“Deny, denounce, delay”: The battle over the risk of ultra-processed foods - eviltoast
  • Flying Squid@lemmy.worldM
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    6 months ago

    Yep, one of the many, many psychological tools in their toolbox- convincing you it’s good for you.

    Honey Nut Cheerios has 9 grams of sugar per serving. A serving is, as usual, far less Cheerios than anyone would likely eat- 3/4 of a cup.

    https://www.fooducate.com/product/General-Mills-Honey-Nut-Cheerios/6C7863A6-2AF4-11E1-AFF9-1231380C18FB

    There’s nothing good for you about it. The number one ingredient is oats because if the number two ingredient, sugar, was the number one ingredient, it wouldn’t taste like Cheerios.

    Also note the word “can” in “can help lower cholesterol.” That “can” is doing a lot of heavy lifting.

    • solsangraal@lemmy.zip
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      6 months ago

      if the number two ingredient, sugar,

      another trick they all use is to divide the sugar up into several different kinds of sugar, eg. clif bars have brown rice syrup, tpioca syrup, cane syrup, organic cane sugar, cane sugar. because each of these comprise a smaller percentage of the total, they can be lower in the ingredient list. but you’re still getting 16g added sugar in a 68 gram “healthy” protein bar

      • catloaf@lemm.ee
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        6 months ago

        Define “healthy”, though. People eat them because they pack energy into a bar that’s easily thrown in a bag. I’ve never heard of someone eating them and expecting to turn thin and pretty.

        • Flying Squid@lemmy.worldM
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          6 months ago

          Clif Bars do not say they are healthy, but look at the packaging and think about what it is saying to the consumer.

          It says “sustained energy.” Energy is good! So that must mean it’s good for you! And then there’s that healthy-looking mountain climber. That’s the sort of person who would eat a Clif Bar, right? A healthy mountain climber and not some person who sits on their butt in an office cubicle all day. And look at those mountains in the background! That’s nature! These bars must have natural ingredients!

          It’s much more subtle than you think. And, like I said, it works.

        • solsangraal@lemmy.zip
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          6 months ago

          ok, sub out protein bars for literally anything in the middle aisles in red and yellow packaging that says “healthy”

          if it’s not saturated with sugar, then it will be with salt. or both. not to mention shitty overprocessed oils