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Lewis Road’s Muesli Bars, Sugary Vitamin Water and $ 5 Collagen Milk are among the food products that claim to be healthier than they actually are, says Consumer NZ.
The consumer watchdog’s annual Bad Taste Food Awards on Monday highlighted brands promoting their products as better options than they really are.
Consumer NZ CEO Jon Duffy said this year’s winners featured products touted as “97 percent fat-free” or full of “whole-grain” goodies.
“However, when you look at the back of the package, you find that they are loaded with sugar or sodium,” Duffy said.
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“We also found sugary products that carried a number of other claims, including ‘no artificial colors or flavors’ or touted their vitamin and mineral content.”
The awards have been held since 2016.
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Lewis Road Creamery now produces milk with added bovine collagen.
Nestlé Milo Protein Groups: Nestlé claimed that their cereal contained whole grains, “fiber,” “8 vitamins and minerals,” and would “give your child sustained, low-glycemic energy to keep him going longer.” But Consumer NZ’s research found that the cereal also contained 26.5 percent sugar. A Nestlé spokeswoman said it reformulated its products to make them healthier.
“We continue to systematically renew our range of cereals to increase whole grains and fiber, reduce saturated fat and reduce sugar. Since dietitians generally agree that food should be evaluated as a whole, rather than considering a nutrient in isolation, we focus on making our cereals healthier and maintaining the taste that people like. The reformulation of our products to improve the nutritional profile continues to be a key priority ”.
Uncle Toby’s Plus Protein Peach, Sultanas & Oat Clusters: Uncle Toby’s said his cereal provides “protein” and “whole grain fiber to support healthy digestion.” But it also contained 22 percent sugar, which was the next largest ingredient after wheat and oats. There was also added sweetness from the fruit puree, golden syrup, and honey.
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Each nice and natural probiotic oatmeal bar has two teaspoons of sugar.
Nice Natural Probiotic Oat Bars: The company claimed that its Cranberry Coconut Bars were the “right way” to “jump-start your day.” He said these bars were a “good source of fiber” with no “artificial colors or flavors.” But each bar contained 22 percent sugar or two teaspoons.
OSM almond with vanilla bites: OSM touted its bars as “nutritionally balanced,” a source of protein, fiber, 10 vitamins and six minerals. But the recommended serving had 30g of sugar or seven teaspoons.
Vitamin Glaceau water: The vitamin water that said “power”, “iron” and low calories in their Glaceau vitamin water with dragon fruit flavor also had 22 g of sugar. A 500 ml single serving bottle had five teaspoons.
A spokesperson for Coca Cola, the owner of Glaceau, said its “energy, iron and low calorie” brand claims had been substantiated and met “all the conditions” regulated by Australian and New Zealand food standards.
Edmonds 97 Percent Fat Free Vanilla Cake: More than half (55 percent) of Edmonds cake mix “97 percent fat free” with no “artificial colors, flavors or preservatives” was sugar. There was more sugar than flour in the cake mix, Consumer said.
Woolworths Chocolate Flavored Cream Rice: This creamy rice also had the “97 percent fat free” claim and had a 3.5-star health rating. But while it was low in fat, it had five teaspoons of sugar in each serving.
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Beehive ham claims to be “97 percent fat free” but is high in sodium.
Beehive Shaved Champagne Ham: While Beehive Ham claimed to be “97 percent fat free,” “gluten-free,” “soy-free,” and “MSG-free,” a look at the fine print showed that it was also high in sodium: 1200 mg per 100 g.
Vines from Pams Fruit Zoo: These “gluten, dairy and nut free” fruit vines claimed to be made from “65 percent fruit juice,” with no artificial colors or flavors, but were made from 55 percent sugar. Along with the reconstituted fruit juice, the vines contained sugar and glucose syrup, which increased their sweetness.
A spokeswoman for Foodstuffs, which owns Pams, said many of the brand’s products were labeled with the health star rating “giving a clear indication of how they fit into a healthy and well-balanced diet.”
“Pams Fruit Zoo Vines have a health star rating of two, indicating they are intended as a gift ‘sometimes’.”
Lewis Road Creamery Collagen Milk: Lewis Road launched their collagen-infused milk this year, stating that collagen has been scientifically proven to regenerate joint cartilage. But the evidence for collagen supplementation was far from conclusive, Duffy said.
“What’s more, the company’s claims were not approved under the Food Standards Code. Lewis Road dropped the claims when we called him. “
