Why should you avoid food products that make health claims?

October 31, 2025 •

5 min read

Up to 50% of packaged foods in some surveys carry a nutrition or health claim, yet these statements can be a marketing tactic rather than a sign of genuine health. This widespread practice is a major reason why you should avoid food products that make health claims and learn to look deeper into what you are eating.

Quick Summary

Health claims on packaged foods can create a misleading 'health halo,' masking unhealthy ingredients like excess sugar or fat. It's crucial to look past these marketing ploys and focus on the nutrition facts and ingredients list.

Key Points

The 'Health Halo' Effect: Food claims create a false perception of healthiness, leading consumers to believe products are better for them than they truly are.
Hidden Unhealthy Ingredients: 'Low-fat' products often contain extra sugar and other additives to replace flavor, undermining any purported health benefit.
Marketing, Not Health: Many labels are marketing ploys intended to boost sales, not provide accurate nutritional information.
Vague Terminology: Be wary of unregulated and ambiguous terms like 'natural' or 'superfood' that lack consistent scientific definitions.
Become a Label Detective: Always read the Nutrition Facts Panel and the ingredients list, which provide a more honest look at a product's nutritional content.
Mindful Consumption: By prioritizing whole, unprocessed foods, you can avoid the confusion and hidden pitfalls of packaged products with health claims.

The food industry has become a master of marketing, using persuasive language and appealing claims to influence consumer choices. While food labels are designed to inform, front-of-package claims can often obscure the truth about a product's nutritional value. When a manufacturer slaps a 'low-fat' or 'heart-healthy' label on a box, they are attempting to influence your perception of the product, often leading you to overlook the less-desirable ingredients within. This article explores the hidden reasons behind the marketing buzz and empowers you to make informed decisions for a healthier nutrition diet.

The Misleading 'Health Halo' Effect

One of the most insidious effects of health claims is the 'health halo.' This psychological bias causes consumers to perceive a product as healthier than it is, based on a single claim. For example, a bag of cookies might proudly state it is 'a good source of fiber.' While technically true, this claim can distract you from the fact that the cookies are also loaded with sugar, unhealthy fats, and preservatives. The health halo can also lead to overconsumption, as people may believe they can eat larger portions of a 'healthy' product without consequence. A study involving milkshakes, for instance, showed that when participants thought they were drinking a lower-calorie shake, their bodies released different levels of a hunger hormone compared to when they thought it was a high-calorie treat—even though both were identical. Your perception, influenced by the health claim, can literally alter your body's response.

The Swap-Out Game: Sugar for Fat

Many seemingly virtuous claims are based on a simple swap-out tactic. When a product is labeled 'low-fat,' it often loses its natural flavor and texture. To compensate, manufacturers frequently add significant amounts of sugar, sodium, or other additives to make it palatable again. These additives can negate any potential benefit of reduced fat and contribute to weight gain, inflammation, and other health issues. Similarly, a product labeled 'no added sugar' may still be packed with sugar naturally present in fruit juice concentrates, which function the same way as added sugar in the body. The best strategy is to look beyond the claim and read the ingredients list to see what was used to replace the fat.

Reading Beyond the Marketing Hype

To effectively navigate the supermarket, you must become a label detective. This means training your eye to ignore the flashy claims on the front and focus on the hard facts on the back. Here's a quick guide to help you:

Look at the ingredients list first: Ingredients are listed in descending order by weight. If sugar or other sweeteners appear near the top, that product is not as healthy as it may seem, regardless of the claims.
Scrutinize the Nutrition Facts Panel: Compare products per 100g or 100mL to get a standardized nutritional comparison, not just the per-serving information which can be misleading.
Watch out for different names for the same ingredient: Food companies often list different types of sugars or fats separately to make them appear further down the ingredients list. Keywords to watch for include: corn syrup, dextrose, fructose, maltose, partially hydrogenated oil, and shortening.
Assess the nutrient balance: Just because a product is 'high in fiber' doesn't mean it's healthy. You must evaluate the fiber content in relation to the levels of fat, sugar, and sodium. A product with a mix of red, amber, and green indicators (if present) requires a balanced assessment.

