When you head to the aisles of your local supermarket, you're likely to see the National Heart Foundation's tick on a wide variety of food labels. But what exactly does it mean?
The National Heart Foundation guarantees that foods with their 'tick of approval' meet the foundation's guidelines aimed at reducing heart attack and stroke.
The National Heart Foundation has foods independently tested before approval, and it uses random testing to ensure that food manufacturers continue to follow the strict nutritional guidelines.
An item with the tick is said to be a good choice for your heart among that type of foods. For example, a cheese with the Heart Foundation tick means that it’s a good choice amongst cheeses for your heart. It should not be compared to other types of food such as pasta or breakfast cereal.
But because food manufacturers pay for the heart tick (a cost that is likely to be past on to the consumer), there may be other foods without the tick that could be cheaper or healthier.
For example, rolled oats with the heart tick are nearly 5 times the price of a nutritionally identical home brand of oats. Confused shoppers may end up dismissing a food that would suit them better.
The heart tick has also begun to appear on the menu of some fast food restaurants. This has led to suggestions that it’s all a ploy to lure in extra customers and increase the sale of other junk food items.
It may also send a confusing message to people who are trying to lose weight and who would be better off avoiding fast food outlets altogether.
Ultimately, the best place to look for nutritional information is on the food tables found on the labels of most packaged foods. Compare the amount of fat, sugar, sodium and dietary fibre on the nutrition information panels to determine the healthiest choice.
To simplify this debate even further, most of us need to eat almost less of everything except fruit and vegetables. A tick approved biscuit is no match for an apple.
Is the National Heart Foundation's tick helpful or confusing?