While packaged foods are decorated with more and more health claims, the health of the American consumer is declining. In the United States, one in three (35.7- percent) adults, and approximately one in every five (17-percent) youths are obese (Ogden et al. 2012).
In 2012, $116 million was spent marketing healthy fruits and vegetables, compared to $4.6 billion spent on marketing fast food (Orciari 2012). Marketing tactics used in the food industry can be very persuasive and deceptive.
Understanding the real meaning behind common health claims can help you better decide what goes in your cart the next time you are at the market.
NATURAL
The word “natural” helps to sell over $40 billion a year in food products (Ferdman 2014). Nearly 60-percent of people look for the word “natural” when they shop for food, and about two-thirds believe it means that a processed food has no artificial ingredients, pesticides, or genetically modified organisms (CRNRC 2014). In reality, under FDA jurisdiction, the terms “natural” and “all-natural” are essentially meaningless.
ORGANIC
Crops that bear the “USDA Organic” seal cannot use irradiation, sewage sludge, synthetic fertilizers, prohibited pesticides, and genetically modified organisms. For livestock, the logo verifies that producers have “met animal health and welfare standards [e.g., letting animals graze on pasture], did not use antibiotics or growth hormones, used 100-percent organic feed, and provided animals with access to the outdoors” (USDA 2012; USDA AMS 2013).
Since there are currently no regulations requiring companies in the U.S. to label genetically modified foods, GMO-averse consumers currently have two reputable labeling options for disclosure: the “USDA Organic” seal (which prohibits GMOs), and the “Non-GMO Project Verified” seal (from a third-party verification organization).
LOW-FAT, FAT-FREE, AND REDUCED-FAT
Health claims and food labels related to a product’s fat content can be deceptive in terms of both their legal meaning and the implied health benefits.
“Fat-free” foods must have less than 0.5 grams of fat per serving; “low-fat” foods cannot have more than 3 g of fat per serving (Web MD 2014; FDA 2014). “Low-fat products are, on average, only 11-percent lower in calories than the regular versions,” says Wansink. “Manufacturers take the fat out and replace it with sugar.”
Meanwhile, “reduced-fat” foods must have at least 25-percent less fat than regular versions of those foods (Web MD 2014), a standard based on their own products, not a universally specified regulation.
Interestingly, manufacturers can declare that foods are “saturated fat–free” or have “zero saturated fat” even if they do contain saturated fat. Products with less than 0.5 g of saturated fat and less than 0.5 g of trans fatty acids may use the claim.
GRASS-FED
This USDA-regulated term refers to ruminant animals (such as cattle or sheep) that were only ever fed mother’s milk and forage (grazed or stored hay, grass or other greens). The animals must have had access to pasture “during the growing season” (USDA AMS 2007).
FREE-RANGE
This USDA-regulated label indicates that a poultry flock was provided shelter and unlimited access to food, fresh water, and access to the outdoors throughout the production cycle (USDA AMS 2013). However, the quality or size of the outside area and duration of outdoor access are not specified.
CAGE-FREE
This indicates that a flock of birds could freely roam in an indoor or enclosed area with unlimited access to food and fresh water during the production cycle (USDA AMS 2013). This term does not explain whether or not the birds had any outdoor access, if any outdoor access included pasture or simply a bare lot, or if they were raised in overcrowded conditions (AWA 2013).
The above information is a condensed version of an article written by Megan Senger in the the March 2015 issue of Idea Health and Fitness Journal for fitness professionals.
HOW TO USE THIS INFORMATION
Health claims printed on the front of packages are often unsubstantiated and misleading, yet tend to have the greatest affect on what we put in our shopping cart. Take time to read the Nutrition Facts Label on the backside, where you will find more accurate and helpful information.
Look for packaged foods that contain as few ingredients as possible, with names that you recognize, and minimal amounts of added sugars. Understand that processed food manufacturers are focused on profits, which means spending as little as possible on ingredients and ensuring a long shelf life. Their primary concern is profit, not your health.
Avoid the pitfalls of packaged foods by eating a diet rich in whole foods: fresh vegetables, fruits, and minimally processed grains, and protein sources. Though they lack fancy packaging, fresh fruits and vegetables deliver boatloads of phytonutrients, antioxidants, vitamins, fiber, healthy fats, and more. You don’t have to understand every nuance of the carrot to reap its benefits.
Choose the issues that matter most to you. For me, this breaks down to the following guidelines: organic produce (and lots of it), organic whole grains, pastured eggs, wild fish, free-range poultry, grass-fed beef and lamb, and minimal amounts of processed foods.
