Food packages bombard us with misleading and untruthful messages every day. Those of us who know how dangerous processed foods are read packages carefully looking for danger signs and false advertising. However, very few people realize just how deceptive companies like Kraft can be when trying to get you to shovel their garbage into your mouth.
The fat free lie
When we read a label that says a food is 99% fat free, we immediately think the product must be better for us than a higher fat option. We measure food according to calories. The more calories you eat, the more weight you gain. Yet, food manufactures who want to sell you high fat foods do not measure food by calories. They measure food by weight or volume! To make a unhealthy food like chicken broth a “healthy” product, food companies simply add extra water to the broth. 99% fat free chicken broth is neither fat free, nor low in fat. In fact, 99% fat free chicken broth gets 67% of its calories from fat! That’s more fat than steak or bacon!
how they trick you
A food that is measured by weight and is mostly water will come out with a fat free label. However, foods that are mostly water taste like water! So, to complete the illusion food companies add sodium, corn syrup, MSG, and “flavorings” to the food so that you can’t taste the difference. In truth many people still taste the difference, however, they chalk the difference up to a sacrifice for a better diet.
how to eat well
If you want to eat better, eat less packaged foods and more natural foods like vegetables, fruit, whole grains, beans, and nuts. Don’t let your children eat from a plastic tub or box. Feed them real food instead.
Related posts:
- The Free Range Lie
- Raw Vegan Hot Wings?
- Vegan Gravy
- Getting Kids to Eat Healthy
- Wheat bread is not Whole Wheat
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Comments About Nutrition Labels Lie
// 2 comments so far.
Sarahfae // May 19th 2009
Hi – I met Kristen through my lj and I’ve really been enjoying your blog. Would you guys be okay with my posting a perma-link to your blog on my lj sidebar?
I hope so!
~S
Greg // May 19th 2009
Please do! Links are wonderful. Also, thanks for the comments. Starting a new blog is difficult and only really works when people who like what we create link to us.
Feedback on what you do or don’t like is also extremely welcome.
~Greg
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