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Health Claims & Nutritional Information

Health Claims & Nutritional Information

Sorting the wheat from the chaff-Discuss these picture cards-

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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? What are they hiding?....)

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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?

Distracted?

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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.

Fat Free Salad Dressing

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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 three simple ingredients you could use to make a salad dressing

from scratch.

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Confused? You’re not alone. A poll done by Health Canada in July

2010 showed that most consumers are confused by the

nutrition facts and labeling found on

Canadian products.

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Test Your Knowledge

Do you know the 6 components of this

Nutrition Facts table?

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Is all food bad for you?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?