Here's some food for thought. No additives, no preservatives, no antibiotics, and no growth hormones. These phrases meant to highlight healthy intentions by focusing on what's not on the menu are starting to overshadow nutrition information about what's actually in the dishes we order at restaurants.
According to marketing research from Technomic, the healthy halo for foods today is created not so much by touting the good nutrition they provide. It’s more about delivering against what consumers perceive as undesirable substances.
“I am so exhausted by the dialogue that I think confuses and even scares consumers into eating in ways that are ultimately unhealthy and unattainable,” says Washington, D.C.-based registered dietitian Lisa Katic.
Case in point. Burger places may boast about all-natural beef and never-frozen fries, but that doesn’t change the fact that the meal can serve up a day’s worth of fat and calories.
“It seems that we are giving ourselves license to eat what we crave — big juicy burgers and a heaping pile of fries — if they are free of the current no-nos in the food supply,” says registered dietitian Christine Palumbo of Benedictine University in Chicago. “Do a reality check on portion sizes. Just because your burger is hormone-free, doesn’t mean it is calorie-free.”
Words to watch
When you see "we only use natural ingredients" listed on a menu, it might not mean what you think. The claim "natural" is defined by the U.S. Department of Agriculture only for labeling meat, poultry and eggs and does not include standards regarding farm practices. The term "organic" is closely regulated for use on all crops, livestock and agricultural products that meet USDA standards. Note that federal regulations have never permitted hormones or steroids in poultry, pork or goat.
According to Technomic research, other restaurant terms associated with healthfulness include “homemade,” “house-made,” “real” and “made from scratch.” But the ice cream and bacon can be house-made, and the heavy cream and sea salt can be real. If weight management or heart health is a concern, these terms are not the perfect guide to finding the healthiest choice on menus.
So isn’t it a good thing that restaurants are meeting demand for what consumers perceive as healthy for people and the planet?
“It is in the eye of the beholder if these production factors are a misplaced concern or not,” says registered dietitian Melissa Musiker, who specializes in food and nutrition policy at APCO Worldwide in Washington, D.C.
She says, “In my mind, I think we’d make more progress by encouraging the availability of more healthy substitutions — salad or fruit instead of fries, unsweetened ice tea or even smaller portion size options.”
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