Don't fall for the gimmicks of the food industry

All those labels...consumers must read between the lines.

By: Jeff

Around the holiday season you are enticed by gimmicks everywhere. The latest gadget on television, the new car promotion at the local dealership and even at your local grocery store. The difference between the examples previously mentioned, the grocery store gimmicks aren't just near the holidays, but all year long.

There are a million gimmicks at the grocery store, and all are horrible in their own unique way, but for today's article I am going to focus on the hottest word in the food business: the healthy food industry.

People are starting to buy healthier/organic all the time. Why? Well, because it says organic on it, obviously. The issue with this is not all healthy/organic foods are created equal.

Companies have made millions upon millions of dollars by putting words like 'Natural' and 'Free-Range' on their products to hoodwink you into thinking their products are ultimately better for you. However, that isn't always the case. Do some research and you will see the real truth.

The following came from a great article you can read on your own by clicking THIS LINK:

"Natural" - A "natural" or "all-natural" product seems to imply that all the ingredients were plucked straight from nature with no interference from human beings, but in reality there isn't much on this earth that ISN'T natural. The FDA only regulates the word "natural" in meat and poultry products to include those that contain no artificial substances - although confusingly, genetically modified organisms are allowed. One could convincingly argue that even petroleum by-products, high fructose corn syrup and rat excrement are natural - after all, they all came from the natural world. Perhaps the biggest offender on this list, the tag "natural" on any item is basically meaningless and has been usurped by grocery manufacturers trying to compete with the certified organic food label.
"Local" - There are no legal standards for the word "local," so your grocer could put up oranges from Chile and call them "local" with no repercussions. How to avoid this conundrum? Shop for produce at farmers markets, visit local farms and get to know the people who grow your food.
"Free Range" - As far as the USDA is concerned, the only certifiable "free range" food items are poultry and eggs. The law states that chickens must be "allowed access to the outside," yet there are zero specifications as to how big this outdoor area must be. There might be one door that goes to a 4'x4' yard for 100 chickens or more that are all eating hormone-fueled, pesticide-drenched food. Your best bet is to purchase USDA Certified Organic eggs. Other "free range" meats such as beef or pork are not regulated at all, and you will just have to trust the manufacturer (or do your research).
"Made with Whole Grains" - This product might include 99.99% refined grains and .01% whole grains, but there's no way to know because the term is not regulated. The manufacturer could throw two grains of oatmeal into five tons of their product and assert that it is "Made with Whole Grains." Don't fool yourself into thinking you are eating healthier than you are!
"Lightly-sweetened" - Surely a food product that is "lightly-sweetened" contains less sugar than the norm, right? Not necessarily. Another unregulated term, "lightly-sweetened" is used to describe plenty of products that are loaded with sugar, corn syrup or other sweeteners. This food label means nothing!

When you see the truth about what the food industry does to trick consumers into buying their products it should make you feel wronged in many ways. After all, you are trying to make healthy decisions for you and your family, not to be conned into buying something which doesn't provide what the label promises.

However, if you look at the list of products that might have the label 'Made with Whole Grains', it shouldn't be purchased if you've made the jump to a Paleo or Primal lifestyle. Avoiding artificial sweeteners would eliminate the 'Lightly-Sweetened' label as well.

The real issues are with the 'Natural', 'Free-Range' and 'Local' tags. Your best bet? Try and find a local farmer that can give you an in-depth and honest look into how their food is produced and their animals are raised, sheltered and fed from birth until the end of their lives. It might be more expensive, and it might take some time to find, but there are farmers in your area who are doing their job the way it is supposed to be done. All you have to do is find them.

Consider this just the first of many articles with the theme of not trusting our country's food industry. Knowledge is power, and as the site progresses you will see more information regarding the shady nuances of our crooked federal food industry. Some might say 'ignorance is bliss', but when it comes to your health, you should know the truth.