Health Claims & Nutritional Information From the workshop: Food, Media & Marketing www.foodshare.net Updated December 2016 with support from the Greenbelt Foundation

Information Overload? Even technically correct nutritional information can lead you astray. The food industry has many tricks of the trade to convince you to buy their product. Sometimes, certain information is aimed to distract you from what the product really is. For example, “Low in fat!” (But it’s really high in sugar) “All Natural” (Fat, salt and sugar are natural, aren’t they?) “Contains 10 vitamins and minerals!” (Real food should contain vitamins and minerals, shouldn’t it?)

Which is which? One of these yoghurt labels has a “nutrient claim” and one has a “health claim”. How can you tell which is which?

Breakfast Cereal Who is the target audience here? What nutritional information is advertised on this product? What is it distracting you from? Do you think it’s a healthy choice for the target audience? Why or why not?

Fat-Free Salad Dressing Ingredients - Water, corn syrup solids, dijon mustard (white vinegar, mustard seed, water, salt, white wine, turmeric, spices), honey, white vinegar, salt, sugar, natural flavour (contains milk), spices, microcrystalline cellulose, xanthan gum, phosphoric acid, potassium sorbate, seasonings, propylene glycol alginate, cellulose gum, garlic powder, onion powder, beta-carotene (colour), calcium disodium edta.

The price of eating “healthily”? How many of these ingredients do you actually recognize? This dressing may be low in fat, but what is it likely high in? (the green) Name 4-5 simple ingredients you could use to make a salad dressing from scratch.

Confused? You’re not alone. Focus groups done by Health Canada in 2013/2014 revealed that many consumers felt the nutrition facts and labeling found on Canadian products were too complicated and confusing. Do you agree? Why or why not?

Test Your Knowledge: Do you know the 5 components of this Nutrition Facts Table? 1 2 3 4 5

Share Your Thoughts: Discuss this comic with the group. What is the artist saying about these packaged foods? What are some ways that you could avoid unhealthy products like “chemical helper” and “zero nutrition puffs”? What is the significance of the child’s behaviour?