I recently read an article where a popular fast food outlet referred to themselves as a “quick service restaurant”. I guess they were trying to avoid the terms “fast food” or “junk food” for obvious reasons. It made me think about the spin that food companies and manufacturers use to make themselves appear healthier than they are. Following are some additional “misleading claims” to look out for.
- Lite or Light - This is probably the most confusing term of all, because it doesn’t necessarily mean the food is low in fat or kilojoules. It could reflect the foods colour, texture, flavour or salt.
- Ticks and health claims on packaging – My favourite is the “No Cholesterol” stickers on avocados. I’ve even seen people sorting through the selection of avocados trying to find one with the sticker on it. However, no plant food contains cholesterol, including peanut butter and coconut milk. It’s just a marketing trick.
- Reduced fat – A food labeled as reduced fat must contain less fat than the regular foods in the same category, but that doesn’t necessarily make it healthy. Some reduced fat foods are still extremely high in kilojoules and fat, and may trigger people to eat more of them because they are perceived as healthy.
- Made with real fruit – There might be bright pictures of fruit on the label, but the food may only contain 5 – 10% fruit. That won’t leave you much in the way of health benefits.
- Baked, not fried – Sure, it sounds healthier, but the food can still be high in fat. Another clever marketing trick, almost hoping you won’t read the nutrition information panel.
The bottom line is to not believe everything you see, especially on the front of food labels. Get to know how to read nutrition information panels, or even better, minimise the amount of food you buy that comes out of a packet or box.
Do you think food manufacturers can be deceptive when marketing and promoting their foods? Are there any food label claims that you find confusing?