BUZZWORDS MAKE US THINK WE’RE BUYING HEALTHY FOOD

Nutrition-related buzzwords like “wholegrain” and “natural” can effectively mislead Americans to believe they’re buying healthy food, even when the product in question isn’t actually very good for us, according to a new study conducted by University of Houston researchers. Those words create a “false sense of health” that can override other warnings on the nutrition label. The researchers developed an online survey that showed images of food products with and without nutrition buzzwords. The survey was based on real packaging for products you can in the store. Participants consistently rated the products that included the buzzwords as healthier.

Source: Think Progress, 6/18/14, Food Labels