How Bad Brands Happen to Good People: Avoid Being Tricked by Misleading Labels
By Kerry McLeod
www.ebrandaid.com
With more than 20,000 food items lining the aisles of the local grocery
store, odds are you have been suckered into buying foods and beverages
that appear to be good for you but are actually detrimental to your
diet, your wallet… and even your health.
Welcome to the world of label trickery where marketing buzzwords like
“fortified” and “sugar-free” trick millions of well-intentioned shoppers
into reaching for Healthy Food Imposters.
You know what we’re talking about. Those pesky imposters that use front
label trickery to insinuate that their brands are healthy but they
actually have hidden trans fats and high amounts of sodium,
preservatives, and artificial sweeteners and flavorings. They are
anything but healthy.
How many times have you fallen prey to these front label tricks that pop
up on many of the most-popular brand name foods?
“Fortified”, “enriched”, “added”, “extra”, and “plus” usually mean the
food has been altered or processed in some way.
“Zero trans fat” implies that a product has no trans fats; but labeling
law loopholes allow foods that contain less than 0.5 g per serving to
declare ZERO! Beware: Code words for trans fats include hydrogenated or
partially hydrogenated oils.
"Light,” or "Reduced Calorie" juices are usually watered down, contain
far less juice, and have artificial sweeteners and chemical additives.
Your best bet: Stick with 100% juice, while simply cutting the serving
in half and adding a few ounces of water to save on calories.
“Made with wheat,” or “rye,” or “multi-grains” imply that it’s a good
source of whole grains, but unfortunately, don’t tell you how much whole
grain is actually in the product. Look for the word “whole” before the
grain to ensure that you are actually getting a 100% whole-grain
product.
“Natural” or “made from natural” simply means the manufacturer started
with a natural source. Once processed, the food may not resemble
anything “natural.”
“Organically grown,” “organic,” “pesticide-free,” and “no artificial
ingredients” say very little about the nutritional value or safety of
the product. Trust only those labels that say “certified organically
grown.”
“Sugar-free,” “sugarless,” or “no added sugar” tells you nothing about
sugar derivatives or sugar substitutes, which can yield just as many
calories as table sugar and may be more harmful to you than sugar.
Reality Check
To avoid being tricked by misleading label claims by following these
three easy steps:
Step One: Speed read the front label! Remember, manufacturers use this
prime real estate to entice shoppers to buy their products. Translation:
Much of the wording is pure advertising jargon.
Step Two: Go to the ingredients list! This is where they tell you what’s
in the food. Manufacturers list ingredients in order from most to least.
Next, look for words that you can’t pronounce or terms that sound like
something from your ninth-grade chemistry textbook. This is yet another
clue that there are chemical additives that might be harmful to your
health.
Step Three: Quick-scan the Nutrition Facts label, this is where you’ll
find the amounts of nutrients you’re getting based on the ingredients
list.
Taken together, this information will help you make the healthiest brand
choices. More importantly, it will help you avoid those pesky imposters.
Leave them on the shelf right where they belong!
About The Author
Kerry McLeod is the founder and Chief Brand
Doctor of eBrandAid.com, a bi-weekly e-newsletter that educates shoppers on how
to find the healthiest and best-tasting foods at the local grocery store. McLeod
has recently been featured on CBS 46 News, Martha Stewart Living Radio,
Forbes.com, Diet.com, and the Vancouver Sun. She been a contributing writer for
eDiets.com, Diet-Blog.com, Atlanta Sports and Fitness and Jezebel magazines. She
has also authored the popular diet and nutrition book The Last Diet Book
Standing. For more information visit:
www.ebrandaid.com
Used With Permission
