How Food-Fearing Language Impacts Buyers’ Perception

Written by Rebecca Riley RD, LDN

Edited by Sarah Criscuolo MS, RD, LDN, CSN, CPT

 

It can be difficult for us as Americans to know what’s best for our bodies when we are bombarded with so many different messages on a daily basis. Oftentimes, people are looking for the perceived healthiest choice that is also inexpensive and convenient. We all want quick and easy ways to lower our chances of contracting a disease. Many different factors contribute to the development of disease, but often there is a societal focus on food, which leads to us as consumers striving to always make the “healthiest” choices.

Diet culture promotes the pursuit of thinness, with this message particularly aimed at women. Thinness is seen as positive and something that should be sought after, while being in a larger body is unfortunately seen as negative and often associated with laziness. All of these factors combined increase the prevalence of eating disorders and disordered eating, as well as decreased overall wellbeing. The language used around food and its associated relationship with these varying appearances can impact buyers’ perceptions of foods. Let’s review how language can impact how buyers view foods:

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1. Moral value assigned to words to describe food

 

Labels like “good” or “bad” attach moral value to individual food items. You may use these labels without even realizing it, as they are used in our society so often to describe products. But this can lead to feelings of guilt or shame when you eat “bad” foods vs “good” ones. Attaching moral values to foods can increase the risk of disordered eating because it can impact your perception of your own health or overall value based on the foods you eat.

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2. Health terms

 

Examples include “low-fat,” “low-carb,” “low-calorie,” and “natural”, all of which are used to attract health-conscious consumers. These terms can cause buyers to think these items are “healthier”, leading to more purchases of those displaying such health claims. Some people have to follow a specific dietary restriction for health reasons, but often these terms can cause people to be scared to eat certain foods that don’t carry them. A little more information on these terms:

• The term “natural” by the FDA means that nothing artificial or synthetic (including all color additives) has been added to a food that would not normally be present. But this term doesn’t mean the product has any health benefits or contains anything of higher nutritional value.
• Terms like “low-fat” or “fat-free” tell us that fat, one of the three macronutrients (alongside protein and carbohydrates) has been taken out or decreased in the food item. When one macronutrient is taken out of a food item, often other fillers need to be added to keep the flavor and texture, such as sodium, sugar or various thickeners.
• Another term used to market products as “healthy” is “organic”. Organic food is regulated by the USDA, and these products can contain pesticides, which most people think they are avoiding when buying organic products. Organic products use pesticides made from natural substances rather than synthetic ones that are used in non-organic products. Of note, non-organic products contain what is regarded as a safe amount of these synthetic pesticides, and there is very little to no risk of harm from eating them.
  • The promotion of organic foods often leads again to food fear, causing people to believe they must buy all organic for safety reasons. Prices of organic foods are variable but almost always more than their non-organic counterparts. This can cause people to eat fewer fruits and vegetables, which are already often consumed in low amounts in the standard American diet.

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3. Diet claims

 

“Eating clean” has become popular in recent years, but there is no regulated definition for that term. There is often a lot of confusion about this label, leaving consumers not sure of what exactly it means. In the end, it is just a marketing tool used to scare consumers into buying more of these “clean” products. Since the term “clean” isn’t regulated, it can be misleading and doesn’t mean a product is any more nutritious.

Also of important note, when people are consuming these marketed “diet” foods, they often consume more than they would if they had the original product. There are multiple reasons for this, such as these products not satisfying the desire for specific foods. For example, eating low-calorie cookies vs regular cookies may lead to eating more of those low-calorie cookies, because they don’t actually contain the ingredients that your body was craving (such as sugar and fat). Buyers may also perceive them to be “healthier” than the regular food item, causing them to indulge in larger amounts than they would of alternate products. Because of this, you’re actually eating the same, if not more, calories than you would have if you’d chosen the regular item.

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De-bunking these items:

 

Now that we know the ways that language from the food industry can impact how we view foods, what can we do to lessen its impact on us?

