Food packaging claims - what do they mean?
often, a whole lot of nothing
I was perusing around Whole Foods recently, and my eyes settled on a bag of coffee that said “KETO” in big letters. At first I felt confused, like, are we really still doing this keto thing? Then I felt mad, because duh, all coffee is technically “keto.” I also felt sad, because it’s clear that yes, indeed we are still doing this, and various food (and coffee!) companies have taken full advantage of the pull that kind of labeling can have with their products. But here’s the thing: there is no regulation by the FDA or otherwise on a ton of labeling claims, including the word keto and ketogenic, which means marketing teams can plop them on whatever food or beverage they want without having to prove anything.
This really makes me angry because of how much it can confuse the general population, who in large part are just looking to feed themselves and their families in a way that seems healthy to them. Here are a few other terms to take with a grain of salt.