Those Sneaky Labels!

When I first discuss whole grains with new clients, it often goes something like this: I tell them that a whole grain is the whole grain intact, without anything being taken away. They then tell me that they’re eating a whole grain bread. “How do you know?” I ask. “Because it says multi-grain on the front of the package.” Ahhh. There’s the rub. 

 

There’s a lot of money that goes into marketing. People are paid high salaries and work long hours to figure out how to make you, the consumer, buy their product. The front of packages are a prime example of devious marketing genius.

 

In 2009, the label ‘Smart Choice’ appeared on the front of Froot Loops and Frosted Flakes, despite the minuscule amount of fiber and the absurd amount of sugar in these products. Marion Nestle, Professor at the Department of Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health at NYU, and author of the book, ‘Food Politics,’ fought the good fight to get these claims off the packages. The Smart Choice program was a scandalous food labeling scheme created by food manufacturers and somehow supported by the American Society of Nutrition. Upon investigation, the Connecticut Attorney General said, “Food manufacturers now realize that continued use of the logo would only mislead and compound consumer confusion.” Which, of course, was the intention. The food companies agreed to drop out of the labeling program pending the investigation, and Smart Labels eventually disappeared off of packages, thanks to the loud outcry of public health advocates like Marion Nestle. 

 

That’s an obvious example of misleading food labels. But back to our grain discussion, which is less obvious. Multi-grain means multiple types of grains, and has nothing to do with whether or not they’re whole. In fact, these multiple grains will most likely be in the form of refined flours (meaning the germ and the bran have been taken off, leaving the starchy center, or the sugar). 

 

But what if it says ‘Whole Grain’ on the front of the package? Oh, the loopholes! You see, if a product has just half a serving of whole grains (8 grams), it can claim ‘Whole Grain’ status on the packaging. If you turn that package over and read the ingredients however, you might find a list of refined flours first, and one whole grain listed near the end.

 

So, how do you as the consumer empower yourself to know what you’re eating? I have two main tips to help you out.

 

TIP #1: Ignore the front of packages!

Turn the product over, and read the ingredients. Not the list of fat grams and calories (the serving size can be adjusted to make it look better), just the ingredients. 

 

This is your first and best shot at knowing what you’re eating. In the case of whole grains, if the ‘Whole Grain’ sticker on the front says ‘100% Whole Grain,’ then you can trust it, but other than that, you won’t know if or how many of the grains are actually whole, unless you read the ingredients.

 

TIP #1b: Always read the ingredients.

Here’s a scenario: you find a healthy snack or dessert that you love. The ingredients are clean, they use an alternative sweetener, it tastes great, and it becomes your go-to favorite. A year later, you happen to glance at the ingredients, and you notice they’ve added sugar (or potato starch, or some other filler). I can’t tell you the amount of times this has happened to me. “Why would they do this??!!” I cry in vain to myself in the middle of a store aisle. A common reason is that smaller companies who become successful, often get bought out by big companies, who will then add in cheap filler stuff to increase the profit margin and to make the product sweeter and more addictive. 

 

Additionally, a brand you might trust may have different products within their brand. My favorite peanut butter (Santa Cruz) added a ‘No-stir’ product option, full of palm oil. I always have to read the ingredients to make sure I grab the right one.

 

But what about when the ingredients themselves are confusing? 

 

For instance, what is ‘evaporated cane juice?’ You guessed it: sugar. How do you make sugar? Essentially by evaporating cane juice until you’re left with sugar crystals. Sneaky, right? It sounds so much better, so much more natural, and although in some instances it might be slightly less processed, evaporated cane juice is quite literally sugar. Which leads us to tip #2.

 

TIP #2: If you have a question about one of the ingredients, look it up.

Since smartphones are now the norm, you can get your answer immediately while standing in the grocery aisle. Additionally, many new apps have come out to help you decipher the ingredients on labels. 

 

Here are a few resources and apps you might find helpful:

• The Chemical Cuisine website, from the Center for Science in the Public Interest, rates the most commonly used additives: https://www.cspinet.org/eating-healthy/chemical-cuisine
• EWG’S Healthy Living app: From one of my favorite resources, the Environmental Working Group, this app allows you to scan or look up a product to get its health rating. They also have a database for skin products.
• Detox Me app has a food and drink sections (amongst other categories) where you can scan products to help you spot toxic chemicals, and find non-toxic alternatives.
• ShopWell app: This product scanner gives you personalized nutrition scores based on your individual needs, allergies, and health goals.
• Sift Food Labels Scanner: this app will provide a food score based on quality of ingredients, and also translate ingredients so you can understand what’s actually in your food
• FoodSelect: an app that warns you about unhealthy ingredients in a green, yellow, or red-tiered system, and tells you the impact of each ingredient on your health.

 

It might take an extra minute, but it truly beats feeling duped after the fact, I promise.

 

Let me know if you’ve tried any of these, or found another one you like! I’d love to hear your experience!

 

BONUS TIP: Eat real, whole food that doesn’t require a label to explain what it is.

One place you don’t have to worry about food labeling at all, is at the farmer’s market. You can talk directly to the people who grow your food and ask any questions you’d like.

 

This is consumer empowerment. This is how you take your health into your own hands. And boy does it feel good to know that the choice of what you put in your body, is actually yours to make. 

 

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