Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 34, Number 4, 1 April 2017 — Buyer Beware! [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Buyer Beware!

By Claire Ku'uleilani Hughes, Dr. PH„ R.D. BE AWARE! Be absolutely alert, diligent and aware when grocery shopping. Food labels and packaging have changed in the last two decades - and, markedly so. Today, labels are far more attractive than those on your grandmother's pantry shelves. The new labels are artfully designed with beautiful, color photographs of food ingredients, and include words that encourage consumers to buy the product. Personally, I am a label reader, a "must" on my food

budget. I confess, though, when in a rush, I've purchased products that don't measure up. A recent nutrition publication opened my eyes anew. Here are some examples of what it revealed about how food labels ean mislead: A nationally-sold cranberryraspberry juice has on its front label, in large, bold print, "100% juice, no sugar added." Its label pictures beautiful, colorful, individual cranberries and raspberries. What is NOT expected is that this product is more grape and apple juice than cranberry or raspberry juice! The ingredient label, on the back, reports the actual juice ingredients. Returning to reread the front label, you'll find at the very bottom - in fine and mueh smaller print - "flavored blend of 4 juices" and "Cranberry Raspberry flavor." It's a ruse! The front label on another bev-

erage product says "purity" and "organic," at the top, in bold print. The picture in center shows five whole strawberries and a lemon. Then, in small, fine print at the bottom, "STRAWBERRY," and next to that, in bold, small print, "paradise." But even below that, in very fine, tiny print, the label says, "strawberry flavored juice drink in a blend with organic lemon juice concentrate." What are you buying? The main ingredient is water. By official government labeling rules, a "juice drink" is a beverage eontaining a little fruit juice with lots of water and sugar. This product is 20 percent (1/5) real juice. The label promises purity and paradise. The price must be the "paradise" part. A ehip product, however, is the winner! Pictured center-front on the label is a large ehip. Above that, the label says - in bold orange print - SWEET-POTATO. Just below that, "TORTILLA CHIPS" appears in smaller, fine, black print. Under those words is the single, large, oval ehip with 2 partial-slices of cooked,

sweet potatoes, superimposed on one edge. Above all of that, in dark bold print is, "FOOD SHOULD TASTE GOOD." Next to that, in small capital letters appears, "THE GOOD, GOOD STUFF," with a list of three items beneath that: "gluten free, 0 grams trans-fat, and no artifieial flavoring or preservatives." The main ingredient for this product is, stone-ground corn. The picture on the back label shows sweet potato slices that are larger than the corn. Thus, after all the words and pietures, the chips are mostly corn and oil, and then sweet potatoes, sugar and salt. One serving -12 chips - provides only 8 percent of the day's vitamin A "Recommended Dietary Allowanee", equaling about a halfteaspoonful of sweet potato. The sweet potato is the "good stuff' that is promised on the label. . ,only, there's not mueh of it. If tempted by a new product when food shopping, look and judge the product carefully. Read the ingredient list; the ingredients appear in descending order by quantity. If

the first ingredient is water, there is more water than all other ingredients, and so on. Always spend some time reading the ingredient list as you unload the shopping bag or put things on the cupboard shelf, as you ean still return the product at this point. If you've used the food-product, then look at the label as you toss the package or container away. You're spending "hard-earned money," so use it carefully. Another idea is to get your teenager or spouse to read the labels to you. Then you ean both decide if the product is worthy of making it into your family's meals. Know what you are feeding your children, teach them how to evaluate what they eat and realize what you are programming family members to eat for the rest of their lives. This is important, and only you ean do this. Today, what appears on the label may not be what's inside. ■

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