{"id":1001,"date":"2013-06-02T21:46:14","date_gmt":"2013-06-03T02:46:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/skepticink.com\/smilodonsretreat\/?p=1001"},"modified":"2013-06-02T21:46:14","modified_gmt":"2013-06-03T02:46:14","slug":"skepticism-about-food-marketing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/skepticink.com\/smilodonsretreat\/2013\/06\/02\/skepticism-about-food-marketing\/","title":{"rendered":"Skepticism About Food (Marketing)"},"content":{"rendered":"

My wife came home with some new chips the other day. \u00a0We’re always looking for a healthy snack. \u00a0I have to munch on something salty in order to drink water. \u00a0I just cannot drink water without help.<\/p>\n

Anyway, these looked promising. \u00a0They are the Garden Veggie Crisps made by EatSmart Naturals<\/a>, a division of Snyder’s of Hanover<\/a>. \u00a0This product promises to be “No-GMO” (it’s certified… somehow) and gluten-free and made with potato, tomato, and spinach. \u00a0Indeed, the crisps are yellow\/white, redish, and green. \u00a0All-in-all, these appear to be a healthy product. \u00a0Oh, and they are \u00a0sponsor of the Nature Conservancy<\/a>.<\/p>\n

I freely admit that I too have given money to the Nature Conservancy.<\/p>\n

But that’s all appearance and marketing. \u00a0If you actually look at the nutrition label, you’ll see that this is 100% marketing. \u00a0These products are actually less healthy than the local corn chips I usually buy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Garden Veggie Crisps<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
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\"\"INGREDIENTS:<\/b>\u00a0Potato Flour, Potato Starch, Expeller Pressed Sunflower Oil, Tomato, Salt, Potassium Chloride, Spinach Powder, Turmeric, Beet Powder. Allergy Information: Produced in a facility that handles peanut butter. Gluten-free.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n
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\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Nutrition Facts<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Serving Size 30g (about 21 chips)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Amount Per Serving<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Calories<\/b>140<\/td>\nCalories from Fat 60<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
% Daily Value*<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n\n\n\n\n
Total Fat<\/b>\u00a06g<\/td>\n9%<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n\n\n\n\n
Saturated Fat 0.5g<\/td>\n3%<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n\n\n\n\n
Trans Fat 0g<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n\n\n\n\n
Polyunsaturated Fat 0g<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n\n\n\n\n
Monounsaturated Fat 4.5g<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n\n\n\n\n
Cholesterol<\/b>\u00a00mg<\/td>\n0%<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n\n\n\n\n
Sodium<\/b>\u00a0150mg<\/td>\n6%<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n\n\n\n\n
Potassium<\/b>\u00a0330mg<\/td>\n9%<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n\n\n\n\n
Total Carbohydrate<\/b>\u00a018g<\/td>\n6%<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n\n\n\n\n
Dietary Fiber 2g<\/td>\n8%<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n\n\n\n\n
Sugars 0g<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n
Protein<\/b>\u00a01g<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n\n\n\n\n
Vitamin A 0%<\/td>\n\u2022<\/td>\nVitamin C 0%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n\n\n\n
Calcium 0%<\/td>\n\u2022<\/td>\nIron 2%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

There is almost no actual nutrition in this product. \u00a0Nearly half the calories are from fat. \u00a0There’s almost no vitamins and minerals in these things. \u00a0There’s a fair bit of sodium, though not that much. \u00a0I can’t taste it and I’m hyper sensitive to salt content.<\/p>\n

The best thing that this has going for it is a touch of dietary fiber and a minuscule amount of protein.<\/p>\n

Let’s compare to the corn chips that I routinely get. \u00a0Apologies, but the local manufacturer doesn’t actually put the nutrition info online, so I had to copy it.<\/p>\n

I will note that both of these products have the same serving size (30 grams). \u00a0That’s 21 chips (more or less) for the veggie crisps and 10 chips for the tortilla chips. \u00a0Of course, if anyone actually only eats 10 chips… they have a lot more will-power than I do.<\/p>\n