Reading food labels can be tricky. Some food manufacturers, aware of heightened health consciousness among consumers, employ deceptive tactics to convince people to purchase highly processed and unhealthy products. The complexity of food labeling regulations further adds to the challenge, making it difficult for consumers to grasp them.

This article sheds light on the most misleading claims found on food labels.

Misleading Food Label Claims

Packaged food health claims aim to capture your attention and persuade you that the product possesses health benefits. The following outlines some prevalent claims and their implications:

1. Light: Manufacturers process light products to reduce calories or fat, and some may be diluted. Carefully scrutinize for potential additions, such as sugar.
2. Multigrain: The term multigrain implies the presence of more than one grain type, but it often indicates refined grains unless specified as whole grain.
3. Natural: The label “natural” does not guarantee the product’s natural resemblance; it signifies the use of a natural source, such as apples or rice, at some stage of manufacturing.
4. Organic: The term “organic” provides limited information about a product’s healthiness; for instance, organic sugar remains a form of sugar.
5. No added sugar: Even if some products are naturally high in sugar, the absence of added sugar doesn’t guarantee their healthiness, as they might contain unhealthy sugar substitutes.
6. Low-calorie: Low-calorie products must contain one-third fewer calories than the brand’s original product. However, one brand’s low-calorie version may still have a calorie count similar to another brand’s original product.
7. Low-fat: The label “low-fat” generally indicates that the fat content has been reduced, often compensated by an increase in sugar.
8. Low-carb: Low-carb diets have recently been associated with improved health. However, processed foods labeled as low-carb are generally still processed junk foods, akin to processed low-fat foods.
9. Made with whole grains: Products claiming to be “made with whole grains” may actually contain very few whole grains. To ascertain the content, check the ingredients list — if whole grains are not among the first three ingredients, the quantity is likely negligible.
10. Fortified or enriched: When a product is labeled as “fortified or enriched,” it indicates the addition of certain nutrients. For instance, vitamin D is often added to milk. Nevertheless, the act of fortification doesn’t inherently make a product healthy.
11. Gluten-free: The term “gluten-free” doesn’t guarantee a product’s healthiness. It simply means the product lacks wheat, rye, or barley. Many gluten-free foods are highly processed and loaded with unhealthy fats and sugar.
12. Fruit-flavored: In the case of “fruit-flavored” processed foods, the name may suggest a natural flavor, such as strawberry yogurt. However, the product may not contain any actual fruit but instead consists of chemicals designed to imitate fruit taste.
13. Zero Trans Fat: The phrase “zero trans fat” signifies “less than 0.5 grams of trans fat per serving.” Therefore, if serving sizes are misleadingly small, the product may still contain trans fat.

Tips on Reading Food Labels

1. Don’t trust front-of-pack claims: They often try to attract buyers, but some can be very misleading. For instance, many sugary breakfast cereals, like whole-grain Cocoa Puffs, may not be as healthy as their labels suggest.

2. Examine the Ingredients List: A helpful guideline is to check the first three ingredients, as they constitute the main part of what you’re consuming. If these initial ingredients consist of refined grains, a form of sugar, or hydrogenated oils, you can conclude that the product is not healthy.

3. Be Aware of Serving Sizes: Nutrition labels show the calories and nutrients in a standard amount of the product, usually a recommended single serving. However, these suggested serving sizes are often much smaller than what people actually eat in one go. For instance, one serving might be half a can of soda, a quarter of a cookie, half a chocolate bar, or a single biscuit. This is a tactic manufacturers use to mislead consumers into believing the food has fewer calories and less sugar.

4. Sugar has many names: Sugar can have different names, some of which might not be familiar. These include cane sugar, invert sugar, corn sweetener, dextran, molasses, malt syrup, maltose, and evaporated cane juice.

Conclusion

To steer clear of being deceived by product labels, the most effective approach is to avoid processed foods altogether. Whole foods, in essence, don’t require an ingredient list.

However, if you opt to purchase packaged foods, use the tips in this article to distinguish between lower-quality, junk options and higher-quality products.

Reference

Bjarnadottir, A. (2020). Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/how-to-read-food-labels