Cracking Down

Have you seen the television commercials that promote certain food items and make claims such as “people who include __________ in their diet have healthier ____________?” I am trying to be as vague as possible as to not convict just one food item, but I have seen the same genre of food advertisement for many different products. Some promote heart health, others promote a healthy body weight, while there are commercials that also promise stronger bones or other positive benefit. My problem with these commercials is not that they are promotoing a healthy component of a healthy diet, but rather that they imply that just one item or food can make a significant impact on your overall health. They neglect to mention that people who eat xyz healthy food are probably also consuming abc and def healthy foods, hence creating a healthy symphony of healthy foods. As one who believes in the power of healthful eating, I seek out and want to learn more about the healthy benefits of ceratin foods. But I get irritated when food manufacturers try and create the aura of healing or amazing food benefits within just one certain food. Apparently I am not alone because I read recently in the Wall Street Journal that the Food and Drug Administration is cracking down on healthy food claims. In this article, the author cites how certain labeling and health statement that have been made on certain food items that can be misleading. You don’t say! Again, I love knowing which foods I should include in my diet, what foods are “super foods” and can offer real benefits to my overall good health. But please, don’t lead me to believe that if I drink this or eat that, I can forget about the rest of the items I consume. SPC
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