Come on…give yourself a Great Big HUG…!

 

Don’t you feel better…? This is exactly the approach taken by America’s top marketers.

 

The last thing they want you to do is feel bad about your behaviors—you might change. Instead, marketers come up with angles that ensure your same bad choices, but with LESS GUILT.

 

Soda with vitamins. Did Coke and Pepsi really announce Diet Coke Plus and Tava with a straight face? “Sparkling beverages.” It does sound more grown up. Wouldn’t it be fantastic if soda were moved behind the counter along with other “adult-only” products? No child should be drinking soda, with or without the vitamins. Studies show that America’s favorites Coca-Cola and Pepsi are chock full of high fructose corn syrup (fast-track to diabetes), caffeine, and artificial colors (linked to ADHD, behavioral problems, allergies). And while the scientists can’t agree exactly why, colas also are linked to osteoporosis. All experts are in agreement that soda supplies entirely too many calories for the average American. It’s no surprise that soda also is considered the number one contributor to teen obesity.

 

Then we have an array of “healthy” foods hitting the grocery aisles to feel good about: Quaker Oats Granola Bites. Don’t mind the partially-hydrogenated oil and high fructose corn syrup—these treats are whole grain. Same goes for Kellogg’s Granola Munch’ems…no HFCS, but trans fat. This is true of most popular breakfast bars too—few are whole grain, and most have both high fructose corn syrup and partially-hydrogenated oil. Stick with an all-natural, whole grain choice that scores high for both fiber and protein and low for sugar.

 

And those 100-Calorie treats have been a boon for junk food producers. They’re in cute little packets and selling like mad. Who are all these low-body-fat folks who’ve eaten all their fruits, veggies, whole grains, lean proteins and good fats, and now have an extra 100 discretionary calories?

 

And let’s be honest about fruit juice. We can feel righteous that after the baseball game, the treat we handed out was 100% fruit juice, not that fake stuff. Except when you set juice and soda next to each other and examine the nutrition label—you find the truth. Soda and 100% fruit juice deliver about the same calorie and sugar 1-2 punch. Want the benefit of fruit? You have to eat it. Drinking it is drinking its sugar, but none of the fiber. I know juice producers are adding calcium, vitamin D, Omega-3 and even fiber into the juice box to make us feel good about it. But beware, marketers love to see you serve fruit juice—anything that acclimates your little one to sweet drinks puts your child into the “pre-soda-drinker” category. Your child’s body needs water. Or if you drink milk, serve skim.

 

The “marketing speak” is repeated over and over: “You deserve it!” “You’ve earned it!” “Lunch is over…and dinner is so so far away…!” All this to push junk food, but without the nasty after-effect of making us feel bad.

 

You think it can’t get worse than soda with a dissolved vitamin, then you see the headline: “Krispy Kreme Introduces Whole Wheat Doughnut.”

 

That’s 180 calories, 10 grams of sugar and 11 grams of fat (3.5 trans fat). I almost feel guilty. But not so fast. It’s whole wheat!

 

The same concept is true of the “ban trans fat” movement. Partially-hydrogenated oil is toxic, so removing it from the food supply is a great idea. However, cutting trans fat doesn’t magically make food healthy. Be careful what’s used in its place. Saturated fats are no friend to your vascular system. And in the end…once you deep-fry the OREO, does it really matter what the oil is?