Make sure it contains 100% of the truth.
Isn’t it interesting that in this day and age with so much emphasis on having, getting or keeping a smaller amount of bodyfat on our bodies and us trying to provide nutritious foods for our families that manufacturers are still trying and trick us into buying their less than nutritious products.
For example, we know that we should be looking to purchase 100% whole grain products and while we are seeing a plethora of labels bearing the words whole grains we in fact are not being told the 100 per cent whole truth. Many of these labels do not give you an accurate picture of what is inside and the product that they market to appear to be good for us as far as the label says might in fact have all the nutrition of floor sweepings.
Most of us know that we want whole grains because they include the bran and the germ of the grain, which have more nutrients than the endosperm (that is the real name, I didn’t make it up), which is what you get with refined or the especially interesting, “enriched” grains. Grains made with the bran and the germ are absorbed much more slowly by the body than foods made with enriched or bleached flour, and that helps keep your glucose and insulin levels lower and you feeling full longer. The experts say that a diet rich in whole grains may even help keep you free from cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome and even gun disease.
But because it may cost more to produce products made with 100 per cent whole grains, and because most companies care more about their bottom line than the size and health of your bottom, so they find interesting ways to trick you into believing you are getting something that is healthy and good for you.
I have found a few marketing gems and fake label words that you should watch out for:
Made with whole grains: This particular product may have just a pinch of whole grains, but unless it says it’s 100 per cent, you are getting fooled.
Multigrain: This says nothing about whether the grains are whole or refined. Even if they include 38 different grains, they will not do you much good if they are all refined.
Whole grain: If the label does not say “100 per cent whole grain,” it may contain many different grain blends. Warning words to see paired with the word “flour”; enriched, bleached, unbleached, semolina, durum and rice.
What the label should say: “100 per cent whole grain” or “100 per cent whole wheat”.
Anything less than 100 per cent means that you are getting pranked.
September 17, 2008 at 8:09 am
I find crap like this all the time. Sometimes you almost have to be Sherlock Holmes in order to figure out you’re getting duped.
Personally I try and stick to perimeter shopping. Most of the stuff in the grocery store that is bad for you is in the middle isles. Normally the good stuff like fruit, vegetables, lean meats, and dairy products are along the outside perimeter of the grocery store. So thats what I eat. Just note their are some exceptions, you’ve still got to pay attention.
January 15, 2009 at 11:19 pm
I am celiac–can’t eat wheat, rye, barley, or oats in any form. I used to be a big "whole grain" eater–grinding my own wheat and making my own bread. Since being diagnosed a year ago, I’ve discovered that "whole grain" is a lot bigger world than just wheat. I still grind my own flour and make my own bread but it’s a wonderful mix of rice, garbanzo, millet, soy, quinoa, sorghum, corn, buckwheat, amaranth, etc. In my case I know it’s "whole grain" because I start from scratch!