Health Washing: Avoid Falling For False Food Claims
As you travel through the grocery store aisles, you want to be healthy. It's almost as if the packaged goods are calling out to you: high-protein, low-fat, sugar-free, gluten-free, choose me! But, are these bold health food claims true, or are they just offering you a heaping helping of nonsense?
The phrase "health washing" refers to food products that are marketed to appear healthier than they are. Learn how to recognize an inflated food and avoid falling prey to these marketing ploys.
What is the term "health washing"?
The term "health washing" refers to how food marketing companies portray and promote their products. Typically, these claims are introduced to enhance sales for food makers, rather than with the consumer's best interests in mind. They focus on health claims that may not be representative of the complete dish.
The science behind health washing's persuasive power
We're all victims of marketing's persuasion tactics. It's natural for people to want to be able to buy a quick fix for health problems and have it work. Given the prevalence of chronic disease and obesity, many of us look for outside help to enhance our health.
Extra nutrients are added to fortified foods that aren't ordinarily present, such as Vitamin D in milk. When snack foods were labeled as "enriched with vitamins," survey participants were more inclined to choose them and consider them to be healthy. They were also more likely to read the nutrition label and chose a healthier option. When an item carries a health-washing promise, customers are more likely to make poor dietary decisions.
Even if the sort of claim has nothing to do with the product's real nutritional quality, marketing can lead us to believe the meal is of higher quality than it is. Consumers' perceptions of the flavor, level of health, and effect on dieting, such as how quickly it would help us lose weight, have all been found to be influenced by these types of promises.
Healthwashing is harmful to one's health.
The difficulty with these statements is that they don't evaluate all characteristics of the product, even when they are controlled. Some foods can also make up for a lack of flavor and components. Low-fat items, for example, have more sugar than their usual counterparts.
Many gluten-free and vegan meals are highly processed, with a lot of added sugar, salt, and preservatives. Organic foods are not always more nutritious than their non-organic equivalents, as they may not be composed entirely of organic ingredients.
The health washing claims are sometimes contradictory or wholly irrelevant. For example, the term "vegan" has been seen on packaged fruits and vegetables. When it comes to plant-based foods, this is a given.
Typical claims
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates claims about how nutrition can help people stay healthy.
According to what they advocate, health claims are divided into three categories: functional, general health, and nutrient content.
The way food works in the body are referred to as a functional claim. Overall disease risk is linked to general health claims. Nutrient content emphasizes specific nutrients, such as high vitamin C content or the amount of an element in a product, such as low sodium content.
Here are a few of the most prevalent claims to be on the lookout for:
Fat, calorie, salt, cholesterol, and sugar are all low.
Fiber, omega-3s, and probiotics are all good sources of these nutrients.
Fat-free, sugar-free, cholesterol-free, dairy-free, gluten-free, artificial-ingredient-free
Natural ingredients and real fruit were used in this recipe.
Calcium, magnesium, and vitamins A, D, E, and C are included.
Kosher, Vegan, Vegetarian
Some phrases, like "natural," are unregulated. The FDA interprets this to mean that no artificial or synthetic ingredients have been used, although it does not address food processing procedures.
The FDA regulates these claims, and they must adhere to strict guidelines:
Sugar and fat less than 0.5 g per serving, cholesterol less than 2mg, sodium less than 5mg
Reduced: at least 25% less than what it usually has.
When compared to the original ingredient, it must be at least 50% lighter.
Fortified or enriched: the food contains 10% more Daily Value (DV) than the regular product.
Check the label to detect health washing.
Reading the ingredient list of food is one of the best ways to detect health washing. As a general rule, if you can't identify or buy the listed ingredients separately, it's probably not the healthiest option. Ingredients are listed by weight, so the ones near the top of the list are the ones found in greater quantities in the product.
Do you want an easy way to tell if a food is healthy? With the Lifesum app, you can avoid health washing by simply scanning the barcode on your next food purchase.
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