Even Health Products Can Disguise Themselves

Global trends in illness and obesity owe much to the processed food industry. Marketers are keen to align dynamically with consumer demands, boosting sales by claiming potential health benefits from their products.

On the consumer side, appealing and persuasive slogans on packaging inspire trust, suggesting oversight by a perceived authority. People choose food based on the impression the slogan provides, skip checking the ingredients list, and ultimately buy processed instead of quality foods.

The simple logic is that a big slogan cannot be a lie. If something is meant to mislead, it should be in small print to escape notice. This approach is often true, except when only partial truths are advertised, while other details are hidden. 

Deception isn't always intentional, and sometimes a manufacturer’s original intent is genuine. The problem lies in how the message is perceived by the public, which can alter the product's image entirely. Thus, whether the approach is innocent or not, it's crucial for consumers to understand what's being said. How does it reflect on us? Are you also being duped? It's worth checking. 

1. "Energy Bar". This isn’t a false term. An energy bar provides energy, but any product containing carbohydrates or fats does the same. This declaration can never be untruthful, even if it contains refined sugar, hardened fat, or saturated fat. Energy bars are perceived as health bars that enhance energy levels over time, which is often misleading. Most bars marketed as such primarily contain sugar and processed wheat flour, making their glycemic value as high as regular candies, offering energy only for a few minutes while eventually increasing hunger.

2. "Made From Natural Ingredients". A true claim with a caveat, as the perception is that all components are healthy because they originate from nature. This slogan may include oats, raisins, and nuts, which are natural, but it can also include partially hydrogenated vegetable fats, which are artificially produced with chemicals and questionably natural. Hydrogenated (or partially hydrogenated) vegetable fats lead to the formation of trans fats harmful to the body, thus excluding the product from the health category.

3. "Only 19 Calories per Unit". As with the number 9's success in consumer pricing, many foods boast ridiculous precision around 9. The true deception lies in quality; people buy them because "it’s only 19 calories per unit," without checking quality and content. Only after consuming an entire package do they realize they’ve eaten ‘air’ and are still hungry as compressing air in cereals increases glycemic value and reduces satiation.

4. "No Added Sugar". Again, seemingly correct, presenting a message that these are low-calorie sugar-free products recommended for diabetics. Such products often rely on sweeteners like maltitol, sorbitol, etc., with 2.5-3 calories per gram. For example, 100 grams of sugar-free cookies contain at least 20 grams of sweeteners, equivalent to 15 grams of regular sugar. Thus, despite being "sugar-free," there’s no significant difference in calorie levels or suitability for diabetics.

5. "Trans Fat-Free". This signifies the absence of unsaturated vegetable fatty acids that underwent hardening (oxidation). People often confuse trans fat with fat in general, errantly assuming it indicates a fat-free product. However, saturated fat could still be present, which raises cholesterol levels. For instance, sausages with this claim contain 20% fat, while chocolate with a similar claim has 34% fat, out of which 22% is saturated.

6. "Made with Whole Wheat". According to local reporting methods, even products with nearly 50% white flour can boast this label. Israeli standards allow manufacturers to label bread as "whole" if white flour content is under 49%. Those considering just this fact think they’re consuming healthy bread with fiber, minerals, and vitamins, when in reality, they might receive only half the amount; the rest may be less healthy white flour. 

7. "Cereal Bar for Proper Nutrition". Cereals are often equated with health, making such a product appear healthy. However, it’s essential that cereals be whole cereals. The ingredients in a bar claiming to support proper nutrition might include cereals (white wheat flour included) but not whole, and it’s laden with processed sugar and contains hardened fat, making it far from a product for proper nutrition.

8. "Cholesterol-Free". A definitely true slogan since no manufacturer would risk deception on such a high-stakes issue, leading to a conclusion that the product suits those with high cholesterol. It’s often unknown that the body produces blood cholesterol even in the absence of cholesterol in food, so listed cholesterol doesn’t measure impact accurately. A closer look at components like peanut snacks with this slogan shows nearly 10% saturated fats, which are the heart’s true enemy, leading to clogged arteries, ultimately resulting in high blood cholesterol.

9. "High in Dietary Fiber". Indeed, dietary fibers are crucial in any healthy diet. Breakfast cereals with this claim are rich in fibers but often synthetic or bran-derived. Bran is processed, extracted from grain kernels, and contains phytates that hinder the absorption of vital nutrients like iron, zinc, calcium, and magnesium, causing irritable bowel syndrome. Original fiber recommendations pertain to natural dietary fibers found in whole wheat grains. 

How do you identify a healthy product? Review the ingredients list. The longer the list with unrecognizable items, the lower the chance the product is truly healthy. Ingredients are listed by descending order of quantity. Therefore, if sugar tops the list, it's the main component in the product. 

Be suspicious of ingredients listed as "E number." Most are unnatural and aim to provide color, preservation, stabilization, and oxidation prevention. There’s little health here. 

Avoid products with sweeteners like sorbitol, maltitol, xylitol, etc., as they complicate liver function and don’t benefit the gut. Presence of hardened or partially hardened fats on ingredient lists indicates harmful food, strongly hinting at the presence of trans fat, detrimental to health. If you have high cholesterol, ignore cholesterol checks on nutritional tables and focus only on saturated fat. It’s the body’s official enemy. If dietary fibers are included, check their source. The best sources for soluble dietary fibers are whole grains, fruits and vegetables, legumes, and nuts. Avoid synthetic fibers or those from bran.