A ways back I posted about the new Hannaford Brothers Guiding Stars program that was hitting Canadian Loblaws.
While I think there are more powerful front-of-package scoring programs out there, I figured that the simple fact that the Guiding Stars program scores everything in the store puts it head and shoulders above Health Check in terms of shopping utility.
I also guessed that there'll be examples where the Guiding Stars program and Health Check disagree.
Take the photo up above.
Regular Cheerios - 2 stars and a Health Check.
Multigrain Cheerios - 1 stars and an identical Health Check.
Why did Multigrain Cheerios score lower on the Stars? Probably in part due to the extra nearly 1.5 teaspoons of added sugar per bowl.
Way to misinform shoppers Health Check. Great job.
[Thanks to the reader who prefers anonymity who sent this in, and look for more in a few weeks as I'll be heading into Toronto and will be making Loblaws a field trip.]
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Sorry, where do you see a Health Check symbol on the regular Cheerios? It certainly does not exist in the picture you posted.
ReplyDeleteI also find your criticism of Health Check in this case to be ridiculous. 1.5 tsp of added sugar? That is 6 grams and 24 calories. Wow, that will certainly throw us off the deep end into obesity. Please. You are hyper-critical and grasping at straws.
Health Checks are conferred to regular Cheerios as stated on Cheerios' website.
ReplyDeleteOf course the fact that they're not there, as a healthier option, lends more volume to the notion that Health Check misinforms.
No 1.5tsp of added sugar daily won't likely sink anyone's weight. That said, a front of package labeling program that steers people to less healthy choices isn't one I'd recommend championing.
I was surprised recently when I looked closer at the Cheerio boxes. We don't usually buy them, so I hadn't paid much attention, but the chocolate ones caught my eye (not in an "I want to buy them" kind of way, but in an "I wonder how bad they are" kind of way).
ReplyDeleteI was surprised that the regular Cheerios were the only ones that did not have significant levels of sugar in them. The multigrain, honey nut, banana and chocolate ones were all similarly bad.
With or without the "health check", I think the designation of "multigrain" suggests they are better for you than the regular ones, which may not be the case at all.
I think even plain original Cheerios have sugar as their 2nd or 3rd ingredient...no boxed cereals in this house, sorry.
ReplyDeleteThis food ranking system sounds as annoying as the NuVal one, used by such chains as Whole Foods:
ReplyDeletehttp://dropitandeat.blogspot.com/2010/08/perfect-score-nuval-ranks-unprocessed.html
I love cheerios, but I don't eat them. Thirty minutes later I am hungry again. They start the whole crash and burn with me. Not a good breakfast choice, but maybe still good for a midnight. snack on rare party nights, instead of grabbing cheese and crackers. I feed twin boys and I limit their cereal breakfasts to once a week for obvious reasons.
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