The BBC reports that a new study in the UK reveals that food products marketed as 'healthy' may actually contain more fat, salt and sugar than their traditional counterparts – and that, adding insult to injury, “healthy” options can cost as much as 200 percent more than traditional products.
An analysis by the Consumer Association in the UK reports that despite these two revelations, healthy alternatives continue to be increasingly popular in the UK.
In some cases, manufacturers offset a reduction in one area with an increase in another -- a healthy, low-fat ginger cookie, for example, that has significantly less fat than the traditional version, but double the amount of sugar.
In other instances, “healthy” products are low in fat…but so are their traditional brethren.
An analysis by the Consumer Association in the UK reports that despite these two revelations, healthy alternatives continue to be increasingly popular in the UK.
In some cases, manufacturers offset a reduction in one area with an increase in another -- a healthy, low-fat ginger cookie, for example, that has significantly less fat than the traditional version, but double the amount of sugar.
In other instances, “healthy” products are low in fat…but so are their traditional brethren.
- KC's View:
- This is specific to the UK, but we suspect there are plenty of similar cases in the US. Two steps need to be taken. Consumers need to actually read and compare labels. And manufacturers need to do a better job of both creating “healthy” products and then labeling them appropriately.
