Food Label Claims: Helpful Health Info…or Pure Marketing?

Erroneous health claims on food labels abound: “all natural” and “heart healthy” — these claims, among others, can have problems attached to them and, in most cases, should not be considered valuable or even vaguely accurate health advice. The FDA states that a “health claim” by definition has two essentials component (the absence of one or both components does not qualify it as a health claim): (1) a substance (whether a food, food component, or dietary ingredient) and (2) a disease or health-related condition. The FDA authorizes health claims based on an extensive review of the scientific literature, generally “as a result of the submission of a health claim petition, using the significant scientific agreement standard to determine whether the substance/disease relationship is well established.”

In contrast to health claims, dietary guidance statements (e.g. statements that address a role of dietary patterns or of general categories and healthfulness of foods) are not subject to premarket review and authorization by FDA, but they must be truthful and not misleading. Marketers and food giants alike use these FDA regulated health claims and non-regulated dietary guidance statements to their advantage. Why? Because of the almighty dollar.

Dannon, Kellogg, General Mills, and friends don’t claim their “functional food” products actually prevent or cure diseases because “such declarations would run afoul of federal regulations.” These companies are merely marketing functional foods with “health-promoting or wellness-maintaining properties,” a perfectly legal practice as long as they have some credible science to back them.

But what is their definition of “credible science?” Well, “credible science” is often cheap science funded by the companies who want to slap such shoddy health claims on their products. If Kellogg wants to say their cereal is good for the heart, then they’ll fund a bogus study to get the results they want by whatever means possible just for a mere label on their package, thus rendering their label untrustworthy in the grand scheme. How could breakfast cereal really be all that healthy with buckets of sugar in it? That question is: why has Kellogg been called out multiple times for its false claims plastered across its products like Rice Krispies and Frosted Mini-Wheats, to name a few?

To counter these ridiculous food label claims made by companies, the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) has been urging the FDA to prohibit qualified health claims for foods. Qualified health claims, as opposed to the health claims that must meet a significant scientific agreement standard, include disclaimers explaining that the scientific evidence is uncertain. CSPI also has been attempting to get the FDA and USDA to prohibit misleading wording used in “structure/function” health claims that imply that the food will “Support” and “maintain” a healthy immune system, joints, or vision. But, CSPI can’t change deceitful marketing of bogus health claims alone: you can help them by not buying foods that make these claims.

Take all wild or reasonable food label claims with a grain of salt if it is on manufactured food products because most, if not all the time, it is a marketing ploy. Are manufacturers looking out for families or are they just attempting to make money? Buying something just because it says  “all-natural” or “heart healthy” is a bad idea. Wisely inspect the nutritional facts label to truly discover what is in the product in question. Focus in on the ingredients section, looking for any ingredients that are harmful, or questionable chemicals. If the product is devoid of chemicals, artificial substances, additives, and unnecessary oils, then it is probably a reasonably healthy product.

Image Source: Karen Horton/Wikimedia Commons