Wander down the snack aisle and you’ll see chips, cookies, crackers, and bars labeled with words like “natural,” “organic,” “made with real fruit,” “low-fat,” and “high protein.” These claims can give food what is known as a “health halo,” making it appear to be a good choice when it really is not. Given that in 2020 over 90 percent of adults reported snacking at least once a day, it’s no surprise that food companies invest heavily in figuring out how to make their products more appealing. Behind every snack package is a team of marketers, designers, and food scientists working to influence what we buy, how often we buy it, and how we feel about our choices. Some of their tactics include the following:
Buzzwords: Terms like “natural” suggest wholesomeness but are often used on labels of ultra-processed products with added sugars, refined flours, and more saturated than unsaturated fats. Keep in mind that “natural” sugars like honey and fruit juice concentrate behave the same way in your body as refined sugars. Also, while the term “organic” has a clear definition, the term refers to farming practices, not overall healthfulness. Organic candy is still high in added sugars, and organic chips are still high in sodium. If you choose organic packaged foods, do it to support more environmentally friendly farming practices, not for your health.
Cherry-Picked Claims: While the statement “made with whole grains” is regulated (for grain products, at least 51 percent of the grains must be whole), “made with real fruit” is not similarly regulated. It could mean a tiny percentage of fruit purée added to a highly processed product (or, worse yet, the “fruit” could be fruit-juice concentrate, which is essentially just another added sugar). Claims like “made with sea salt” are basically meaningless. Sea salt has as much sodium as any other kind of salt. Terms like “low” or “reduced” are regulated by the U.S. -Food and Drug Administration, and products must meet specific guidelines to use them. “Low” claims are based on defined amounts of a nutrient (for example, “low sodium” products contain 140 milligrams or less of sodium per serving). “Reduced” claims are relative. The product must have 25 percent less of a nutrient (sodium, sugar) than the regular version of that product. The product could still be high in sugar or sodium…it just has less than the regular version.
Fat is another example of a nutrient for which less does not guarantee a healthier product. Fat helps carry flavor across our tongues. “Low-fat,” “reduced fat,” or “fat-free” foods, therefore, are often higher in added sugars or sodium than the regular version of the product to compensate for lost flavor. Keep in mind that limiting fat intake is not the answer to improving health. The key is to choose foods that have more unsaturated fatty acids and less saturated fatty acids, like plant foods rather than animal foods. The word “high” on a food label means the product contains 20 percent or more of the Daily Value of that nutrient, so if a product says it is “high in fiber,” it really is a good source of fiber.
Miniscule Add-Ins: Snacks may feature small amounts of healthy whole foods (like nuts or whole grains) while being dominated by refined flours, saturated-fat-laden palm or coconut oils, sodium, or added sugars. These token ingredients may be highlighted to distract from the snack’s overall poor nutritional quality—Packages that shout, “a good source of calcium” (or some other vitamin or mineral) often have that one added nutrient, and very few others. Strawberry-flavored gummies with added calcium may be a marginally better choice than un-fortified gummies (if your diet is inadequate in calcium), but they are light-years away from the nutritional value of an actual strawberry.
“Free-From” Claims. Just because something is gluten-free, dairy-free, or vegan doesn’t mean it’s nutritious. Potato chips, for example, are gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan, but that doesn’t make them healthy foods. Vegan cookies may contain no animal products but are still likely high in added sugars, refined grains and (if they contain palm or coconut oils) saturated fat.
Package Design. Earth tones, handwritten fonts, or rustic imagery give products a health-conscious vibe. Pictures of fields, farms, or fresh produce can create an association with natural ingredients and a healthier product, even if the ingredients are ultra-processed.
How You Should React
In most cases, front-of-pack-age messaging doesn’t tell you anything about the overall healthfulness of the product. It’s up to you to dig deeper. If a snack (or other food) makes bold health claims on the front of the package, turn it around to find out what’s truly in your food—and what isn’t. Check the Nutrition Facts panel to see how much added sugar and sodium are in a serving and how much of the total fat is undesirable saturated fat. For grain products, it’s also important to see if the product has dietary fiber. Additionally, read the ingredient list to see if you can spot names for added sugars (including anything with the word “syrup”) and if any of the flour in grain products contains the word “whole.” The higher up an ingredient is the list, the more of it is in the product, so—if you really need to purchase packaged snacks—look for those that have whole, natural ingredients at the top of the list. If you need a snack, make it a nutritious one. That means approaching your choice with mindfulness and knowledge. Don’t let food marketers make the choices for you! Whenever possible, stick to whole foods—the kinds that don’t need marketing to prove their value.
SOME SUGGESTIONS FOR HEALTHY SNACKING
When you need a snack, here are some simple, healthy ideas, most of which don’t involve the snack-food aisle. Remember that even healthy snacks can derail your calorie intake if you eat too much of them.
So, here are a few:
- A piece of fruit
- Raw veggies, with or without hummus
- A handful of nuts, seeds, or trail mix
- Popcorn (un- or lightly salted)
- A reduced-sodium cheese stick
- Fat-free plain yogurt with fresh or frozen fruit
- A few whole grain crackers with cheese
- Chickpeas or edamame (roasted or not)
- A slice of whole-grain bread with nut or seed butter
- A hard-boiled egg
CLOSING THOUGHTS
Try these tips to choose a snack if you really need one to tide you over until your next meal:
- WATCH THE BUZZWORDS. “Natural,” “organic,” and “fat-free” don’t guarantee a healthy snack.
- STICK TO WHOLE FOODS. Choose fruits, veggies, nuts, seeds, or plain low-fat or fat-free yogurt over packaged snacks when possible.
- FLIP THE PACKAGE. Always read the Nutrition Facts label and ingredient list—don’t rely on front-of-pack claims.
- PLAN AHEAD. Pack some nuts or whole grain crackers or grab a piece of fruit to have something readily available when you are out.
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