Nutritional claims in advertising are voluntary statements made by food companies often to promote their products.
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Sometimes these claims may refer to the nutritional content of the food, such as being "high in iron" or "reducing cholesterol".
Here are a few of the most common health claims I get asked about in clinic and a little bit about what they actually mean.
"Lite" or "light" is classified as a 'comparison claim' which means that it must have 25 per cent less fat, sugar, salt, carbohydrate or calories then the original product.
This can be a misleading claim, as a product can be "lite" in fat but high in sugar. "Lite" isn't always healthy.
"Good source of protein" means it has to have at least 10 grams of protein per serve, this is similar to one egg, 40g of peanuts or 30g of red meat.
"Unsweetened" means that it hasn't had any added sugar, honey or malt, nor has it had any sweeteners added such as sorbitol, mannitol, glycerol or xylitol.
You might see this claim on almond milk or cocoa.
Unsweetened products are often the healthier option, but the lack of sweetness in these products normally take up to 10 weeks to get used too.
"Good source of a specific vitamins or mineral" means the product must contain at least 25 per cent of an average persons recommended daily intake of that specified vitamin or mineral, in one serve.
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I find this claim useful; as it gives you a quick and easy way to identify foods that maybe fortified without have to check the nutritional panel of every packet on the shelf.
However, if you are already deficient in a specific vitamin or mineral, you may still require additional supplementation and not just a diet high in fortified foods.
Remember to always follow the recommendations of your health professional first.
The term "organic"; is not regulated in Australia, which means that a product can say its organic but may not be. If you really want to ensure you are eating a truly organic item, look for products that have the organic certification logo.
If a product has been certified as organic, it means the whole chain of supply has been reviewed and approved by a recognised bodies such as AUS-QUAL Limited, ACO Certification Ltd, Bio-Dynamic Research Institute, NASAA Certified Organic or Organic Food Chain.
Is organic better for you? It depends on what you are comparing it too. Eating non-organic produce is going to be better for you then eating no vegetables!