The 7 Biggest Food Label Lies

Food and Nutrition

 

The 7 Biggest Food Label Lies

 

7. FOOD LABEL LIE #7: Sunny D:

The Crime:  The day-glo liquid presents itself as a delicious, nutritious alternative to orange juice, but in truth, it’s little more than sweetened water. 

The Evidence: Look at the label. The vast majority of this bottle consists of water and corn syrup, with less than two percent coming from concentrated juice swirled with artificial colors, sweeteners, canola oil, and sodium hexametaphosphate (don’t ask). The beverage company bases its vague nutrition claims (“sunshine in a bottle”?) on the fact that Sunny D contains 100 percent of your vitamin C. But you know what else has 100 percent of your day’s vitamin C? A scoop of broccoli, a few thick slices of red bell pepper, a medium orange, or a multivitamin. Also condemnable is Sunny D’s current marketing campaign, which encourages children to collect Sunny D labels in exchange for schoolbooks. Care for some diabetes with that diploma? 

The Takeaway: “Fruit-flavored” is no substitution for real fruit. If you want the full nutritional package, buy fresh, unadulterated produce—or at the very least 100 percent juice. Sunny D isn’t the only beverage that will drown your healthy diet. Take a look at the 20 Worst Drinks in America to learn which will do the most damage to your waistline.

6. FOOD LABEL LIE #6: Natural Cheetos:

The Crime: Abuse of the term “natural.” Last I checked, Cheetos don’t grow in the wild. 

The Evidence: When was the last time you saw a flowering field of disodium phosphate? Or how about a fresh crop of maltodextrin? Didn’t think so. These cheese puffs consist largely of corn, but they’ve been processed to the point that no 20th-century farmer would ever recognize them as food. What’s more, compared to regular Cheetos, they only have about 10 fewer calories per serving. Oh, and see those “natural flavors” on the ingredient statement? By FDA standards, those don’t even have to relate to the food in question. For all we know, those are tinctures made from bovine bone marrow.  

The Takeaway:  Except in the instance of some meat products, the FDA doesn’t regulate use of the word “natural,” leaving the food industry free to define it on its own terms. In 2008, natural products reached $22 billion in sales, four times that of organic products. Defend yourself by reading the ingredient statement. If you can’t pronounce it, it probably ain’t natural.

5. FOOD LABEL LIE #5: Mott’s Medleys Fruit and Vegetable Juice:

The Crime: Although wholesome by juice standards, this one is promoted to parents as a substitution for real fruits and vegetables. But fruits and vegetables have fiber; Mott’s has none. 

The Evidence:  The Mott’s label says that each bottle contains two servings of fruits and vegetables, and sadly, the USDA agrees. The government’s MyPlate considers juice to be a suitable substitution for produce. But here’s why it’s not: One of the biggest health boons of fruits and vegetables is the fiber, which fills the stomach, slows digestion, and fights disease. According to a recent study from Archives of Internal Medicine, people who consume the most fiber have a 22 percent lower chance of premature death from any cause. Yet at the current rate of consumption, Americans are getting only about half the fiber they need. A single apple has more than four grams of fiber. That’s about four grams more than a bottle of Mott’s Apple Medleys. 

The Takeaway: Modest amounts of juice can fit into a healthy diet, but it’s no substitution for whole produce.

4. FOOD LABEL LIE #4: Mission Garden Spinach Wraps:

The Crime: Mission’s “Garden Spinach” wraps are guilty of identity theft—there’s no spinach to be found in these crooked tortillas!  

The Evidence: Along with a ton of unnatural, unhealthy ingredients like enriched flour, these spinach imposters contain less than 2 percent of “spinach powder” seasoning. Yum! And the wraps’ green color? Courtesy of food dyes yellow #5 and blue #1. 

The Takeaway: Don’t judge a book by its cover—or a product by its package. The front label is little more than an advertisement for the company, so for legitimately useful information, look to the Nutrition Facts Panel and the ingredient statement. And remember: Just because a food is “flavored” like a whole food doesn’t mean it contains a whole food.  

 

3. FOOD LABEL LIE #3: Doritos:

The Crime: On the front of the bag, Frito-Lay reassures us that Doritos contain “0 grams trans fat.” Problem is, it’s a blatant lie! 

The Evidence: Partially hydrogenated oil is the primary source of trans fat, and these cheesy chips contain two types: partially hydrogenated soybean oil and partially hydrogenated cottonseed oil. So how does the company get away with the “0 grams” claim, you ask? The FDA allows manufacturers to market products as trans-fat free if they contain less than 0.5 grams of the artery-clogging acids per serving. But get this: The American Heart Association recommends we max out our trans fat intake at about 2 grams per day, so if you’re regularly eating foods with 0.49 grams per serving, then you can easily surpass that limit without knowing. That could lead to a host of cardiovascular problems, and one recent Spanish study even linked increased trans fat consumption with a lower quality of life and overall happiness. 

The Takeaway: At the risk of belaboring the point: Read the ingredient statement. If you see anything that’s been “partially hydrogenated,” you have a trans-fatty food in your hand. Set it down and nobody will get hurt—least of all you. And if you're shocked to learn that hydrogenated oils are allowed to hang out in your favorite “trans fat-free” snacks, wait till you see this: The 20 Scariest Food Facts.

2. FOOD LABEL LIE #2: Chili’s Guiltless Grill Classic Sirloin:

The Crime: This “Guiltless” entrée is, well, guilty—of containing a shameful amount of salt. 

The Evidence: Chili’s loads this sirloin with 3,680 milligrams of blood-pressure-spiking sodium, far exceeding the USDA’s recommended daily limit of 2,300 milligrams (for some people, like those at risk for hypertension, it’s only 1,500 milligrams!). And the Chili’s marketing team has the nerve to put this on the restaurant’s “Guiltless Grill” menu? Guffaw! Sadly, Chili’s isn’t the only guilty restaurant when it comes to the sins of salt. Chains like Applebee’s and Cheesecake Factory, for example, also pack egregious amounts of sodium into specialty items geared toward health-conscious eaters. 

The Takeaway: In terms of calories, diet or “light” options are usually superior to other items on a chain’s menu, but almost all major chain restaurants still take a heavy-handed approach to the salt shaker. If you’re going to eat out, make an effort to keep your sodium intake as low as possible for the rest of the day.

1. FOOD LABEL LIE #1: Wendy’s Natural-Cut Fries:

The Crime: Wendy’s promotes these spuds as a healthy alternative to typical fries—the chain’s website boasts that they’re “naturally-cut from whole Russet potatoes” and seasoned with “a sprinkle of sea salt.” But there’s more to it than that.  

The Evidence:  A quick skim through Wendy’s ingredient statement is all it takes to expose these fraudulent spuds. They contain preservatives, added sugars, and hydrogenated oil. Last I checked, there was nothing remotely natural about infusing vegetable oil with hydrogen. Technically, Wendy’s isn’t lying that these fries are “natural-cut.” But it makes one wonder: What would be the unnatural way cut a potato? 

The Takeaway:  Restaurants toss out buzzwords like “natural,” “fresh,” and “wholesome” as a clever way of making not-so-nutritious items seem closer to what you’d make at home. Truth is, food manufacturers haven’t found a way to align your health with their profits, and until they do, the onus of healthy eating is on you and you alone.