Food marketers can tout ‘real fruit,’ ‘whole grain’ and ‘cardioprotective’ on labels all they want. What matters is that smart eaters seek out nutrition boxes and ingredient lists before scarfing down that bag of nachos. With nutrition top of mind for most Canadians, it seems food marketers will go to any length to convince shoppers their products are healthy. Chances are you’ve seen the claims: “made with whole grains,” “contains real fruit,” “boosts immunity,” even “cardioprotective” or “strengthen your body’s natural defences”, “burn calories” or even “cleanse and restore”. Many food labels do point to information that can help you follow a healthy diet. But some are downright misleading. Lets get rid of them. A fed examples are mentioned.
Archive for category Food labeling
Katherine Hobson from U.S. News and World Report contacted nutritionists, dietitians, and nutrition scientists and asked them to brainstorm what they’d like to add, subtract, or change on food nutrition labels. Here are some of their ideas. They include better labeling of the whole grain content.
David S. Ludwig and Marion Nestle published this critical commentary in JAMA yesterday. They compare food industry regulation with the need to regulate declaration of medical side effect and why national strategies to reduce highway fatalities and global warming cannot be based on the goodwill of the automobile industry. Please read and enjoy this commentary.
Government Accountability Office gives federal food regulators (FDA) failing marks when it comes to preventing false and misleading labeling. Find a link to the new report on CSPI’s website.
The issue of whether businesses are solely driven by profits and hence will not respond to voluntary guidance to improve the health effects of their products is a matter of hot debate in the British Medical Journal this week. Read why Stig Pramming thinks NO.
The issue of whether businesses are solely driven by profits and hence will not respond to voluntary guidance to improve the health effects of their products is a matter of hot debate in the British Medical Journal this week. Read why Stephen D Sugarman thinks YES.
Two cereals, Kellogg’s Honey Smacks and Post Golden Crisp, are more than 50 percent sugar (by weight) and nine are at least 40 percent sugar. And that’s not the only issue. Although Kellogg’s Rice Krispies has only 4 grams of sugar per serving, it got only a Fair rating, largely because it is higher in sodium and has zero dietary fiber. Read more about this new report from Consumer Reports in the US.
Major food companies are competing for health-conscious consumers by plugging one food into another and claiming the health benefits of both.
Fast food supersize options, huge popcorn tubs and fizzy drinks at cinemas and bigger ready meals. This has been linked to rising obesity levels and increased risk of heart disease and stroke.
78 out of 103 participants recieved an information booklet and credit card sized nutrition and labelling information to use when shopping. Cash registry receipts were returned from shopping trips before and for 4 weeks. Each of nine food categories on receipts were calculated as a percentage of the total shopping, excluding non-food items. The intervention group bought more of fruits and vegetables, and less saturated fats and white bread.