When most people try to lose weight, they watch one number: the scale. But not all weight loss is...
Misleading Claims on Food Labels
By: Scottsdale Weight Loss Center
Published: February 20, 2010
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Weight loss experts are constantly telling us to read food labels so that we can make healthier choices about what we eat. But do you know how to sort out the real information from the marketing fluff?
3 Meaningless Claims on Food Labels
- Lightly-sweetened. The Food and Drug Administration has specific guidelines about which foods can claim to be “sugar free” and to contain “no added sugars,” but there are no such guidelines about the claims “low sugar” or “lightly sweetened.” If it’s not regulated, consider it the opinion of a marketing executive and ignore it. Check the actual number of grams of sugar that are listed on the nutrition facts label.
- A good source of fiber. All fibers are not created equal. When doctors encourage you to eat more fiber, they’re probably trying to lead you toward whole grains, beans, vegetables, or fruits. But many food manufacturers are adding “isolated fibers” from sources like chicory root and claiming that they’re a “good source of fiber.” Unfortunately, isolated fibers haven’t been shown to provide the same health benefits, like lower blood sugar or cholesterol, as traditional fiber sources.
- Made with real fruit. In order to make that claim, there must be some “real fruit” in the food. However, there are no rules about how much fruit needs to be included. Often the real fruit that’s being referenced comes in very small quantities, and may not be the fruit you’re expecting from the picture on the packaging. The only real fruit in Betty Crocker’s Strawberry Splash Fruit Gushers, for example, is the pear concentrate. Check the ingredient list for the full scoop on the real fruit.
Nick
Nick's Story
"I wish I would have come here first. We spend all our time reacting to the next great weight loss tip or program. It might work for a while, but does not last and we end up yo-yoing from one fad to the next – as we gain more weight." Read More
Gina
Lost 44.5 lbs
"I had no trouble adhering to the meals and they really helped catapult my progress! The classes were so beneficial to me because they helped change my thinking about how I viewed health, nutrition, and fitness.
I will always have my relationship with Scottsdale Weight Loss Center. They truly helped me change my life forever." Read More
Lauren
Lost 60 lbs
"Dr. Ziltzer and everyone who I have come in contact with at the Scottsdale Weight Loss office have been so encouraging and I look forward to seeing them each week. It is now a year and 2 months later since I started. I am down 60 lbs., which is the average amount a 9-year-old weighs, it is crazy to think I lost a whole person! I feel amazing, I hit my goal weight in November 2021 just before Thanksgiving. Nothing on my body hurts anymore..." Read More
Chuck
Lost 66 lbs
"The best thing I did was call the Scottsdale Weight Loss Center. I have a lot more energy, I'm not hungry, and it feels great.
You can take it from me that this is a program that produces results. The staff is always positive, supportive, and never judgmental.
Your visits always result in positive reinforcement, no matter if you had a good week or a bad week." Read More
Emily
Lost 101 lbs
"Here I am at the lowest I have been since high school weighing in at 155lbs. I have lost 101 lbs, BMI of 39 when I started, to 21.6, and of course at body fat % of 47.1 to 26.5%. I told myself by my 30th birthday I wanted to be confident in the way I look and I owe it all to SWLC. The entire staff is so welcoming and they are rooting for you just as much as you are rooting for yourself...." Read More
Reviews
Meet Our Team
Robert Ziltzer, MD, FACP, FAAP, FOMA
Obesity Medicine Certified Physician
Diana Bone, FNP-C
Specializing in Obesity Medicine
Craig Primack, MD, FACP, FAAP, MFOMA
Obesity Medicine Certified Physician
Kristen Ash, FNP-C, FNP-BC
Nurse Practitioner
Alicia Earley, FNP-C
Family Nurse Practitioner
