I was opening up a can of tuna today for lunch to make a sandwich (while desperately trying to be quiet so the kitty couldn’t hear), and I was noting the label and its words about Omega 3s. Next to “made with whole grains” (what a crock that is), “Omega 3” is the next buzz word to be seen on labels.
Funny how packaging changes to be viewed through whatever health glasses the public is wearing currently. I remember when all the labels on tuna were about being dolphin safe. So, what – do the dolphins not matter anymore? Is it now the norm that all tuna is dolphin safe, or have fisheries gone back to the old (probably cheaper) ways? I don’t know – and I don’t have the label to tell me that anymore.
I don’t mind the Omega 3 label so much. The whole grain thing is what really gets me. Yes – this product was made with whole grains, which were whole until they were processed and all the nutrients taken out. Some cracker or cereals actually say “made with 18 grams of whole grains” – like that is something to be proud of. Almost seems like they are implying that there is a ton of fiber in the product.
You know, HFCS is made from corn, too. Corn is a grain. Must be healthy and good for you, right??
It is so important to take your own health and education into your own hands. Being able to read past the label and the hype is so much work, but it has to be done.
Amen to it all.
I’m almost embarrassed to say that a few years ago I had NO IDEA about the albacore tuna/mercury thing either.
I *looked* so much better than the catfoodkind (the chunk light)so I assumed…..
MizFit
I had to go check my cupboard! Both the Ocean’s and Clover Leaf labels still carry the dolphin friendly logo.
I’m a bit freaked about the whole inulin craze. Suddenly everything is chock a block with fibre. A month or so ago I read about a study that showed that although inulin is technically a fibre because it’s not digested in the body, it has no positive effect on blood cholesterol or blood sugar. This was only one study, but again I think if something seems too good to be true, it probably is!
I learned through a class I took that most people didn’t like the the tuna starkist was selling as dolphin safe. They started fishing in different waters to get away from dolphins, and started using skipjack tuna which didn’t taste as “good.” Also what they didn’t readily tell people was that a whole host of other sea life was dying in the dolphins place. So just b/c a product may be dolphin safe doesn’t mean that several other sea creatures weren’t harmed in the process. It’s a little overwhelming to really know where are foods come from.
sorry *our food.
Fiber in tuna??? Can we just eat real foods with the ingredients where they are supposed to be. But you know, all these crazy things (fiber in tuna, 100 calorie packs, etc.) are only in response to an American public that refuses to believe that they can’t have whatever they want whenever they want it. And you can apply that to ALL the worst crises our country has and is facing.