Food Marketing Terms & Trends
I could easily say that the impact a diet has on someone often is how good the marketing. Large food companies know this and their money talks. The $ amount spend on marketing for products tells a lot, as well as the percent of funding for nutritional research done by companies like Kraft, Coke, and Nestle. Now, this doesn’t mean these companies are bad. That same investment of research has done a lot of great knowledge happen. They are however smart and and a company that wants to make money, regardless of the impact on your health.
It’s up to you to decide what you put in your body. It also is for you to learn the impact these foods have on your body.
There are a ton of marketing terms out there to help you want to buy their products to assist in you making a quick impulse purchase. Here’s a list to some common ones and what they mean:
Grains & Carbs
Whole-Grain contains all 3 parts (bran, endosperm, germ) of the naturally occurring grain and is therefore rich in fiber and B vitamins. Look for the words “100% whole grain”.
Made with Whole Grains means that at least half of the grain comes from a whole grain source. This is not the same thing as it being 100% whole wheat; just at least 50%.
Multigrain means the food has more than one type of grain, but no matter how many grains it has, it does not necessarily mean whole grain.
Refined means a grain has been stripped of the germ and bran layers, which contain most of the nutrients and fiber, leaving just the endosperm, which contains most of the starch
Enriched indicates that the grain has been refined and then certain B vitamins and iron have been added back after processing.
Gluten-Free products are necessary for people with gluten intolerance or Celiac disease, but otherwise there’s no advantage to eating gluten free foods. These products may actually be lower in fiber, iron, calcium, and certain vitamins than gluten-containing products.
Eggs & Meat
Cage Free, Free Range, Pasture Raised- these claims differ by certifying organization. You may need to research the requirements of the certifying organization, but often are not the living quarters for the chickens you may think.
Vegetarian Fed Chickens Even though it sounds good, chickens are omnivores, not vegetarians. Chickens on vegetarian feed can miss out on important nutrients from pecking bugs and other live animals from the ground.
Antibiotic Free- The FDA has rigorous standards that require enough time to pass that no antibiotics from animals pass into our foods. All meat sold in the US is antibiotic-free.
Hormone Free- The FDA already prohibits the use of artificial or added hormones to ALL chicken and pork. This is an example of marketing too.
General Terms
GMO Free- a plant, animal, microorganism or other organism whose genetic makeup has been modified in a laboratory using genetic engineering or transgenic technology instead of traditional crossbreeding methods. There are only about 20 different plants that are GMOs that are used for food. Most commonly, they are wheat, soybeans, corn, and tomatoes. There is no evidence that GMOs cause any harm.
Natural means nothing artificial or synthetic (including all color additives regardless of source) has been included in, or has been added to, a food that would not normally be expected to be in that food. These foods may still be processed, contain GMOs, use pesticides, and has no consideration of health.
Organic products of a farming system which avoids the use of man-made fertilizers, pesticides, growth regulators and livestock feed additives. Irradiation and the use of GMOs or products produced from or by GMOs are generally prohibited by organic legislation. If a product states that it is organic, it must be made from 95% organic material excluding water and salt.
Made with Organic products contain at least 70% of materials from organic materials by weight excluding salt and water.
Made with Sea Salt- Sea salt has the same amount of sodium as regular salt per gram. However, regular table salt has been iodized (contains iodine) to benefit thyroid health. It is not healthier or more natural.
Diet based
Though these diets can have benefits for the right need for each, it has been proven time and time again that strict diets are not effective in weight loss long term and often create nutritional deficiencies along with other health problems.
Keto-Friendly- A true keto diet is not what is marketed as “Keto”. There also is no set values that make something Keto or not keto. Generally it just means the product is their version of low carbohydrate, a valuable energy giving nutrient. It does not mean it is healthy, or more healthy than an alternative.
Paleo-Friendly- similar to keto, There also is no official list of what is “Paleo” or not. Generally it means that the product has no grains, legumes, or artificial sweeteners. These products are often very high in fat, making them hard to balance into a quality diet. It does not mean it is healthy, or more healthy than an alternative.
Whole 30-Friendly- It means that the product has no grains, legumes, dairy, processing additives, added sugars, alcohol, or artificial sweeteners. It does not mean it is healthy, or more healthy than an alternative.
