June 19, 2008

1 Min Read
Label confusion

Why can't we trust that when our beauty products say "all natural" they really contain only whole products straight from nature? And why doesn't "whole grain" really mean that bread is made from 100 percent whole grain? The answer is largely marketing. Last night, my mom showed me a container of yogurt she had bought. It had a nice-looking insignia that insinuated that the yogurt contained probiotics for healthy digestion. However, nowhere else on the package did I see the words "live and active cultures." After some careful investigation of the company's website, it turned out that the yogurt did, in fact, contain those desirable bacteria. But the fact remains that many of us -- loved ones, friends, etc. -- rely on packaging alone to tell us what we need to know about products. Further, consumers are growing increasingly confused about their products' health basics. For that reason, I'm looking forward to developing more stories in the magazine that focus on product labeling. What pitfalls to look out for, which labels are trustworthy, etc. (Check out this awesome story on beef labels.) It's a constant struggle for information and against marketing hype. In the meantime, if you have questions about labels you see in the store or on your favorite products, or if you're just not quite sure what to look for, post a comment on our newly created label forum. Also stay tuned for our excellent and comprehensive guide to nutrition labels in the July issue of Delicious Living.

Subscribe and receive the latest updates on trends, data, events and more.
Join 57,000+ members of the natural products community.

You May Also Like