The Worst Packaged Food Lies
The Worst Packaged Food Lies
Learn the truth behind food labels and never be fooled by misleading marketing again.
If you want some insight into the food industry, take a stroll through your grocery store’s candy aisle. There, on the labels of such products as Mike and Ike and Good & Plenty, you’ll find what perhaps is a surprising claim: “Fat Free.” However, it’s completely true, these empty calorie junk foods are almost 100 percent sugar and processed carbohydrates..
Food manufacturers think you’re stupid. In fact, their marketing strategies rely on it. For instance, it may be that the aforementioned candy makers are hoping you’ll equate “fat free” with “healthy” or “non-fattening”, so that you forget about all the sugar these products contain. It’s a classic bait and switch tactic.
And the candy aisle is just the beginning. That’s why Eat This, Not That! Supermarket Survival Guide has scoured the supermarket to crack the packaged food labeling code, so now you can make sure you get exactly what you’re paying for. Never be fooled by misleading labels again!
The Organic Junk Food
Kraft Original Macaroni & Cheese
The claim: "USDA organic"
The Truth
It’s organic, so it must be healthy, right? Not so much. For an extra 60 cents per box, consumers save 20 calories and 1 gram of fat. They also gain 2 grams of sugar, 1 gram of fiber, and 50 milligrams of sodium and they lose 6 percent of their daily iron. The point is, even organic junk food is still junk food. Your body processes organic refined flour and powdered cheese the same way it does the conventional kind, so at the end of the day it’s still a high calorie, low nutrient letdown.
What you really want:
If you must have mac, pick one with a label that reads like the recipe you’d use to fix it at home. A good line of macaroni and cheese contains about 8 ingredients per box and cuts the fat by 72 percent over Kraft Organic. And to learn more about whether you should splurge or save when it comes to organic, check out "The Truth About Organic Food." In this economy, it’s important to know that you’re spending your money wisely. Sometimes, like in the case of this Organic Kraft Mac & Cheese, choosing the organic route may not always be the best use of your hard earned cash.
The Fat Fake Out
Smucker’s Reduced Fat Creamy Peanut Butter
The claim: “25 percent less fat than regular natural peanut butter”
The Truth:
Smucker’s has indeed removed some of the fat from the peanut butter, but they’ve replaced it with maltodextrin, a carbohydrate used as a cheap filler in many processed foods. This means you’re trading the healthy fat from peanuts for empty carbohydrates, double the sugar and a savings of a meager 10 calories.
What you really want:
The real stuff: no oils, fillers or added sugars. Just peanuts and salt. Smucker’s Natural fits the bill, as do many other peanut butters out there.
The Hidden Trans Fats
Cheetos Crunchy
The claim: “Zero gram trans fats”
The Truth:
FDA allows manufacturers to make this claim when their products contain less than 0.5 gram of trans fats per serving. It may seem insignificant, but 0.49 gram of this nefarious fat can add up quickly.
What you really want:
Keep total trans fat intake to no more than 1 percent of total calories, about 2.5 grams per day for most adults. That means reading the ingredients list ( especially those that proclaim to be trans fat-free ) and looking for “partially hydrogenated,” “shortening,” or “interesterified.” For a trans fat cheat sheet, be sure to avoid any of the items on our list of the 10 trans fattiest supermarket foods.
The Unnatural Fruit
Nutri-Grain Strawberry Cereal Bar
The Claim:
“Naturally and artificially flavored”
The Truth:
While the FDA requires manufacturers to disclose the use of artificial flavoring on the front of the box, the requirements for what is considered “natural” and “real” are not strict: Even trace amounts of the essence or extract of fruit counts as natural. So yes, there is fruit in this bar, but it falls third in the ingredients list, behind HFCS and corn syrup.
What you really want: An honest snack with nothing to hide. Lärabars, one of our favorite snacks in the aisle, are made with nothing more than dried fruit and nuts.
The "Health" Food That Isn't
Healthy Choice Sweet & Sour Chicken
The Claim:
“Healthy Choice”
The Truth:
A company can call itself whatever it wants, but that doesn’t give credence to the name. Healthy Choice even provides a handful of nutritional stats, 430 calories, 9 grams fat, 600 milligrams sodium, to back up the name, but they neglect to mention the 29 grams of added sugars used in this dish. The 6 different sweeteners in the ingredient list combine to give this less than healthy choice almost the same amount of sugar as a Snickers bar. Many Healthy Choice selections are reliably nutritious, this is not one of them.
