As I was deciding what recipe to post today, I came across this Forbes article and had to
share it with you. It’s all about how confusing food labels can be. The article starts out “Imagine three items in your grocery cart: Peppercorn Ranch SunChips, Cocoa Krispies and Country Crock margarine.
The first is stamped with a red heart, indicating that it’s a good source of whole grains. The second has a banner saying that the vitamin-enriched rice cereal will boost your immunity. The third bears a green label deeming it a “Smart Choice,” a green seal of approval on the front of food packaging to indicate healthier fare.
If you are like the typical hurried consumer, chances are you don’t spend much time considering how such messages end up there. Here’s one way to look at it: The chips have no trans fat and contain 18 grams of whole grains; the cereal boasts one-quarter of one’s recommended daily vitamin intake; the margarine has fewer calories and less cholesterol than butter.
Yet, even with this information, it can be hard to understand why a bag of chips with more than 20 ingredients—including corn syrup—and a cereal laced with sugar and semi-sweet chocolate, are purportedly good for one’s health.”