Imagine the satisfying crunch of a freshly-unwrapped granola bar. Maybe there are nuts, chocolate chips, or dried fruit mixed in, adding a sweet, tangy twist. The oats, whole grains, and quinoa infused in this crunchy bar allow easy, guilt-free snacking. Those looking to switch their unhealthy lifestyle may even reach for a granola bar instead of the chocolate bar they are craving. But in some cases, these snacks may be deceiving to customers by bearing the claim that they are “healthy”, when in fact they have a higher saturated fat content than that chocolate bar calling your name.
“I feel lied to, because granola bars are supposed to be really healthy and that’s how they advertise it, but knowing that it has a high fat content makes me feel cheated,” Newtown High School sophomore Leah Navin said.
This past March, the Food and Drug Administration reviewed the ingredients of the KIND company’s granola bars and wrote a letter informing the CEO and founder, Daniel Lubetzky of a label violation. Since certain granola bars contain up to five grams of saturated fat, the word “healthy” on KIND’s packaging does not comply with the FDA’s definition of healthy. Products must contain one gram or less of saturated fat in order to be approved “healthy” by the FDA.
The FDA decided to allow the packaging to continue production as a statement about the company’s philosophy rather than its nutritional benefits. The package still reads the slogan, “We choose healthy and tasty, convenient and wholesome, economically sustainable and socially impactful”. This, however, does not reverse the damage of the seemingly unhealthful products on uninformed customers. The high sugar and fat content in a daily “health food” snack could be doing more harm than good on consumers’ bodies and overall health, and the food label does not warn of these risks.
“When I look for foods, I don’t normally look at the label. I look at the advertisement to see if it’s healthy or not,” NHS junior Nick Stowell said.
But KIND is not the only brand that has deceiving food labels. According to a Nielsen survey, up to 59% of consumers have trouble understanding the nutrition facts on food labels. Although the FDA has a definition for what is considered “healthy,” there is no definition for “all natural,” leaving that part up to interpretation for the company. This means that foods coined “all natural” may still contain high levels of sodium or high fructose corn syrup. Unknowing buyers may fall into the health food “trap”, and continue to buy what they think is “good” for them.
“I think that people are so concerned about what they are eating that they don't realize what exactly they're eating. Like anyone can walk into a grocery store and get what seems to be a 100% fruit juice when in reality it's filled with artificial flavoring,” NHS junior Amm Butler said.
In addition, organic and “all natural” foods end up costing much more than the generic brands scattered along the shelves of the local grocery stores. American society has grown increasingly prone to buying organic, or non-GMO and pesticide-free foods, and as demand grows the prices become more competitive. The chain grocery store “Whole Foods” was recently nicknamed “Whole Paycheck” for its costly products.
Foods labeled healthy may not benefit those looking to make a diet change. If the labels say “organic” or “healthy”, consumers cannot trust the company’s packaging to determine their food choices. If consumers start interpreting the ingredients and nutrition facts on labels by themselves, this problem can be avoided. The problem would be solved if there was more education about only eating foods with ingredients consumers can pronounce or have low fat and sugar contents. This is one thing companies cannot lie about, and not only will you be getting your money’s worth, but you will also be giving your body the nutrition it needs.
Image Courtesy of Paleo Leap