What you really want:
Dinner that doesn’t taste like a bowl of ice cream. While fat and calories are important considerations in everything you eat, be sure to read the fine print. Companies with healthy label claims often pull the bait and switch, going low in fat but then elevating the sugar or sodium to up the flavor quotient.
The Vitamin Vacuum
Kelloggs Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Pop-Tarts
The Claim:
“Good source of 7 vitamins and minerals”
The Truth:
Five of the 7 vitamins and minerals are derived from this product’s first ingredient—enriched flour. That’s the code word for “refined flour that’s had nutrients added to it after it’s been stripped of fiber.”
What you really want:
A breakfast without the nutritional profile of a dessert. Studies show that people who opt for high-quality protein (eggs, yogurt) over refined carbohydrates (pancakes, bagels, Pop-Tarts) lose weight faster and maintain higher levels of energy throughout the day.
The All-Natural Disaster
7UP
The Claim:
“All Natural Flavors”
The Truth:
The FDA doesn’t have a definition for this claim. Case in point: 7UP now boasts that it’s made with 100 percent natural ingredients. That’s because they’ve switched from carbonated water to filtered water, from citric acid to natural citric acid and from calcium disodium EDTA to natural potassium citrate. Got it? Here’s the kicker: The soft drink is still sweetened with high fructose corn syrup, which can’t be made without the help of a centrifuge.
What you really want:
A healthy choice, like lemon and seltzer. 7UP’s tactic is employed primarily by companies making junk food ( see also: Natural Cheetos ). Considering that the calorie counts are nearly always identical with their “unnatural” brethren ( in the case of 7UP, calories and sugar counts are the exact same ), concentrate on the bigger issues and find reliably healthy drinks and snacks.
The Cheeseless Cheese Pizza
Mama Celeste Original Pizza
The Claim:
“Original Pizza”
The Truth:
Ever had a pizza without cheese? Well, if you eat this one you will have, since Mama Celeste doesn’t use a single shred of real cheese in making this problematic pie. What does she use?
Imitation mozzarella, which is the second ingredient on the list and is composed mostly of partially hydrogenated soybean oil, endowing each serving with 5 grams of nasty trans fats. Also watch out for the attachment of the word “flavored,” as in “strawberry flavored”; it’s a surefire sign that the product is utterly fruitless.
What you really want:
Cheese, strawberries, or whatever you think it is you’re getting. If the name or flavor in the food’s title isn’t one of the first few ingredients, find another product.
Learn the truth behind food labels and never be fooled by misleading marketing again.
If you want some insight into the food industry, take a stroll through your grocery store’s candy aisle. There, on the labels of such products as Mike and Ike and Good & Plenty, you’ll find what perhaps is a surprising claim: “Fat Free.” However, it’s completely true, these empty calorie junk foods are almost 100 percent sugar and processed carbohydrates..
Food manufacturers think you’re stupid. In fact, their marketing strategies rely on it. For instance, it may be that the aforementioned candy makers are hoping you’ll equate “fat free” with “healthy” or “non-fattening”, so that you forget about all the sugar these products contain. It’s a classic bait and switch tactic.
And the candy aisle is just the beginning. That’s why Eat This, Not That! Supermarket Survival Guide has scoured the supermarket to crack the packaged food labeling code, so now you can make sure you get exactly what you’re paying for. Never be fooled by misleading labels again!
The Organic Junk Food
Kraft Original Macaroni & Cheese
The claim: "USDA organic"
The Truth
It’s organic, so it must be healthy, right? Not so much. For an extra 60 cents per box, consumers save 20 calories and 1 gram of fat. They also gain 2 grams of sugar, 1 gram of fiber, and 50 milligrams of sodium and they lose 6 percent of their daily iron. The point is, even organic junk food is still junk food. Your body processes organic refined flour and powdered cheese the same way it does the conventional kind, so at the end of the day it’s still a high calorie, low nutrient letdown.
What you really want:
If you must have mac, pick one with a label that reads like the recipe you’d use to fix it at home. A good line of macaroni and cheese contains about 8 ingredients per box and cuts the fat by 72 percent over Kraft Organic. And to learn more about whether you should splurge or save when it comes to organic, check out "The Truth About Organic Food." In this economy, it’s important to know that you’re spending your money wisely. Sometimes, like in the case of this Organic Kraft Mac & Cheese, choosing the organic route may not always be the best use of your hard earned cash.
The Fat Fake Out
Smucker’s Reduced Fat Creamy Peanut Butter
The claim: “25 percent less fat than regular natural peanut butter”
The Truth:
Smucker’s has indeed removed some of the fat from the peanut butter, but they’ve replaced it with maltodextrin, a carbohydrate used as a cheap filler in many processed foods. This means you’re trading the healthy fat from peanuts for empty carbohydrates, double the sugar and a savings of a meager 10 calories.
