Healthy Kids Foods Usually Arent

Packaging on food is often deceiving, especially when it comes to those marketed towards children. Many food packaging claims that its meals are balanced, while in fact, it is not. Americans spend $168 billion per year on obesity-related medical costs. Yet, Plastic bag manufacturers found the front-of-package labels on processed foods to be misleading, in accordance with a current article through the Los Angeles Times, published by Karen Kaplan.
Custom printed bread bags came out last week in the Prevention Institute and focuses on the claims made on certain cereals, meals, beverages and snacks marketed to children. Researchers devoted to 58 products deemed healthy by a market group understanding that also made nutritional claims on front-of-package labels, including Campbell's Tomato Soup, Skippy Super Chunk Peanut Butter and Rice Krispies.


Plain plastic bags was examined by researchers to ascertain the amount sodium and fiber they contained, and also to calculate the proportion of total calories that originated from sugar, fat and saturated fat. This was then measured around nutrient criteria derived through the federal government's Dietary Guidelines for Americans. In order to qualify as healthy, foods had to:
• Derive under 35 percent with their total calorie consumption (exceptions were created for nuts, nut butters and seeds) and less than 10 % from saturated fats;• Get below 25 percent with their total calories from sugar;• Contain at the very least 1.25 grams of fiber per serving (exceptions were made for dairy and totally fresh fruit juices);• Contain under 480 milligrams per serving of sodium (for snacks) or less than 600 mg per serving of sodium (for meals).
Of the 58 items researched, 49 of people still did not meet the criteria and were deemed "unhealthy" through the Prevention Institute researchers. This included the tomato soup, peanut butter and Rice Krispies.
Also in the findings:
• 95 percent coming from all products inside the study contained added sugars, including high fructose corn syrup and healthy-sounding alternatives like honey and juice concentrate.• 17 percent of the items contained "no whole food ingredients."• Only one from the 58 products contained a green vegetable (peas).
These findings could be shocking for many, but it only emphasizes that we require more honest, less misleading food packaging. Ultimately, parents are the ones who choose what their kids eat and may be able to make essentially the most well-informed decision possible.