[LONG] Dietary Buzzwords.

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Dietary Buzzwords

What follows is an explanation of over two-dozen buzzwords and phrases used by members of the food industry to advertise and indicate the alleged superiority of their products over others. While some of these have legally-established definitions, most are pure hype. Consumers would be wise to not only check the labels of the foods they buy, but also the meanings of the words they find on those labels.

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1> "100% Organic": All ingredients are produced organically (see "Organic" below). It may have the green USDA seal. While there may be some differences in the nutrient and anti-nutrient contents of organically-produced and conventionally-produced food, the variable nature of food production and handling makes it difficult to generalize results. Also, there is not any sufficient empirical evidence in medical literature to support claims that organically-grown food is safer or healthier than conventionally-grown food. Finally, subjective claims that organically-grown food tastes better than conventionally-produced food are generally not supported by empirical evidence.

2> "All Natural" or simply "Natural": This does not mean that the food is "Organic". For meat products, the USDA allows the word "Natural" to appear only on products that have been minimally processed. If the word is used, the label must further explain why. For instance, it might carry the disclaimer "No Added Salt". As for other food products -- fruits, grains, vegetables -- the FDA doesn't offer much guidance at all. So consumers are left on their own to believe whatever they will about the meaning of the word "Natural", when the safe bet is that "Natural" actually implies no added nutritional value whatsoever.

3> "Artisanal": While this word may inspire images of European craftsmen working at worn wooden benches and tables in murky rooms illuminated only by dim sunlight from a single window as they meticulously knead perfect loaves of yeasty breads; the bread, cheese, meat or wine was likely prepared on an automated assembly line in a factory, and the "craftsmen" were UFCW union guys in white lab coats, nitrile gloves and hairnets. At best, their recipes are only based on traditional recipes that have been modified for mass-production. Otherwise, the word is meaningless.

4> "Antioxidants" or "Supports Immunity": These terms create the impression that a product is healthful and might even prevent illness. But there's precious little evidence that antioxidants added into foods or supplements have any health benefit at all. And since virtually every nutrient supports immunity, the term is essentially meaningless. The term is particularly troublesome when used on soft drink labels because it wrongly implies that drinking soda has at least some health benefits. Fruits and vegetables have antioxidants. Eat them.

5> "Cage-Free": Cage-free chickens have a similar life to their free-range cousins (see "Free-Range" below). In the egg business, it means only that the chickens live free inside a barn but they do not have access to the outside.

6> "Calorie-Free": This does not mean "Zero Calories"; by legal definition, it means that there could be as many as 4.9 calories per serving.

7> "Diet", "Dietetic", "Low-Calorie", or "Sugar-Free": Foods and drinks with these labels are often filled with laboratory-produced chemicals. Read the nutritional information. The labels are there to guide you -- if you can't pronounce the ingredients, then they're probably not good for you.

8> "Energy-Boosting": That great energy booster, caffeine, is being added to everything from water to lollipops, but remember, caffeine-laden energy drinks and products are made up of mostly sugar and laboratory-produced chemicals. For a natural energy boost, try taking a walk, heaving a healthy meal, or getting more sleep.

9> "Free-Range": The USDA has taken steps to define "Free-Range" for poultry products. Essentially all it means is that the chicken is kept in a large barn and has access to the outdoors. It doesn't mean that they ever go outdoors, just that the barn door is left open, so to speak. Free-Range means virtually nothing if you see it on an egg carton -- how often do eggs leave their nests to go for a walk outside?

10> "Fresh": Proclaiming a food or foods are fresh just seems pointless. I mean, ALL food should be sold "fresh", or at least well-preserved, right? Besides, how many products would advertise "Recently Frozen", "Yesterday's Bread", or even "Stale"?

