On several occasions we have talked about food and how we should be more aware when making the purchase, because although we often find products that appear to be healthy, they really are not.
Fortunately, in this era of social networks, it is easier to find correct and accurate information, denying hoaxes or misleading advertising. For sample, the most recent controversy of the Nestlé company, in which He had to rectify after the social networks were turned on when he saw the poster they had published, in which he suggested that because of the amount of sugars, their products were better than real food.
During a "talk between moms" event, the food and beverage company published a poster showing different foods such as cookies, bananas, pear, apples, beans and carrots, next to a box of baby cereals that they sell
In Babies and more This is the sugar contained in baby cereal porridge: we analyze the main brandsIn each of them, the amount of grams of sugar they contained was shown, and at the beginning, they asked a question asking the observer to answer which of them all had more sugar, highlighting that their cereals had a lower amount than the rest of the food.
However the poster clearly gave the information deceptively. First, because they compare only 25 grams of their cereal, with 175 grams of pear or with 100 grams of carrot, zucchini or green beans. That is, the amounts were not the same.
In second, because the sugar contained in fruits and vegetables is not the same as processed foods, like your cereals.
In Babies and moreOnce baby food products bearing the AEP sealOriginally the poster was posted on Twitter by Violeta Galán, asking for the opinion of health professionals such as Julio Basulto, who replied that that was trick, deception and manipulation, to confuse the population by not differentiating the types of sugars:
Ruse. Scam. Handling. One thing is the intrinsic sugars (those of the fruit) and another of those (in the words of @carloscasabona) "chucheales" by Nestlé. I talked about intrinsic sugars here: //t.co/qNChPzyFkl And baby cereals here: //t.co/269qU61AbO
- Julio Basulto (@JulioBasulto_DN) March 14, 2019
The reaction in social networks was very clear for everyone: Nestlé hinted with that misleading poster, that his porridge is better than real food. Pablo Ojeda responded directly to the brand on his Twitter account, through a short video he published about the difference between cookies and bananas, also mentioning that they were not the same sugars:
Hi @Nestle_es, nonsense that I was going to tell you ... pic.twitter.com/Xbh1uureus
- Pablo Ojeda (@pabloojedaj) March 15, 2019
They were joined by more professionals and health experts, who they highlighted how unethical it was to disseminate information that way, in a deceptive way to try to make their products pass as healthier than fruits and vegetables.
Good example of how @NestleBebe takes advantage of ignorance to make your products pass as healthier.
- Aitor Sánchez García (@Midietacojea) March 14, 2019
This image can make a family believe that their porridge (flour / dextrinated cereals) is healthier than vegetables or vegetables.
VERGÜENZA //t.co/Ts88FaVLAM
I think @Nestle_es has messed with its own label and I had to lend a hand. The image on the right is more real according to its own label. You are welcome. Full post in my IG. I open thread🔽🔽 pic.twitter.com/6nOlbwYFuo
- NorteSalud Nutrition (@NorteSalud) March 14, 2019
Nestlé rectifies
After the wave of negative comments and criticisms of the cartel and its misleading information, Nestlé posted an apology on its Twitter account, in which they explain that their information was misunderstood and they had another intention:
In Nestlé we regret that this action has been misunderstood, with which we wanted to value the reduction in total sugars carried out in
- Nestlé Spain (@Nestle_es) March 14, 2019
our porridge
According to the brand, their goal was to show that they had reduced the amount of sugars in their products, but then, Why compare it with other foods - whose sugars are different - and not with the same product before such reduction?
In a second tweet, Nestlé comments that these differences were always reported, but many questioned him because nowhere in the cartel indicated it and that anyway, compare food with your products was not correct.
The differences have been reported at all times
- Nestlé Spain (@Nestle_es) March 14, 2019
existing between the intrinsic sugars of fruits and free sugars
of the porridge, and we have always defended the importance of daily consumption of
the recommended portions of fruit and vegetables in childhood.
Why so much stir
Perhaps we could think that the poster does not represent anything, but in reality, the message they send is one more delicate and even worrying, because They make processed cereals look like a healthier option than fruits and vegetables for children's diet, when they are not. To do this, let's remember some recent reports and statistics about products for babies and children:
- According to a study in England, Baby yogurts, including organic ones, have a higher amount of sugar than recommended, even though they promote themselves as healthy.
- In an investigation carried out by Babies and more, in which the amount of sugars in baby cereals was analyzed, it was found that the vast majority of these products concentrate approximately 20% sugar in its composition, a very high amount For the children's diet.
In Babies and more, what do you choose for your children? Great sign about sugar hidden in baby foodWhy is it so important to know this information? Why excessive consumption of sugars is harmful to the health of babies and children and it can result in obesity problems, which increases your chances of suffering from hypertension or diabetes, as well as encouraging the development of dental caries.
Remember also that Although a poster or label may show misleading information that makes them appear healthy, it is always best to consume fresh, natural foods, rather than processed products.. Let us be conscious consumers, who read the labels of the products we buy, to be well informed about what our family consumes.
