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Are spaghetti hoops really one of your five-a-day? Which? says foods high in salt and sugar should be stripped of logo | Mail Online
London Harley Street clinical Nutritionist commented on the Which? demands for more honest food labelling in The Mail Online today
The Department of Health's 5 A DAY logo and portion indicator apply to fresh, frozen and canned fruit and vegetables with no added fat, sugar or salt so clearly wouldn't apply to spaghetti hoops
I agree with which? that manufacturers should be forbidden to claim a portion of 5 a day when a food lacks the fibre, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants - the very reasons why we are encouraged to eat more fruit and veg, although the science suggests we need at least 8 x 80g portions to reap meaningful benefits.
More importantly though the GDA system that manufacturers use instead of the easy to understand Fodd Standard's Agency's Traffic Light System should be exposed by Which?
Manufacturers use upper limits of recommendations for sugar fat and salt and make GDA labelling too complicated for consumers to understand by using percentages rather than making it clear that a product is 'high in fat' or 'high in sugar' using a red colour.
Manufacturers are also misleading consumers with their recommended portions. In workshops when we ask participants to measure out their normal portion of cereal it never matches the recommended baby portion used in nutritional information on the packets.
Heinz spokesperson Nigel Dickie said:
‘For Heinz Spaghetti in Tomato Sauce, the 1 of your 5 a day comes from the tomatoes.Our soups, beans and spaghetti are low in fat and sugar, and have also benefited from salt reduction in line with the Department of Health's Responsibility Deal targets.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2102513/Are-spaghetti-hoops-really-day-Which-says-foods-high-salt-sugar-stripped-logo.html#ixzz1mgCPDIFF
Nutritionist, London