11> "Gluten-Free": The USFDA allows foods under this label to contain as much gluten as 19.9 parts per million, so any foods labelled "Gluten-Free" may actually contain gluten! Besides, only about 1 percent of the population has celiac disease, a condition where the body cannot process gluten. For the rest of the population, the benefits of going gluten-free are questionable, at best. While SOME Gluten-free products may contain no gluten, many processed gluten-free foods are often higher in salt, sugar, glycemic index, transfats and other processed fats. Many gluten-free products are not fortified or enriched by such nutrients as folate, iron, and fiber as traditional breads and cereals have been during the last century.

12> "GMO-Free" or "Non-GMO": This claim plays on people's fears and is irrelevant to health, since there is no evidence that foods derived from genetically-engineered plants pose any health risk -- no reports of ill effects have been proven in the human population from ingesting genetically-modified food. Also, most foods flagged as containing GMO use soybean oil, sugar or other ingredients derived from genetically-engineered plants, but those ingredients do not contain any genetically engineered DNA or protein.

13> "Healthy": What's healthy is a personally-made judgment call if ever there was one. People are on different diets with different needs. One person's healthy food is another person's junk food. Looking for what's healthy at the supermarket? Skip the processed and packaged foods, and shop for fresh foods like fruits, vegetables, dairy, meat, and fish. Don't forget the fiber!

14> "High-Fiber": If a food label states "High-Fiber", then the product must have 5 grams or more of fiber per serving, according to the Whole Grains Council. It is important to note, however, that this requirement is only for foods sold in the United States. Food labeling requirements are sometimes different in other countries, so the term "High-Fiber" on a food label overseas could mean a different amount. The American Dietetic Association describes fiber as complex carbohydrates your body can't digest or absorb and names two types: soluble and insoluble fiber. Soluble fiber is found in beans, fruits, and more, and aids in satiety (helping you feel full). Insoluble fiber is found in wheat bran, whole grains, nuts, vegetables, and other foods, and helps keep your digestive system regular.

15> "Hormone-Free": Certain poultry growers love to tell consumers that their chickens have been raised without hormones. But what are they really telling you? Not a thing. The USDA does not allow hormones to be administered to any poultry. The same goes for pork products. In fact, the USDA has decided that labeling chicken "Hormone-Free" was so misleading that the fact that hormones are outlawed must also be placed on the package. Next time you see a package of chicken look closely. If it is labeled "No Hormones", then somewhere on the package, in much smaller print, it will say something like, "Federal regulations prohibit the use of hormones". So, if your chicken package does not say "Hormone-Free", rest assured that it still is. Don't be fooled into buying chicken from someone who feels they need to play on your fears and tell you that their chicken is just like everyone else's.

16> "Low-Fat", "Low-Sodium", or "Low-Sugar": Original versions of many products boasting a fat, salt, or sugar reduction were high in these ingredients to start. The reduced levels may be better, but still unhealthy. Though the FDA has defined the low-fat claim (e.g., 3 grams or less of fat per serving), it's often used for foods like mayo, chips and baked goods that are largely devoid of nutritional value, or that are high in sodium and white flour. Besides, when manufacturers reduce one or two of these ingredients, they often boost the content of the remaining ingredient(s) -- adding salt (or MSG) and sugar to a "Low-Fat" product, for example. This is done to compensate for the inevitable "Low-Flavor" induced by the reduction of the fats, salt, or sugar.

17> "Low-Salt": This does not always mean "Low-Sodium"; it could mean that most of the Sodium Chloride has been replaced by Mono-Sodium Glutamate (a.k.a., "MSG" or "Betsin"); and while the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has given MSG its "Generally Recognized As Safe" (GRAS) designation, a popular belief is that large doses of MSG can cause headaches and other feelings of discomfort, although double-blind tests have failed to find evidence of such a reaction. In any case, people on low-sodium diets should avoid foods that contain MSG.

