Health Alert: Common food label claims may be completely meaningless, misleading –Report

*Consumers worldwide are urged to be wary, and learn how misleading food labels, such as ‘natural’ and ‘low’, can impact their shopping choices and ultimate wellbeing, as the most front-of-box words on several products packaging don’t mean much

Isola Moses | ConsumerConnect

“Natural” isn’t tightly defined.

The Food and Drug Administration offers guidance, but there’s no strict, enforceable definition — and it says nothing about pesticides or processing, agency report said.

ConsumerConnect learnt that most shoppers know to scan the ingredient list and avoid products with stuff you can’t pronounce.

But, according to Tasting Table, one of the biggest food-label red flags is often printed boldly on the front of the package — but it’s frequently just vague, feel-good language with no clear definition for consumers.

Specifically, terms like “natural,” “light,” “low sugar,” “green,” and “sustainable” can create the illusion of healthy eating, without guaranteeing much of anything, report said.

Experts warned consumers to not assume ‘natural’ means regulated.

The word “natural” sounds reassuring, but it remains loosely defined, they noted.

Subsequently, the United States (US) Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued guidance suggesting “natural” means no artificial or synthetic ingredients and no added colors.

However, there is no formal, enforceable definition in this regard, according to report.

As Tasting Table has pointed out, it does not address how ingredients were grown, whether pesticides were used, or how processed the product may be.

In short, “natural” does not automatically mean minimally processed or chemical-free, report noted.

Question claims like ‘low’ and ‘light’

Words such as “low fat,” “low sugar,” and “light” are often relative.

Lower than what? A previous version? A competitor? Some undefined benchmark?

Even when a term has a technical definition, such as “low sodium,” the serving sizes can be small enough to make numbers look way better than they are.

This serves as a great reminder that without context, these labels can be misleading for consumers of products.

Shoppers are also urged to be skeptical of environmental buzzwords.

For instance, labels, such as “green,” “sustainable,” “free range,” and “pasture raised” may suggest higher standards, but many of these terms lack strict oversight or enforcement, report stated.

In actuality, they can signal positive practices, or simply be smart marketing ploys.

Look for certifications with real standards. Not all labels are created equal.

For example, any products marked “organic” must meet federal requirements in the American country.

Also, third-party certifications like “Fair Trade Certified,” overseen by Fair Trade USA, involve defined criteria and a verification process that you can rely on.

When a product carries independent certification, there’s at least a measurable standard behind the claim, report stated.

According to Tasting Table, the saying: “Does a company care enough to prove the claims it’s making, or does it just want you to swallow what it’s selling?” should be examined.

So, the next time you see packaging with the words “light” or “sustainable” plastered on the front, it’s up to us to figure out what that means.

Unfortunately, this makes eating a healthier diet a more time-consuming activity when standing in the grocery aisle.

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