How To Avoid Food Labels That Mislead Consumers

     Consumer Reports recently released a condensed summary of 6 misleading food labels.  The information was eye opening.  For example, when people see “no cholesterol” on a peanut butter jar label, what do they typically think?  That it’s a good thing, right?  But no, wait.  Plants don’t have any cholesterol, only animals do.  So what’s the term doing on that peanut butter jar?  Misleading consumers.  It’s been going on for a long time.

     In the 1970s, food companies took note of the trend towards “natural foods” that had come out of the early environmental movements that were gaining in popularity.  At the time, that term was used to distinguish between manufactured products and whole foods in their natural state.

     Soon, the big food companies started slapping that word on just about everything.   Processed cheese food was natural.  So was breakfast cereal.  Crackers.  Ketchup.  Soup.  Cookies.  Even additives can be defined as “natural,” a term that’s still used today but means absolutely nothing to the food companies.  However, many consumers respond emotionally to it, and it helps sell products.

     For a more recent example, the ketogenic diet is difficult and potentially dangerous, is meant to be short term, and should only be undertaken with professional guidance.  It’s a diet that has limited appeal.  But “keto” is another one of those terms that a certain percentage of Americans feel is healthful, and manufacturers are slapping it on highly processed, basically unhealthy products.

     We trust that the 6 misleading labels summary from Consumer Reports will be helpful not only when shopping for those kinds of items, but will inspire more scrutiny of all the food products we consume. 

Click to read the Consumer Reports article