1. Remind yourself that no food is “good” or “bad” – it’s all fuel! Some may be more nutritionally-dense than others and some you may want to limit due to higher amounts of additives, but in the end, food is food.
2. It’s important to note that fats are necessary for our bodies, as they are needed to absorb the fat-soluble vitamins, A, D, E, and K. For example, adding a dressing that is made with an oil to your salad helps your body to absorb all of the fat-soluble vitamins that naturally occur in the salad’s ingredients.
3. All produce, whether organic or non-organic, should be washed thoroughly before consumption to remove any remaining pesticides or microorganisms. Fruits and vegetables have been shown to help prevent against chronic disease, and the benefits of consuming produce outweigh any potential risks of consuming pesticides.
4. When choosing a product, it’s important to compare nutrition facts and ingredients. For example, comparing a “low-carb” bread with regular bread may show you that more sodium has been added. Depending on your medical history, you may decide it is more important to limit your sodium than your carbohydrate intake. In some cases, you may find that the one marketed as a “healthy” product isn’t very different from the original, or may actually contain less nutritious ingredients. Also, the portion size of health claim-containing items are often smaller than the regular item, so you may end up spending more money for less product.
5. Unless there is a medical reason you have to eat the marketed product, like gluten-free cookies when you have celiac, it’s often better to just eat the regular product, as it leaves you more satisfied often for a cheaper price. It also likely contains fewer additives. If you don’t have a sensitivity or food allergy it’s not necessary to avoid specific ingredients like gluten or dairy (two frequently vilified food components).
   

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In conclusion, the food industry often feeds into diet culture to increase sales of their own products by using misleading terms or claims as part of its marketing. So, it’s important to not just buy items based on how they are marketed – instead, make sure to read the label thoroughly and include all food groups in your diet. These include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, proteins, fats, and dairy as tolerated. It is important to make sure you’re still enjoying foods that may not be seen as “healthy”, like a cookie, to avoid feelings of guilt and shame when you treat yourself to such items. Everything can be part of a balanced diet in moderation!

If you would like more help debunking some of the food-fearing language that you hear, or have specific dietary constraints you need help with, consult us at Karuna – we have a team of dietitians that can help you! Use the button below to schedule an intake today.

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References

I. Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. (2018, October 22). Use of the term natural on food labeling. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. https://www.fda.gov/food/food-labeling-nutrition/use-term-natural-food-labeling
II. Chandon, P., & Wansink, B. (2012). Does food marketing need to make us fat? A review and solutions. Nutrition Reviews, 70(10), 571–593. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1753-4887.2012.00518.x
III. Clean eating: The good and the bad. Harvard Health. (2023, April 14). https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/clean-eating-the-good-and-the-bad#:~:text=The%20bad%3A%20Other%20interpretations%20of,food%20choices%20are%20too%20limited.
IV. Clean labels. Center for Science in the Public Interest. (2022, April 1). https://www.cspinet.org/page/clean-labels
V. Editor, G. (2020, November 8). Don’t eat it if you can’t pronounce it? avoiding “scary-sounding ingredients” won’t make you healthier. Genetic Literacy Project. https://geneticliteracyproject.org/2020/11/02/dont-eat-it-if-you-cant-pronounce-it-avoiding-scary-sounding-ingredients-wont-make-you-healthier/
VI. NBCUniversal News Group. (2018, April 14). What a nutritionist wants you to know about pesticides and produce. NBCNews.com. https://www.nbcnews.com/better/health/produce-side-pesticides-what-nutritionist-wants-you-know-about-ewg-ncna864156
VII. Spritzler, F. (2021, September 1). 10 “low fat” foods that are actually unhealthy. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/10-unhealthy-low-fat-foods#TOC_TITLE_HDR_4
VIII. Turnwald, B. P., Perry, M. A., Jurgens, D., Prabhakaran, V., Jurafsky, D., Markus, H. R., & Crum, A. J. (2022). Language in popular American culture constructs the meaning of healthy and unhealthy eating: Narratives of craveability, excitement, and social connection in movies, television, social media, recipes, and Food Reviews. Appetite, 172, 105949. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2022.105949
IX. Why Food Language Matters. Dietetically Speaking. (n.d.). https://dieteticallyspeaking.com/why-food-language-matters/