CHAPTER 2

Understanding Nutritional Claims

PART 1 Looking for Clarity in Nutritional Claims

Virtually all shoppers experience at least some confusion or uncertainty when it comes to decoding the language of ingredients and health claims made on food packages. Hardly a week goes by without a “superfood” being touted in the newspapers, magazines or internet as vital to your health. Pomegranates, walnuts, green tea, tart cherries, dark chocolate, blueberries, the list goes on and on. The media are eager to attract the attention of consumers who are eager to know the latest nutrition breakthrough. And this fuels a juggernaut of health claims being made by food growers and manufacturers eager to capitalize on this research. Creating, in the process, something of a perfect storm for nutrition claims. READ MORE

Cracking the Food Facts Code

There is a huge amount of information that could be revealed (at least potentially) about the food we eat. Consider just a few of the possibilities, suggests an article from the USDA publication Amber Waves: “The ingredients in a jar of spaghetti sauce, a box of cereal, or a cup of coffee could come from around the corner or around the world; they could be processed by children or by high-tech machines; they could be grown on huge corporate farms or on small family-run farms; or they could be mostly artificial or 100-percent natural.”

Of course, not all of this information will interest everyone. Some consumers will focus on fats, others on sugar; some will check calories, others will look for fiber, vitamins, or antioxidants; some consumers will search for “organic,” others will choose “natural.” And some will also want to know whether it is imported or locally grown.

There are more nutrition claims being made for foods than ever before. For generations, our mothers encouraged us to “eat a well-rounded diet.” That sounds so boring these days, and unfortunately too many of us are now well-rounded ourselves! Instead, we are bombarded with claims that suggest certain foods can ensure wellness or prevent disease. The language of such claims, however, is rarely straightforward and often confusing. LESS

PART 2 Charting the Way to Nutrition Knowledge

If there is one essential point that consumers need to understand if they are to make sense of nutrition claims, it is probably this: Not all nutrition claims are equal. That can make a trip to the grocery store more frustrating than it should be. But this is also where education can make a dramatic difference. Understanding the basics of sound nutrition will enable consumers to navigate their way through confusing food messages. And that in turn can help people make healthier food choices. READ MORE

Knowledge really is power, says Dr. David Katz, Director of the Prevention Research Center at Yale University’s School of Medicine. “People who don’t know how to find or identify more nutritious food are disempowered. People who are misled by the marketing claims on the front of a package are disempowered.” If consumers want to make smarter choices, says Katz, they need a stronger “how to” skill set. One that includes: how to read a nutrition facts panel; how to size up an ingredient list; how to see past marketing claims and hype; and how to evaluate and compare choices within any food category. LESS

Photo courtesy of A.G. Photographe