That's the question I asked myself when I saw the ad one of my patients cut out of last week's National Post.
The ad was placed by MacMillan Orchards to sell their maple syrup and the copy reads,
"Recent studies have disclosed the remarkable health benefits of dark maple syrup.They must be really, really recent studies because searching Medline from 1950 through to the 3rd week of April 2010 I can't come up with a single study, well designed, peer reviewed, or otherwise, that describes the effects of maple syrup ingestion on systemic inflammation or on cholesterol.
They include higher quantities of antioxidants, manganese and zinc and immune boosters.
It also has anti-inflammatory qualities and increases good cholesterol."
So it would seem that MacMillan Orchards, the folks trying to sell you their maple syrup, are quite comfortable lying to you to do so. They're happy to just make stuff up to try to entice you to believe that eating maple syrup, basically just liquid sugar, will help reduce systemic inflammation and increase your good cholesterol.
According to the National Posts' parent company Canwest, their core values are to,
"Serve the customerNot sure how printing outright lies geared to dupe readers into making misinformed choices represents those values.
Strive for quality and excellence
Win, but fairly with integrity and honesty
Empower citizens with knowledge
Give back to the community"
Shame on MacMillan Orchards, and shame on the National Post. Both should know better.
Posts
My family has made maple syrup for years. Dark Maple syrup is generally used for baking, candies etc, because it is boiled too long. Less water content, more concentrated sugar and whatever other trace minerals might be in maple syrup. An interesting way to pawn off seconds - but still at a nice profit!
ReplyDeleteWho matters more to newspapers? Since the dawn of the printing press, advertisers! In fact, almost all media ever invented have been conceived -- or at least paid for -- by advertising of one sort or another. Google, Facebook and now even Twitter, too.
ReplyDeleteDr. Freedhoff:
ReplyDeleteI was wondering if you had contacted anyone at Health Canada regarding this?
I contacted HC about a month ago regarding a local surgeon whose lap band ads stated that the procedure was Health Canada approved for improvement or remission of Type 2 Diabetes. The people at HC worked quickly to call the surgeon and have the ads changed to meet with the guidelines.
Hi Michelle,
ReplyDeleteMy experience in the past with such matters is that nothing happens quickly when it comes to food claims, labels and Health Canada.
Certainly one could complain to the CFIA, and they'd probably even look into, but I can assure you, unlike your experience with the Ministry of Health, outcomes will not be quick.
Regards,
Yoni
If readers would pay for newspapers instead of getting all their information for free on line, we could demand better quality ads. Beggers can't be choosers. We've run ads that look like news stories and are so bogus that I've asked if we should write a story about the false claims.
ReplyDeleteJulie - I feel the newspapers' pain and have seen it first hand in a newsroom that will remain nameless that had all of their employees working off 2004 first generation iMacs.
ReplyDeleteThat said, there's something about media (including radio and television) whose job it is to report fact to willingly, happily, promote consumer fraud that really ticks me off.
I realize it's all just dollars and sense and I also realize that I offer no solution but that doesn't change the fact that it sucks.
And I use the word "sense" with my tongue firmly planted in my cheek.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if one would get a reply if you emailed them at macajax@istar.ca (from their website, which advertises the said product for the sale price at their Ajax location only). It would be interesting to see what studies they would quote or if they would fail to reply to the request.
ReplyDeletethank-you for calling out yet another false and misleading claim which does not appear to have any scientific backing. Now if only the ineffectual laws here in Canada could be made to stop these types of claims.
Personally I would like to see them have to pay for another add in the National to say we lied about our claims to try and sell you our product at an inflated price. We all know that will not happen.
Keep up the good blog, always interesting reading.
Anthony Thomas, Halifax NS
I think the research they are referring to is the study done at the University of Rhode Island:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.uri.edu/news/releases/?id=5256
But I can't seem to find the data published anywhere. Might be worth contacting the researchers directly.
Perhaps Andrea, though the link from Rhode Island only discusses the compounds found in syrup - that's a far cry from a study demonstrating maple syrup reduces systemic inflammation and improves good cholesterol - especially considering there has been ample evidence to the contrary when it comes to sugar.
ReplyDelete