Understanding Ambiguous and Unregulated Terms

Some of the most common terms used on food packaging are not backed by any meaningful regulation, making them particularly deceptive. Be cautious of the following when shopping:

Natural: This term has no firm definition from regulatory bodies like the FDA, meaning even junk food can be labeled 'natural' if it doesn't contain added colors, artificial flavors, or synthetic substances. This can include products high in sugar, fat, and salt.
Superfood: This is a marketing term, not a scientific or regulated one. While fruits and vegetables labeled as 'superfoods' may be nutrient-dense, the term itself is used to influence your purchasing decision rather than provide a true nutritional benchmark.
Made with real fruit: A product can make this claim even if it only contains a minute amount of actual fruit, with the rest of the flavor coming from sugars or other additives.
Gluten-free: Unless you have celiac disease or a gluten intolerance, this claim offers no inherent health benefit. Many 'gluten-free' products replace wheat with other refined starches and may be higher in sugar and fat to improve taste and texture.

A Comparative Look: Claim vs. Whole Food

Consider this comparison between a processed snack bar with health claims and a whole food alternative. This table highlights how a product's marketing can differ significantly from its actual nutritional profile.


Feature	Processed Snack Bar (with claims)	Whole Food Alternative (e.g., Apple with Nut Butter)
Front-of-Pack Claim	“High in Fiber,” “Energy Boosting,” “Natural Flavors”	None (inherently nutritious)
Ingredients List	Rolled oats, high-fructose corn syrup, soy protein isolate, brown sugar, caramel color, natural flavors	Apple, nut butter (just nuts, maybe salt)
Nutritional Profile	Often high in added sugar, preservatives, and unhealthy fats. Contains refined ingredients and flavorings.	High in natural fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Contains whole, unprocessed ingredients.
Satiety & Nutrient Density	May cause blood sugar spikes and crashes due to high sugar content, leading to cravings. Provides lower nutrient density.	High in fiber and healthy fats, promoting sustained energy and feeling of fullness. High nutrient density.

Conclusion: Prioritize Whole Foods over Claims

Ultimately, when it comes to nutrition, your best bet is to avoid food products that make health claims and rely on the nutritional information panel instead. While some claims may be legitimate, the overwhelming use of marketing tactics, the creation of the 'health halo,' and the replacement of healthy ingredients with unhealthy additives make relying on claims a risky business. Your focus should be on whole, minimally processed foods—fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins—which are naturally nutrient-dense and don't need a marketing gimmick to prove their health benefits. By becoming a mindful consumer and a savvy label reader, you can take control of your health and build a diet based on facts, not fiction.

Food and Drug Administration Guide to Labels

Frequently Asked Questions

The 'health halo' effect is a cognitive bias where consumers perceive a food as healthier than it is based on a single health claim, like 'low-fat'. It is dangerous because it can lead you to overlook unhealthy ingredients and consume more of a product than you should.

Not necessarily. When fat is removed, manufacturers often add sugar, salt, or other additives to improve the taste and texture. A 'low-fat' product may therefore have a higher calorie count and less nutritional value than its full-fat counterpart.

You should prioritize the ingredients list and the Nutrition Facts Panel. The ingredients are listed in descending order by weight, and the panel provides standardized nutritional information, often per 100g, allowing for fair comparison between products.

No. The term 'natural' is largely unregulated by authorities like the FDA. It does not guarantee that a product is healthy and can be applied to processed foods that are high in sugar, fat, or salt.

Yes. In many regions, products can be labeled as 'trans-fat-free' if they contain less than 0.5 grams of trans fat per serving. However, eating multiple servings can accumulate a significant amount of trans fat. Always check the ingredients list for 'partially hydrogenated oil,' which indicates the presence of trans fat.

Food companies primarily use health claims as a marketing tool to increase sales and profits. They can create the illusion of a healthier product and influence consumers, who may be looking for quick and easy healthy food options.

The term 'superfood' is a marketing buzzword and has no official regulatory definition. While many foods described as such are healthy, the label itself is used for marketing purposes. It's better to focus on a balanced diet rich in a variety of fruits and vegetables rather than relying on one or two 'superfoods'.