Beware of Health Claims

Grocery stores are filled with hoaxes, which makes it harder to make smart choices. Here are three misleading health claims!

High-protein Bread

This claim is found on a popular brand of bread, and gives the impression that one serving of this bread is a source of protein. Other similar breads contain 6 g per slices, which is only 3 g less. In addition, bread is a starch; therefore, it is mainly a source of carbohydrates to provide energy, including fibre to trigger satiety. If you want a source of protein, you’d be better off looking into meat and substitutes, or dairy products.

Low-sodium Soy Sauce

With such a claim on the label, we tend to believe the product is a smarter choice than that of competitors and that it contains less sodium. However, by reading the labels of various brands, we quickly realize that the low-sodium version of a popular brand actually contains more sodium than the regular versions of some competitors. Suffice it to say, it is wiser to explore various products instead of believing claims on labels.

Sugar-free Yogurt

Don’t fall for sugar-free yogurt! It’s a trap. If you read labels carefully, some manufacturers use sucralose, an artificial sugar. Truth is, there is no such thing as a flavoured yogurt without added sugar.

These are only three of many other examples to show how large food companies manipulate words to make their product appear healthier. Therefore, it is really important to take the time to read and understand labels.

During Nutrition Month, we offer group visits to the grocery with a nutritionist to help you shed light on all these claims.

For more information or to register, please contact one of our centres, or ask for details during your next workout at your local centre!

By Alyssa Fontaine, Dt.P.

Beware of Health Claims is a post from Nautilus Plus. The Nautilus Plus blog aims to help people in their journey to fitness through articles on training, nutrition, motivation, exercise and healthy recipes.
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