Low Fat! No Fat! High Fiber! High Protein! All Natural! Organic! Free Range! Zero Trans Fat! Sugar Free! No Sugar Added! Low Carb! Multigrain! Light! Cholesterol Free! Made with Real Fruit! [Follow link for more information on food label claims]
[This post is the next in the guest post series on healthy diet and lifestyle from Dave Banko.]
Buyer Beware!!!
There is very little regulation on the claims companies make about food products, and advertisers push it to the limits! Let’s face it, they are trying to make their product stand out from the others.
I no longer purchase anything based on the marketing slogan. When I shop, I read the labels and purchase whole food products with natural ingredients and as few chemicals and preservatives as possible. Don’t believe the slogan on the label until you do your research.
While I’m on the subject, also beware of fad diets like detox, liquid, no-carb, etc. Any diet that demonizes one or more particular food groups is unbalanced and will force you to compensate with expensive alternatives.
As an example, ‘gluten-free’ is the rage where I live with many people believing they need to eat ‘gluten-free’ to be healthy.
Gluten is a composite protein found in many grains, such as wheat, rye, and barley. There is an autoimmune disease called coeliac which affects about 1% of the population. Coeliac (spelled “celiac” in the US) causes the body to react to gluten by triggering a serious autoimmune response which can damage many parts of the body. If you have this disease, consuming gluten is dangerous and you need to seek out gluten-free products.
If you don’t have coeliac, gluten sensitivity, or a wheat allergy, you can consume gluten without problem. In fact, going gluten free if you don’t have coeliac can result in serious nutritional deficiencies.
‘Gluten-free’ products are being advertised as ‘healthier’ than regular products. The influence is so strong, I had someone who didn’t have enough food to eat come into the food bank where I volunteer and ask if she could have ‘gluten-free’ products because she was trying to eat healthier. She didn’t have coeliac and was surprised (and relieved) when I explained to her what it was. Believe or not, there is even a company promoting ‘gluten-free’ water, which is ridiculous considering there is no grain in water to begin with so all water is naturally gluten-free.
The same applies to other food allergies, like wheat, nuts, etc. These medical conditions are serious. If you have a food allergy and consume products containing them, the results can range from minor discomfort to death. The fact that products for these conditions are being advertised and labelled is a huge benefit to people with these conditions.
But, if you don’t have the condition, you don’t need to seek out these products in the name of being ‘healthy.’ Instead, eat a good balance of real food.
[Crew Dog: To summarize what Dave is saying – Don’t buy into the hype and confusion of food labels. Think about what the food advertisers are saying and whether it makes sense – even if a cookie is low-fat, it isn’t healthy fuel for your body. Don’t pay extra for things you don’t need (like gluten-free water) just because advertisers slapped faddish buzz words on the packaging. It may seem like a lot of work to eat healthy, but it doesn’t have to be. Just eat non-processed foods in their natural state (fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, meat, fish) or foods with a few simple ingredients.]
As always, feel free to contact me at daveb.uk@hotmail.com if you have any questions or comments, and good luck! [Crew Dog: Or comment below.]