FTC Goes After Rexall-Sundown & NatureSmart Over DHA Deception
This is yet another case where front-of-package labeling was used to deceive consumers. The FTC charged NBTY, Inc. and two subsidiaries, NatureSmart LLC and Rexall Sundown, Inc., with making deceptive claims about the amount of DHA – an Omega-3 fatty acid – used in their line of Disney- and Marvel Heroes-licensed children’s multivitamin gummies and tablets. The companies also made unsupported claims that a daily serving of the...
Smart Choices 2.0
Remember the late, unlamented “Smart Choices” front-of-package labeling system implemented by various players in the food industry? The industry claimed it was an initiative that would “…help consumers make more nutritious food and beverage choices that fit within their daily calorie needs.” Not surprisingly, “Smart Choices” turned out to be a total farce. Well, the industry is making another...
iRenew is for iDiots
I did a leg workout this afternoon over at my local Gold’s. During my one of my rest periods, I idly glanced up at the flat screen TV on the wall near the power cage. An infomercial for a fitness gimmick called the iRenew Bracelet flashed on the screen… and my jaw dropped with complete astonishment at what a complete and obvious scam I was viewing. The bracelet is supposed to improve strength, balance and/or endurance by...
Sci Am: “Snake Oil in the Supermarket”
Just finished scanning an editorial in this month’s issue of Scientific American: “Snake Oil in the Supermarket.” While not highly detailed, it’s a timely reminder that – just because a product contains added nutrients/nutraceuticals – it’s not necessarily a “healthy” food. For one thing, a product may still not provide a lot of “bang” for your calorie...
Give Your Kids Fruit – Not Fruit Snacks
There’s a good article in the LA Times about the misleading claims plastered on the labels of fruit snacks. While fruit leather and Roll Ups “made with real fruit” seem wholesome, they’re NOT equivalent to fresh fruit. Not even close… The snacks usually derive their fruit content from the same few sources: purée of apple or pear, apple juice concentrate and grape juice concentrate. Apples, pears and...
The Healthy Skeptic on Green Tea
Chris Woolston, “The Healthy Skeptic,” is a man after my own heart: someone who approaches claims with a skeptical eye, but is capable of evaluating them fairly. In today’s LA Times column, he provides an overview of green tea for weight loss. A sample: But even modest weight loss can be a positive step, says Arpita Basu, assistant professor of nutritional sciences at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater. Basu...
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