One of the largest drivers of diet related chronic disease is misinformation, and the un-level playing field we enter every time we step foot in a supermarket.
With health claims, both overt and covert (implied), and governments that don't seem to care, consumers are left to fend for themselves in the face of Big Food's massive marketing machines.
Today's case in point?
New Chocolate Cheerios.
The box tries to sucker you in with,
"Whole grain guaranteed",The website tries to bamboozle you with,
"Made with Real Cocoa",
and,
"May Reduce Risk of Heart Disease".
"One delightful serving of Chocolate Cheerios® has 9 grams of sugar and is a heart-healthy choice for your whole family."Super-healthy! If you feed it to your family, they'll reduce their risk of heart disease, right?
and,
"Diets low in saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease"
Way better than the Froot Loops you grudgingly buy your kids, no?
No.
Let's compare. Spoon per spoon those, "healthy" Chocolate Cheerios contain identical amounts of sugar, 17% more calories, 40% more sodium, and 11% less fibre than Froot Loops, a cereal no one in their right mind would describe as "healthy".
And people still want to believe it's all about parents saying "no", and personal responsibility.
Consumers don't stand a chance.
[BTW - the box up above is the American box. Here in Canada our government hasn't yet ok'ed the heart health claim....but sadly it probably will down the road]