Misleading Label Claim #5

The USDA recommends limiting added sugar consumption to 10 teaspoons (40g) per day (based on a 2,000 calorie diet), about the amount in a 12oz can of Coca-Cola. Unfortunately, added sugars & their daily value are not disclosed on the Nutrition Facts Panel, making it very difficult to determine the amount of sugar that has been added to products like yogurt, canned fruit, & juice drinks. Additionally, while the FDA regulates claims like “sugar free,” “reduced” and “no added sugars,” there is no such measure governing “low sugar.” Companies can label their highly sugared foods as “Fat Free” without having to direct the consu...mer to check the sugar content. Companies have begun using their own terms, like “lightly sweetened,” which may convey to shoppers that the product is low in sugar, despite the term not being regulated by any federal rules. An example is Kellogg’s Frosted Mini-Wheats that, despite being “lightly sweetened,” contain 20% sugar by weight (12g per serving).

Misleading Label Claim #4

Some food manufacturers take advantage of consumers’ desire to eat more fruits and vegetables by using misleading statements on their products’ packaging. Many fruit snacks display images of a variety of fruits that aren’t found anywhere in the ingredients.

Betty Crocker’s Strawberry Splash Fruit Gushers claim to be made of real fruit, but contain no strawberries whatsoever, and are actually made from pear concentrate, red no. 40 dye, and are almost half sugar by weight. Other companies fool t...he consumer with their product names, like Knorr Chicken Broccoli fettuccine noodles, which actually contain more salt than dried broccoli. Synder’s of Hanover Eat Smart Veggie Crisps claim to be “A bountiful blend of potato, spinach, and tomato chips,” even though there is more potassium chloride than spinach, and virtually none of the vitamins and minerals found in spinach and tomatoes.

In the European Union, it is required that specific percentages are disclosed of ingredients or a category of ingredients that are associated with the name of the product or emphasized on the packaging with words or images. Unfortunately, the FDA has no similar requirements, leaving the American consumer a victim to deceptive advertising.

Misleading Label Claim #3

The USDA recommends that consumers “make half your grains whole.” Many products emphasize “Made With Whole Grains” on packaging, and use dark brown colors & deceptive names to promote the health benefits of whole grains. But, most of these food items have ordinary refined wheat flour as their main ingredient, as they aren't required to disclose the % of whole grains vs refined grains.

Although still a vague indicator as to the amount, one safeguard is to check the listed ingredients. Ingredients must be listed in order of predominance, so if something like “Enriched Wheat Flour” is first, but “Whole Wheat Flour” is further down the list, you can be sure there isn’t a large amount of whole grain in the product.

Misleading Label Claim #2

“0g Trans Fat” is highlighted on the front of many products by using bold imagery, sometimes with banners & exclamation points. This distraction draws attention from the fact that many of these products are extremely high in saturated fat, misleading the consumer into believing they are buying a healthy product.

The FDA designates any serving with over 4g to be high in saturated fat. Products like Edy’s Dibs Bite Sized Frozen Snacks or Hot Pockets boast “0g Trans Fat” but contain excessive levels of saturated fat (16g and 7g per serving, respectively).

Misleading Label Claim #1

People are drawn to terms like "All Natural" and "Made With Whole Grains." Food labeled "natural" generated $22.3 billion in 2008, up 10% from 2007. But consumers are being deceived! "Natural" doesn't always mean BETTER! Also, 54% of all cereals are now labeled "whole grain," including plenty of processed, sugary ones.

“All Natural” was the second most common claim made on new food products in 2008. Unfortunately, both the FDA and USDA have vague rules about this phrase, and have let manufacturers that incorrectly use this claim remain in the marketplace.... Products like Hunt’s Tomato Sauce and “All Natural” Snapple Tea contain citric acid as an additive. Hunt’s Tomato Sauce’s claim as being “All Natural” is even more misleading considering the product is made of reconstituted tomato paste, and not whole tomatoes crushed soon after being picked, as many would assume. Some products containing high-fructose corn syrup (made through complex chemical industrial processes) are even able to get away with the “All Natural” label.

Certain "All Natural" deli meats have ingredients that are clearly additives one would not find if they cooked and sliced up their own natural turkey at home. The USDA also lets meat and poultry products claim to be “All Natural” when injected with beef or chicken broth, which not only increases the sodium levels to unnatural and less healthy levels, but the water inflates the weight of the product, increasing the price. "All Natural" is not a label enforced strictly enough at this point to be trusted.