The primary use of food labels is to provide consumers with a comprehensive overview of the product information.
This is because food labels indicate the nutrients that one will benefit from if they consume the product i.e. proteins, fats, vitamins, sugars, calories etc. At least that was the original intention behind the use of food labels.
However, this is not necessarily the situation anymore. This is because numerous food companies in the industry are misusing food labels for their own personal gain.
They achieve this by manipulating the information provided on the food labels so that their products appear to be healthier than they actually are. It goes without saying that this is very unethical in so many ways.
People have a right to know the true constituents of their food products if they intend to maintain a diet that is nutritious and healthy.
This article will unravel some of the ways by which many companies are manipulating food labels on their products and how you can appropriately adjust to this harsh reality.
Methods Of Manipulation
There are numerous ways by which food companies in the food industry manipulate serving sizes to the disadvantage of the millions of ignorant consumers in the market.
The main methods will be discussed in-depth in this section.
Portion
The nutrients that are usually listed on various food labels directly correspond to specific serving sizes that are mentioned at the top of the product label.
In order to decrease the values of trans fat, sugar and other unacceptable ingredients listed in their products, most companies employ the use of serving sizes that are unrealistic.
They are unrealistic because they are not actually what people consume from the products.
For instance, the food labels on Pop-Tart indicate nutrient information that corresponds to a serving size for a single pastry.
This is not realistic because there is no one that consumes a single Pop-Tart while the foil contains two of them. The list is endless as there are many other such cases that can be accurately cited.
Is Low Inaccurate Information Justifiable?
It is quite surprising that the Food and Drug Administration (popularly known as FDA) permits food companies to have inaccurate information on their food labels by up to 20%.
The Food and Drug Administration’s food label accuracy testing process for various companies is carried out by gathering twelve food samples of the product that were selected at random.
The FDA then proceeds to perform an analysis on the samples so that the results are ultimately compared to the information that is published on the food labels of the company.
Nutrients are usually categorized into three classes by the FDA, these include the following:
Class 1: The nutrients in this class include dietary fiber, protein, minerals, vitamins and potassium that is present in fabricated foods or that which is added in fortified foods.
Class 2: The nutrients in this class include monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fat, dietary fiber, protein, minerals, vitamins, total carbohydrates, other carbohydrates or potassium that is naturally occurring in foods.
Class 3: This group comprises of sodium, cholesterol, saturated fat, total fat, sugars and calories.
The FDA requires that for Class 1 nutrients, the food products from the different companies contain as many nutrients as possible as indicated on the food label.
However, for Class 2 nutrients, the FDA requires food companies to include at least 80% of the nutrients that are published on its food label.
The same allowance applies to the Class 3 nutrients listed above. This is unacceptable because 20% is too large a margin considering the fact that companies still proceed to manipulate even the serving sizes.
Daily Values
Food companies are using trickery by displaying both mineral and vitamin content as a certain percentage of the daily value on their food labels rather than sharing the specific numbers with the consumers.
The important point here is that the daily value percentages of vitamins and minerals shared on food labels by companies is information that is of no use to the average product consumer.
Furthermore, it just gives companies an avenue they can use to further manipulate the consumer’s perception about their food product and how healthy it really is.
Rounding Values
The Food and Drug Administration is of the idea that rounding off numbers on food labels is of no consequence and therefore allows food companies to do so.
This allowance is inclusive of daily value levels, nutrient levels and serving size.
The rounding limits are specific to the different nutrients and the FDA requires food companies to strictly adhere to the stipulated limits.
In addition, each and every nutrient has an amount that is considered to be insignificant as declared by the FDA.
This means that if a food product contains an amount that is considered to be insignificant in a single serving then it is not mandatory for the manufacturing company to include it on the food label.
Mitigation
There are certain ways by which a consumer can personally address the issue of manipulation of serving sizes by food companies, some of the ways include the following:
1. Measurement
The simplest and most accurate way of tackling the issue head on is for you to measure out food yourself. You can do this by using a food scale or even a measuring cup at your disposal.
Measure the exact quantity of food that you are going to consume at each meal. A comparison should then be made between the published serving sizes on the food label with the exact quantity that is being consumed. Math should then be applied to calculate the exact quantity of nutrients being consumed.
The above insightful information has already established that food labels are misleading to consumers and therefore measuring the food yourself should provide a picture that is more accurate with regard to the nutrients being consumed on a daily basis.
It is a better option than relying on inaccurate food labels.
There are a few guidelines that have been developed through experience to help consumers in comparing serving sizes, some of them are as listed below:
i. The size of 3 ounces of meat is equivalent to a deck of cards.
ii. The quantity of a cup of rice is equivalent to half a baseball.
iii. The quantity of ¼ cup of dried fruit is equivalent to the size of a golf ball.
iv. The size of a cup of chopped vegetables or fruits is equivalent to the size of half a baseball.
v. A single cup of green and leafy vegetables is equivalent to the size of a typical baseball.
2. Natural
Another way of dealing with the harsh reality of manipulated serving sizes in our food products is to simply avoid them altogether.
Instead, consume organic foods whose nutrient values are known such as meats, vegetables and organic fruits. Despite the fact that these organic products might also have slightly inaccurate labels, they are a better bet than pre-made meals.
3. Eating Habits
Extensive and reliable research indicates that eating the recommended portion sizes rather than the typical larger portion sizes is easier when using smaller colored plates. This is one simple yet effective eating hack that consumers should develop in earnest.
This is because colored plates which contrast the color of food assist with achieving the feeling of satiety. The same principle works with the use of plates of relatively smaller sizes as the brain gets confused and registers quantities consumed differently.
4. Patience
Last year saw the Food and Drug Administration finalize new guidelines for nutrition labels for the very first time in two decades.
There were numerous changes and the notable ones include the following:
– All companies in the food industry are required to incorporate a section for added sugars in their food label.
– Daily values levels will have to be updated.
– Levels of potassium, mineral and that of vitamin D have to be shown on the food labels.
– The exact amount of minerals and vitamins that are contained in food products have to be shown.
– “Calories from fat” is officially banned as a listed item in food labels. The main reason for this is to demystify the notion that all fats are bad for health.
The serving sizes provided by food manufacturers ought to be realistic and should also strive to reflect the typical consumption in a single sitting.
Despite the fact that the 20% inaccuracy allowance and the rounding of numbers are still effective, the changes listed above will go a long way in providing consumers in the millions with a more vivid picture of the health status of any given food product.
However, it should be noted that these FDA guidelines are set to be implemented in a year or so from now so do not be in a hurry to witness immediate changes in the pre-made food products that you purchase at the store.
Conclusion
A majority of consumers were already aware of the crafty nature that characterizes the food manufacturing industry but this article has shed more light on the inaccuracy of food labels.
The above hard facts are meant to be applied to help consumers make better decisions with regard to the foods they choose to eat and to possibly completely avoid processed foods in preference for whole foods.