What you really want:
The real stuff: no oils, fillers or added sugars. Just peanuts and salt. Smucker’s Natural fits the bill, as do many other peanut butters out there.
The Hidden Trans Fats
Cheetos Crunchy
The claim: “Zero gram trans fats”
The Truth:
FDA allows manufacturers to make this claim when their products contain less than 0.5 gram of trans fats per serving. It may seem insignificant, but 0.49 gram of this nefarious fat can add up quickly.
What you really want:
Keep total trans fat intake to no more than 1 percent of total calories, about 2.5 grams per day for most adults. That means reading the ingredients list ( especially those that proclaim to be trans fat-free ) and looking for “partially hydrogenated,” “shortening,” or “interesterified.” For a trans fat cheat sheet, be sure to avoid any of the items on our list of the 10 trans fattiest supermarket foods.
The Unnatural Fruit
Nutri-Grain Strawberry Cereal Bar
The Claim:
“Naturally and artificially flavored”
The Truth:
While the FDA requires manufacturers to disclose the use of artificial flavoring on the front of the box, the requirements for what is considered “natural” and “real” are not strict: Even trace amounts of the essence or extract of fruit counts as natural. So yes, there is fruit in this bar, but it falls third in the ingredients list, behind HFCS and corn syrup.
What you really want: An honest snack with nothing to hide. Lärabars, one of our favorite snacks in the aisle, are made with nothing more than dried fruit and nuts.
The "Health" Food That Isn't
Healthy Choice Sweet & Sour Chicken
The Claim:
“Healthy Choice”
The Truth:
A company can call itself whatever it wants, but that doesn’t give credence to the name. Healthy Choice even provides a handful of nutritional stats, 430 calories, 9 grams fat, 600 milligrams sodium, to back up the name, but they neglect to mention the 29 grams of added sugars used in this dish. The 6 different sweeteners in the ingredient list combine to give this less than healthy choice almost the same amount of sugar as a Snickers bar. Many Healthy Choice selections are reliably nutritious, this is not one of them.
What you really want:
Dinner that doesn’t taste like a bowl of ice cream. While fat and calories are important considerations in everything you eat, be sure to read the fine print. Companies with healthy label claims often pull the bait and switch, going low in fat but then elevating the sugar or sodium to up the flavor quotient.
The Vitamin Vacuum
Kelloggs Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Pop-Tarts
The Claim:
“Good source of 7 vitamins and minerals”
The Truth:
Five of the 7 vitamins and minerals are derived from this product’s first ingredient—enriched flour. That’s the code word for “refined flour that’s had nutrients added to it after it’s been stripped of fiber.”
What you really want:
A breakfast without the nutritional profile of a dessert. Studies show that people who opt for high-quality protein (eggs, yogurt) over refined carbohydrates (pancakes, bagels, Pop-Tarts) lose weight faster and maintain higher levels of energy throughout the day.
The All-Natural Disaster
7UP
The Claim:
“All Natural Flavors”
The Truth:
The FDA doesn’t have a definition for this claim. Case in point: 7UP now boasts that it’s made with 100 percent natural ingredients. That’s because they’ve switched from carbonated water to filtered water, from citric acid to natural citric acid and from calcium disodium EDTA to natural potassium citrate. Got it? Here’s the kicker: The soft drink is still sweetened with high fructose corn syrup, which can’t be made without the help of a centrifuge.
What you really want:
A healthy choice, like lemon and seltzer. 7UP’s tactic is employed primarily by companies making junk food ( see also: Natural Cheetos ). Considering that the calorie counts are nearly always identical with their “unnatural” brethren ( in the case of 7UP, calories and sugar counts are the exact same ), concentrate on the bigger issues and find reliably healthy drinks and snacks.
The Cheeseless Cheese Pizza
Mama Celeste Original Pizza
The Claim:
“Original Pizza”
The Truth:
Ever had a pizza without cheese? Well, if you eat this one you will have, since Mama Celeste doesn’t use a single shred of real cheese in making this problematic pie. What does she use?
Imitation mozzarella, which is the second ingredient on the list and is composed mostly of partially hydrogenated soybean oil, endowing each serving with 5 grams of nasty trans fats. Also watch out for the attachment of the word “flavored,” as in “strawberry flavored”; it’s a surefire sign that the product is utterly fruitless.
What you really want:
Cheese, strawberries, or whatever you think it is you’re getting. If the name or flavor in the food’s title isn’t one of the first few ingredients, find another product.
