Food and beverage companies commit one of the biggest sins in the world. Many of them have been selling us ‘healthy foods’ for years which aren’t actually healthy, but instead, ‘toxic’ for our bodies.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), obesity in children has doubled since 1980. This has been attributed to the popularity of junk food and an overall decrease in physical activity.
Many of the major food companies have been selling toxic foods, masquerading them as healthy foods. They spend millions every year advertising their unhealthy products as healthy. They are hurting not just us, but our children and the entire generations to come.
Being one of biggest industries on the planet, the global food and beverage industry is now worth over US$8 trillion, which is more than 10% of the world’s GDP.
Eating the right things in the right amount is vital for our optimal health. Science says 80 – 90% of our body shape is based on the food we eat, and the rest is based on the exercise. But do you know what you are actually eating?
Almost 70% of the items being sold in grocery stores are designed for profit, not for nutrition. But, many of us have become conscious of certain tricks the food industry uses to lure people towards their unhealthy products.
Here are the five biggest lies of the food industry that everyone should know. Also, do find out whether you have fallen victim to any of them.
1. Using the Word ‘Natural’ To Sell Products:
Foods that are being marketed as ‘100% Natural’ at the grocery store are often not natural at all. This is one of the biggest lies of the food industry. Many of us think that they are making smart and healthy decisions by opting for these ‘all-natural’ products to their grocery lists, whereas they may be buying unhealthy stuff without being aware of.
People are being misinformed by these types of labels. Products that are labeled as ‘natural’ can contain genetically modified organisms (GMOs), high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS), and might be highly processed. Moreover, these labels tell us nothing about the way the food was farmed. For example, it may have been farmed with harmful pesticides and synthetic fertilizers without us knowing.
The FDA does not have any binding guidance for the word ‘natural’. And with no regulation, most of the food companies use it as an emotional term in food labeling.
Fortunately, you can go for the ‘organic’ ones. Organic food products follow strict guidelines and do not contain GMOs, pesticides, or synthetic fertilizers. Hence, they are more natural.
2. Marketing the Processed Foods as Healthy:
There’s no such thing as healthy processed food. Food companies look for big profits by turning government-subsidized crops – mainly corn, wheat and soybeans – into chips, snack foods and beverages. Products derived by processing these crops are usually high in calories, contain unhealthy fats, and are low in nutritional value.
Highly processed food lack fiber, micro-nutrients and antioxidant compounds that protect us against heart disease and diabetes, as well as lower the risk of chronic illnesses. Studies have shown that eating a diet high in processed food makes it harder for your body to burn the calories. This is because most of the processed foods contain chemical additives, extra refined sugar, and salt.
Most of the processed foods are not healthy at all. You should look forward to including more of minimally processed food in your diets such as fresh fruits and vegetables and lower the consumption of highly processed foods.
Also read: Health Benefits Of Moringa: Why It Is Called Tree Of Miracles
3. Low Fat or Fat-Free Food For Weight Loss:
You must have seen products with labels like ‘low-fat,’ ‘reduced fat’ or ‘fat-free’ in grocery stores. Well, this is another example of the food industry lies. These food products are basically highly processed foods that are being marketed as low-fat or fat-free. Food companies deceive us by advertising their products as ‘low-fat’ or ‘low-calories’ to make it look more attractive to customers who want to lose weight. They do this by advertising the ‘serving size’ rather than the ‘portion size’ to manipulate down the numbers.
Generally, most of the products with ‘low fat’ or fat removed are unhealthy and are also unappealing to the taste buds. In order to compensate for the lack of taste, manufacturers usually add artificial sweeteners, sugar and other unhealthy ingredients to them. Therefore, any product that uses ‘low-fat’ or any other similar terminology on their label is more likely to be unhealthy.
4. Fruit Juice and Diet Soda as Healthy Alternatives to Other Drinks:
We are trained to believe that fruit juice is healthy because we associate fruits with health and nutrition. But that’s not true at all. Fruits are healthy, but packaged fruit juices are not. Most of the fruit juices that you find in the grocery store contain lots of sugar and artificial flavors. They only contain a tiny bit of total nutrition and vitamins that you would get from eating actual fruits.
‘Real’ is another word often used by beverage companies to market their products. Many juice drinks bear labels such as ‘made with 100% real fruit juice’. However, if you check the list of ingredients, you will find that half of the drink (or more) is filled with sugar and other additives. In some cases, the flavor is the result of highly refined chemicals that fool our taste buds in our mouth into considering it as real.
Big soda companies spend billions of dollars to associate their drinks with happiness and positivity by creating an artificial connection between humans and their brands. Soft drinks, even the diet soda, are not the bottle of happiness; they are an invitation to problems like diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, kidney damage, etc. A growing body of evidence suggests that diet soda could be even more harmful than drinking regular soda.
“It would be prudent to limit consumption of all soft drinks and replace them with healthier alternatives like water,” says Amy Mullee, a nutritionist at University College Dublin.
5. Hidden Sugar and Other Controversial Contents:
Researchers and nutritionists believe that sugar can be more addictive than cocaine. Although our body does need some levels of sugar to create energy. But, it’s not necessary to include sugary products or added sugar in the diet. Our body itself can break down carbs into sugar to make energy. The dangers of consuming too much sugar are well-documented. And therefore, we need to be getting less of it.
Most people do not check the list of ingredients before buying any product. Sugar and artificial sweeteners are harmful to health. Food companies know the addictive nature of sugar, and they are deliberately causing people to get hooked to their products by adding refined sugar and artificial sweeteners in them. If you see sugar listed in the first few positions, then know that the product is loaded with sugar.
©dailymail.co.uk
Food manufacturers also use a variety of names for sugar to mislead people. The food may contain ‘evaporated cane juice’, ‘high fructose corn syrup’, etc. But all these are just different names of sugar. This is a tactic used by food companies to hide the actual amount of refined sugar in their processed foods.
Also read: 9 Proven Health Benefits Of Green Tea
Bottom Line:
It is in our best interest to limit the consumption of processed foods as much as we can, and include fresh fruits and vegetables in our diet. Real food doesn’t require a label or a list of ingredients. Share this information with your family and friends to let them know about these facts. This will help them uplift their lives by adopting a healthy lifestyle.
What do you think about these lies of the food industry? Let us know in the comments below.
Hello reader, I’m Abhishek Shankhwar, a mental health & wellness enthusiast and a digital marketing specialist by profession. As a passionate health and wellness writer, I feel obligated to inform, inspire, and reach out to so many people. In the meantime, you’ll always find me reading books, writing inspiring content, and cooking delicious food. Connect with me on LinkedIn.
Real good visual appeal on this website, I’d value it 10/10.
This really answered my problem, thank you!