18> "Made With Real Fruit": The question is, "How much real fruit?" There is no set standard as to how much real fruit is actually in a "Real Fruit" product. A full serving of such a product might contain only a few drops of real fruit juice. Most people know that a fruit tart or fruit candy isn't healthier than an apple; but when a product makes this claim, consumers can be fooled into thinking a food has at least some of the same benefits as whole fruit when it actually doesn't.

19> "Multi-Grain" or any number of grains: Watch out here, some grains are more nutritious than others. Look for "High-Fiber" and "100% Whole-Grain" breads, and check that the overall product doesn't include multiple sources of salt, sugar and other flavors and preservatives. "Multigrain" products go through an intensive refining process that strips out the bran and germ of the grain, taking most of the nutritional value along with it. Many products use artificial dyes and flavors to appear more "Natural".

20> "Organic", "Organically Grown", "Certified Organic", or "USDA Organic": By law, the term "Organic" means only that non-essential pesticides and fertilizers were not used in the harvesting process, and nothing more. It does NOT mean superior nutrition or fewer calories! If the product bears the word "Organic" on the label, and especially if it has the green "USDA Organic" seal, you can be assured that every ingredient in that product has met the USDA's guidelines. Unfortunately, those very same guidelines also allow the following synthetic chemical ingredients to be added: Acidified Sodium Chlorite, Activated Charcoal, Alginates, Ammonium Bicarbonate, Ammonium Carbonate, Ascorbic Acid, Calcium Citrate, Calcium Hydroxide, Calcium Hypochlorite, Calcium Phosphate, Chlorine Dioxide, Di-Glycerides, Ethylene, Ferrous Sulfate, Glycerin, Hydrogen Peroxide, Magnesium Chloride, Mono-Glycerides, Ozone, Potassium Acid Tartrate, Potassium Carbonate, Potassium Citrate, Silicon Dioxide, Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Hypochlorite, Sodium Phosphate, Tocopherols, and Xanthan Gum.

21> "Probiotic": Microorganisms that are believed to provide health benefits when consumed. The term is currently used to name ingested microorganisms in fermented foods, which have been consumed for centuries and that some say still have unproven health benefits. Although there are numerous claimed benefits of using commercial probiotics, such as reduction of gastrointestinal discomfort or strengthening of the immune system, such claims are not backed by scientific evidence. Probiotics are considered to be generally safe, but they may cause bacteria-host interactions and unwanted side effects.

22> "Superfood": There is no legal definition of "Superfood", so it's a term that's open to abuse. Strictly speaking, all fruit and vegetables are "superfoods", because they all provide important vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals that help keep us healthy. Some, such as blueberries and broccoli, contain such large amounts of these health-promoting substances that it's good to include them as often as possible in your diet. However, this doesn't mean that you should stop eating more commonplace produce, such as apples and bananas. When it comes to fruits and vegetables, variety is the thing.

23> "Vegan": Veganism is a type of vegetarian diet that excludes meat, eggs, dairy products and all other animal-derived ingredients. Many vegans also do not eat foods that are processed using animal products, such as refined white sugar and some wines. Vegan diets lack vitamin B12, which occurs naturally only in animal-derived foods. So, if a product is labelled as both "Vegan" and "Contains B12", then either the vitamin originated with an animal (and the product is not truly vegan), or the vitamin was produced in a laboratory. Also, meat substitutes are often highly processed and loaded with sodium and preservatives, so read labels carefully -- look for high fructose corn syrup and MSG, which are both added to restore flavor, and which are both produced in a laboratory. So, if you're serious about going vegan, checking food labels and verifying ingredients is a must. Just because a food product is not glaringly non-vegan doesn't mean that it's suitable for a vegan diet. Casein and whey, which come from cow's milk, are present in many cereal bars, breads, and granolas, while gelatin and tallow (also known as suet) are derived from meat (usually beef or pork). Then there's "Natural Red 4" or "Red Dye Number 4" -- also known as carmine, cochineal, or cochineal extract -- which is a food coloring derived from the dried bodies of female beetles.

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