10 False and Misleading Food Labels

Related Stores

Sam's Club

Misleading information on food labels is as old as patent medicines. Most of these snake-oil pharmaceuticals contained little more than water, alcohol and caramel coloring, with the emphasis on alcohol.

Things haven't really changed all that much since the days of traveling huxters. Products "made with whole wheat" may actually only contain one percent to two percent whole grains. Fruit juices made from "real fruit" are little more than food coloring and sugar.

Given the attention on obesity and diet-related diseases in the United States, proper labeling is even more important than ever. The FDA is finally sitting up and taking notice. The agency threatened in March to start removing 22 products labeled with misleading "healthy" claims.

The products ranged from ice cream, to frozen fish sticks and baby foods that claimed healthy nutrient contents but failed to identify unhealthy ingredients present at very high levels in the products.

The problem is so prevalent Consumers Report created an eco-label decoder with detailed information on the accuracy of healthy product claims.

Take a look at the 10 food-label lies the FDA is no longer tolerating.

1. All Natural
The FDA requires products labeled "all natural" not contain artificial colors or ingredients and must be "minimally processed." Manufacturers often interpret the latter term simply guarantees the product won't impact the health of the consumer. If you think about it, however, rat feces is all natural but you wouldn't want to eat it.

2. Serving Size
A 20-ounce soda fits easily in a car cup holder and could reasonably be considered a single serving, but there actually are 2.5 official servings, meaning 100 calories per serving. The same is true of a snack-sized bag of chips or a small tub of ice cream, but check the labels and you'll find a single serving is just 11 chips and one-half cup of ice cream.

3. Omega 3
There's plenty of science showing walnuts are a good source of Omega-3 fatty acids. But in one case, the FDA said Diamond Foods went too far when it stated Omega-3s lower cholesterol, protect against heart disease and fight depression. The agency allows certain foods and medicines rich in two of the Omega-3 fatty acids to advertise they can reduce the risk of coronary heart disease, but only if they're also low in saturated fats or other risk factors.

In another example, the FDA specifically prohibits eggs from labels linking Omega-3 fatty acids to heart health because eggs are high in cholesterol. Such claims dance around the truth and the law by simply stating that they contain Omega-3s, creating an impression of health they don't deserve.

4. Made With Real Food
This term pops up in reference to real whole grains, real cheese, real fruit, etc., but it simply means the products contains some of this ingredient. For example, the packaging for a fruit juice treat may depict piles of colorful raspberries, cherries, peaches, etc., but the only fruit-like ingredient is fruit juice concentrate (aka sugar). If you want real fruit, buy real fruit.

5. 0 Trans Fat
Products may claim to contain zero trans fats and saturated fats but still contain cholesterol. Food manufacturers are allowed to make this claim because cholesterol is not a saturated fat or a trans fat and is listed separately on food labels in milligrams. Other fats are listed in grams and any product containing less than 0.5 grams trans fat or saturated fat can claim zero grams on the label.

6. Free Range Foods
The term free-range" conjures up images of red barns and sun dappled fields. We feel good buying free-range chicken, eggs or meat, but government guidelines actually only stipulate animals so labeled be allowed access to the outdoors. There are no requirements for feed or exposure to chemicals. As a result, you can't be sure these products are any healthier than non-free-range foods.

7. Fiber
Food manufacturers are getting more clever at manipulating ingredients of snacks and other treats so the statistics of fiber additives mimic the nutritional data of fruits and vegetables. Yet nutritionists don't yet know if these fiber additives -- including maltodextrin made from corn, wheat, rice or potato starch; polydextrose, made from glucose and sorbitol; or insulin, a carbohydrate derived mostly from chicory roots and other plant roots -- possess the same health benefits as natural fiber found in whole grains, fruits and vegetables.

Even when it comes to the natural, wholesome fiber like oats and kidney beans, researchers aren't sure whether the health benefits derive from the fiber itself or from the collective impact of high-fiber foods. If you really want to ensure you're getting "good" fiber, eat whole grains, fruits, vegetables and beans.

8. Medical Claims
A mouthwash isn't necessarily better at killing germs and plaque because manufacturers claim it tastes like medicine. In the same vein, foods that claim to "reduce the risk of heart disease" and "maintain a healthy heart" don't necessarily provide any medicinal benefits.

The FDA is beginning to crack down on such claims and require approval before they can be included in labeling. For example, Kellogg's claims some of its cereals "support your child's immunity" because, even though some are 40-percent sugar, they are fortified with vitamins. Yet there is no evidence Cocoa Krispies actually improve a child's immune status or ward off disease. Kellogg's isn't alone in such fraudulent labeling Ocean Spray cranberry juice, Juicy Juice berry drinks, Kraft's Crystal Light and Nestlé's Carnation Instant Breakfast all make similar claims.

9. Organic
"Organic" simply means a food was produced without harsh chemical fertilizers or pesticides. It doesn't mean the product is nutritious.  Processed foods are just that -- processed. If you want to eat truly healthy foods, select products with the least-packaging and labeling.

10. Defining Whole Grains
Organic 12-grain bread, wheat tortillas and heart-healthy wheat English muffins all sound good, but none ensure a product contains whole grains. Sometimes the most healthy-sounding products don’t contain a single pinch of whole grain. Check the label and you may find the brown coloring actually comes from caramel and molasses.

You can ensure you're actually eating a whole-grain food by checking the label to make sure the first ingredient is a grain (oats, barley, wheat, rye, etc.). If one of the first ingredients is refined flour, you're looking at a product that may contain up to 85-percent refined flour. Others may contain large amounts of salt and sugar, neither of which are desirable ingredients. Because many shoppers do examine labels for fiber content, some manufacturers have added bran, peas, beans or other high-fiber foods to boost fiber on the label, which consumers generally attribute to the whole wheat or grain.

Tweet

Photo by: Colin Purrington