It's the time when people are not eating enough vegetables and fighting obesity. The problem these days is that vegetables do not seem as attractive as that bag of chips. And if the bag of chips is sprinkled with veggies and fruits, even better!
For long time now people have been bombarded with parity claims such as "Less salt, fat, calories" or "It's natural". Really? Less salt, fat, calories compared to what? Previous product? Is anything natural? It is hard to pick up that bag of chips, read what it says on the bag and be skeptical. Or how about if it said "up to 90% less fat"? Would you believe it? I sure would not.
Major food marketers have found just the right way to keep people eating those vegetables. They have designed snacks which are sprinkled with real vegetable and fruit servings.
Frito-Lay has a new line of Flat Earth crisps that they call "impossibly good" because it contains more nutrients and less fat than regular snack chips. Kraft also released Nabisco Garden Harvest line of whole-grain chips promising a half-serving of fruit or vegetables. And the new Jell-O Fruit Passions, also from Kraft, boasts a full serving of fruit per cup.
This is just a couple examples of junk food that has hit the grocery stores in the past couple of months. No time to wash an apple? Or get those carrots? No problem. Just buy one of these veggie or fruit chips and keep on munching.
Or maybe not...
The Flat Earth baked squares - Peach Mango Paradise and Tangy Tomato Ranch - are made from blend of rice flour, potato and fruits or vegetables and claim to produce a half-serving of produce per ounce, along with vitamins A or C. But does the powdered produce in the snacks count as a real serving?
“The science suggests when it’s powdered, it’s no longer a true fruit or vegetable,” says Elizabeth Pivonka, president and chief executive of of the nonprofit Produce for Better Health Foundation, the group coordinating the 5 A Day campaign developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “We need the intact veggie with fiber, water and nutrients to get the full benefit.”
When one looks at the CDC guidelines, this chips does not meet the fruit or vegetable serving requirements.
Aurora Gonzales, who is a Frito-Lay company spokesperson, however, denies rumours that they are promoting their chips instead of actual vegetables or fruits. She states that only if you're looking for a healthier snack, you should look at their chips. Moreover, according to her, flakes and powders do count as a real serving. Interesting...
Don't be fooled. Eating these sorts of products instead of real vegetables or fruit is not going to have the same nutritional value. It is very sad that companies out there are trying to fool people into believing that junk food is better than the real thing.
Bonnie Taub-Dix, who is a national spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association, advises people who love to munch on something to get snack packs with more fiber and less sugar and fat.
Furthermore, to get a full serving of veggies and fruits from these chip snacks, you would have to eat 2 ounces, which is about 260 calories. A medium apple is only about 70 calories (plus lots of fiber and no fat). Also, be cautioned. These brands contain more sodium than most other brands of potato chips.
Real fruits and vegetables contain very little sodium and are also loaded with water, which makes people feel fuller faster and aids in maintaining weight.
So, do not be lazy. Before you leave the house, make sure you pack at least one apple, maybe some carrots or little tomatoes and off you go. You have accomplished something big for the day: you are maintaining your weight and having a full serving of veggies and fruits without the junk food.
