Food/Nutrition Bloopers from Restaurants,
Food Companies, Web sites and News Media
The following are actual quotes or observations (the latest entries are at the top). Click for our comments. Some of these errors/misinformation have been subsequently corrected by their source and some have not.
Misinformation about Dietary Cholesterol
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- Created on 01, May, 2006
A major UK grocery chain spokesman is quoted saying, “heart disease … is primarily caused by bad diets with food too high in cholesterol which clog the arteries.”
"Healthier" Soybean Oil
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- Created on 01, April, 2006
Major newspapers reported that a new variety of soybean being grown in the U.S. produces a “healthier” oil. The new beans contain 1-3% linolenic acid, rather than the 7% found in regular soybeans.
Cookie with Fiber and Omega-3 Claims
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- Created on 01, March, 2006
A 2.2 oz, 293 calorie packaged cookie advertises “high fiber” on the package and “excellent source of omega 3” on the Web site.
More Acai Berry Claims
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- Created on 01, March, 2006
A beverage containing acai berries is marketed as having the same essential fatty acids (EFAs) as in fish.
"Super-Healthy" Cookie Dough?
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- Created on 01, January, 2006
A new line of “100% whole grain” cookie dough is being touted as “super-healthy.” The cookie dough, sold in two flavors to the food service market, is further described in press releases as “two of the most…nutritious products to ever hit the market.” A nutrition facts panel at the manufacturer’s Web site shows one serving of the chocolate chip version to contain 13 g fat and 5 g saturated fat.
Low Calorie Holiday Salad?
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- Created on 01, December, 2005
A weekly supermarket circular recommends (for eating light during the holidays) a crab meat and hazelnut salad over fresh salad greens; that it’s “just over 300 calories.”
Calories from Sodium?
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- Created on 01, November, 2005
A weekly magazine states that too many of our calories “come from fat… and sodium”
"No Added Sugar" Muffins
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- Created on 01, October, 2005
An “all natural bakery,” whose products can be found in natural foods stores, labels its packaged muffins “no sugar added.”
Nutrient Claims without Nutrition Facts
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- Created on 01, September, 2005
A package of fruit turnovers baked locally and sold at a grocery store is labeled “trans fat free.” No nutrition information is provided.
Acai Berry Nutrient Claims for Protein, etc.
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- Created on 01, August, 2005
An online news article for food retailers describes the acai berry (grown in Brazil) as having “more protein than an average egg” in addition to a host of “vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids busting from each berry.”
Cereal Claims "High in Fiber and Protein"
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- Created on 01, July, 2005
A newspaper article about the advertising of “better-for-you” processed foods describes a new breakfast cereal with 2 g fiber and 6 g protein as “high in fiber and protein.”
School Snack Food Restrictions on Sugar and Fat
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- Created on 01, June, 2005
In many states, concern over childhood obesity and poor nutrition has prompted legislation restricting sales of food in schools. One state assembly recently approved a ban on foods that list sugar as the first ingredient and snacks containing more than 8 g fat.
Magazine's Top Convenience Foods for Nutrition Fail
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- Created on 01, May, 2005
A men’s fitness magazine recently rated convenience foods for nutrition and taste. Their top picks were supposedly examples of “out with the trans fats…in with the good fats…and complex carbohydrates.”