“Fake” Foods
One of my favorite pastimes recently has been listening to “Eat This, Not That!”: a new podcast featuring host David Zinczenko, a best-selling author and Nutrition and Wellness correspondent for The Today Show, and co-host Jon Hammond. Their friendly back-and-forth banter, combined with the latest updates on the food information and research, makes it a fun and educative diversion to listen to during my weekly walks to the grocery store.
Funnily enough, one of their January episodes happened to coincide directly with one of the chapters in my book, in which I discuss several foods and industries in the United States that have been rampant with corruption. Their episode was titled “Fake Food Awards,” and the first ingredient they called one of the most fraudulent — which happened to be one I mentioned in my book — was extra-virgin olive oil.
Why exactly is “extra-virgin” olive oil so special? According to standards applied by the International Olive Council, the term “extra-virgin” applies to oils that have less than 1 percent acidity. Higher levels of acidity indicate oils that have been damaged or mishandled. The minimal level of processing of extra-virgin olive oil also keeps acidity levels low: The olives are simply crushed and no additional processing occurs. EVOO is also known for its greener color and stronger flavor.
In part because of its high olive oil content, the Mediterranean diet has long stood as a type of gold standard for healthy nutrition, associated with reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, as well as longer life expectancies. The science says the beneficial health effects of EVOO stem mostly from its high content of antioxidants, like vitamins E and K, as well as its fatty acids. Olive oil has been linked to anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial effects, the prevention of heart disease and type 2 diabetes, reduced risk of stroke, maintaining a healthy weight, and the promotion of brain health, helping to ward off diseases like Alzheimer’s. It is also associated with healthier diets, as studies have shown that a higher intake of olive oil is linked to an overall healthier diet.
Considering the health benefits, it comes as no surprise that EVOO has become a kitchen staple. But as with other food items that have come to dominate large markets, purchasing EVOO requires special attention. Much of the olive oil labeled “Italian” doesn’t actually come from Italy, but rather from Spain, Morocco, and Tunisia. Often, after the olives are crushed and pressed, the oils are imported to Italy along with a variety of other oils like soybean, vegetable, and canola that are smuggled into the same ports. Once in Italy, all of these products are labeled “extra-virgin” and branded “imported” or “packed in Italy.”
When tested, a whopping 69 percent of imported olive oil labeled “extra-virgin” did not meet the standards of expert taste and smell. In the Eat This, Not That! episode on fake foods, estimates of fraudulent “extra-virgin olive oil” sold in the U.S. were as high as 75–80%. Purchasing olive oil involves another lesson in being skeptical of the food industry, as well as doing research to ensure product quality. I had to agree with Dave and Jon on this one: I would recommend finding a brand you like and trust, and sticking with it.
Here’s a quick video on some key things to consider next time you’re buying a bottle of EVOO:
Dave and Jon went on to list myriad other food items that aren’t really what they’re marketed as. I’ve highlighted a few of my favorites — or should I say the ones that surprised me the most — below!
- Canned pumpkin.
Apparently, canned pumpkin is actually not pumpkin at all! Dave explained that 85% of the canned pumpkin we see on grocery store shelves does not actually contain pumpkin. More often than not, it’s some form of squash. Jon decided he could get his mind around the squash: “If you believe it’s pumpkin, it’s pumpkin. Right?” he jokes. But for a healthier, more natural alternative, Dave recommends making your own pumpkin purée from a real pumpkin, which involves roasting a pumpkin, scraping out its insides, throwing them into a food processor, and then sealing them away in the freezer for future use. Your pick! - Maple syrup.
This was particularly crushing for me, as my mom’s side of the family owns a small sugarhouse in New Hampshire. Each year, my great grandparents and uncles string lines and buckets across the maple trees to collect the sap. Once the sap is collected, it’s all boiled down in our tiny wooden sugarhouse, where, if we’re lucky enough, we get to sample the warm, freshly made syrup in tiny paper cups. Once you’ve had the real deal, you can never go back. Unfortunately, many companies sell syrups that actually have nothing to do with the sap from maple trees and are instead full of artificial flavors or high fructose corn syrup. They use marketing tactics like making their syrup a deep amber color or pasting woodsy cabins on their labels to give the false impression that it’s true maple syrup. Dave’s advice on this one? Just look for “100% maple syrup” on the label — the ingredient list should only contain one item: pure maple syrup. - Veggie chips.
We’ve definitely all fallen for those snacks that someone has convinced us are “healthy alternatives.” Veggie chips have to be one of the best examples of those. Don’t let the green and orange multicolored sticks fool you — the main ingredients are potato flour and starch. Although the label boasts its veggie content, the powdered and processed vegetables that are actually included lack the nutrients that you get from eating fresh vegetables. These are essentially just another form of potato chip falsely masquerading as a vegetable.
Not every food product sitting enticingly on its grocery store shelf is just some fraudulent poser — I promise. But I hope you realize that it’s always worth reading the ingredient list so that you really understand what you’re putting into your body. After just a bit of initial research, you’ll find your staple brands and end up saving yourself both time and disappointment at the grocery store!
