6 foods that marketers want you to think are healthy
Watch out for tricky labels
Adapted from a story by Cara Rosenbloom for The Washington Post.
You probably already know that real food is healthier than processed food.
But sometimes it’s hard to tell what’s real because of the way foods are marketed. Here’s how some well-marketed processed foods compare with the real thing.
Veggie sticks’ snack packaging includes claims such as “made with spinach,” “now with sweet potato” and “100% all natural.”
→ Please take heed: A tiny sprinkle of vegetable powder infused into a crunchy snack is not the same as eating a serving of vegetables.
Studies show that most gluten-free foods contain more fat and salt — and less fiber, protein and vitamins — than their gluten-containing counterparts.
Gluten-free does not mean healthier.
→ A dense, whole-grain sprouted bread made from fiber-rich, wholesome ingredients is a much healthier choice than a gluten-free bread made from fiber-free cornstarch, tapioca and rice flour.
Veggie burgers often have 20 or more ingredients, including nonnutritive cornstarch and thickeners such as methyl cellulose. And although beef burgers are naturally high in protein, most veggie burgers contain wheat gluten, a cheap protein substitute (and one that’s considered a potential contributor to the increase in celiac disease diagnoses in the past decade).
Some veggie burgers are made of good-quality protein from beans, lentils and soy, but they may be so highly processed that the health benefits fade away.
→ Read ingredient lists to compare brands, and don’t make your decision based on marketing words such as “vegan” and “all-natural.”
To get ingredients to fuse together to make a trail mix bar, they need to add something sticky and sweet. Enter sugar. Whether it’s honey, maple syrup or agave, adding two or three teaspoons of sugar to your once-natural trail mix is never a good idea.
→ Plain nuts, seeds and dried fruit are a better choice than bars that contain added sweeteners.
Three cups of Smartfood (white cheddar) popcorn has more ingredients, 290 calories and 525 mg of sodium.
→ Popcorn is your better option. A three-cup serving of oil-popped popcorn has 126 calories, no sodium and just two ingredients. If you truly want to be smart, buy kernels and pop your own at home.
Both types of chips have about the same number of calories, and the baked version often has more sodium to make up for the lack of flavor when the fat is removed. Plus, the baked version is higher in starchy carbs, which studies show are worse for you than a bit of vegetable oil.
→ Although it’s not a health food, when you’re craving chips, go for a small portion of the real deal.
