
"Kid Approved" -- Just like "doctor recommended", all it takes is one kid to like it. It doesn't mean that your kids will like it.
"Free Range" -- The only legal requirement for the use of this label is that the animal had access to the outside-- it does NOT mean that the animal went outside. It gets tricky because truly free range chickens do exist. In this case, it may be best to buy from the farmer directly, to make sure that your chicken is truly "free range".
"Farm Raised" -- All this means is that the product was raised on a farm. Can you think of any place, other than a farm, that raises beef, chicken, and pork? This is just another marketing ploy, as any product you can buy can be labeled "farm raised".
"Natural" -- This label is the worst of the lot. If you are seeing such a label on a processed food product, just how natural can it be? But the U.S. Food and Drug Administration , while not regulating the phrase, says it "has not objected to the use of the term if the food does not contain added color, artificial flavors, or synthetic substances." That doesn't mean that it's healthier than other products. And it certainly can't be equated with organic. Just remember, arsenic is a naturally occurring product, too!
Happy eating!
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I was surprised about this, but it sure did clear up a lot of mysteries! Maybe it will help you, too!
Great article. This discussion is important and timely. I find it interesting that the citizens of the richestcountry in the world have such a crappy diet. It's all about big farms, big pharma, and big money, NOT about nutrition.
Dowser
Excellent information thanks for sharing
Caveat Emptor!
I am one of those people who almost never reads the label. I buy and eat whatever I happen to be liking at the time. If I'm going through a breakfast cereal phase, I eat cereal almost exclusively and little else. If I'm going through a meat phase, it's some sort of beef on my plate at all hours of the day or night. I rarely go through a vegetable phase, so I rarely eat them, except for canned peas and Lima beans. I love those! With lots of real butter (I hate margarine (yuck!)). I drink whole milk probably because I like the fat in it and I was raised for a large part of my childhood in the country and that's what we drank. Same with the real butter. I know Organic is supposed to be better for me, but it's more expensive so I don't buy it.
I also go through fast food phases, like KFC or Pizza Hut or Jack in the Box ultimate Cheeseburgers! YUM!
I pretty much don't eat any form of a healthy diet, no balanced meals (or except at restaurants, no meals with more then one serving of something) and I don't eat at regular hours.
I eat crap food, basically and I eat it when I'm hungry for it. Might be noon or it might be midnight.
Still my Cholesterol is great according to my doctor. My BP (with a tiny bit of help) is great too. 5ft 9in and 185lbs with a bit of a belly. He says that with the way I eat and don't exercise that I should be dead, but that I am (in his words) disgustingly good health for the average 58 year old male. I did quit smoking (2 packs a day) about 8 years ago and drinking (Damned wife!) about 4 years ago, but even before then my doctor would say the same thing. Must be genetic, except very few men in my family live to 70.
Boy, you've got that right!
I would have chickens and have my own eggs, but it isn't allowed in our neighborhood. MUCH to my dismay. Plus, we have only shade in our yard, and I would give anything to have a garden...
Everything is all about BIG.
So glad you liked it!
Yes, the buyer MUST be aware. Also: The term "non-toxic" doesn't mean anything either. I just means that they haven't added toxic ingredients-- it doesn't mean that it is safe to chew on...
Thanks!
Hahaha! Yes, RW, you are so right! I think it is only going to get worse, too...
Wow! I'm glad for you!
I went on a ZERO cholesterol diet for 3 months, and was miserable. Utterly miserable. My cholesterol was still over 300. I think it's all in the genes!
Wow!!! You are fortunate to have good health! I'm very glad for you!
I take my medicine every day, and try to avoid a lot of fat. I use real butter, because I think the other stuff is made from petroleum, and whole wheat bread. Nyeh, I'm trying, but it's not worth being miserable over.
When God decides it is time, it isn't going to matter.
Although in China canned/bottled products do show ingredient percentages, etc. as in western countries, they are not always honest. For example, if they put one drop of olive oil in with a big container of cheap food oils they can call it an olive oil blend. However, we mostly eat fresh foods, as there are farmers' markets nearby and my wife is a great cook. However, here you must be careful to wash everything really well.
That sounds great, BF!
It takes a lot of time to find all the right things to eat. Do you do your family's shopping?
I can only imagine, Buzz! I try to wash everything carefully, too-- I never know the origin of the products and, most of the time, the Farmer's Markets are not handy.
So true! (and so funny!)
I don't think that pharmaceuticals should be allowed to advertise on TV. Their audience should be the doctors that prescribe the medications, not the public, who has no idea what these things are, or how they may react to other medications they're taking. Cut TV advertising, cut costs... Yeah, like that will happen.