Consumer Reports: Good Food Gone Bad

There’s a growing problem in our supermarkets — good food gone bad. We’re not talking about wilted vegetables and rotten meat. These are once healthful foods that have been turned into something that’s no longer so good for you.

For example, air-popped popcorn is one of the healthiest snacks around, full of fiber and low in calories. But the minute you soup it up, with sugar, with salt, with cheese, that’s when you run into a problem. You take a healthy snack and you render it unhealthy.

Peanut butter is good-for-you food. It’s mostly peanuts and it’s loaded with protein. But Jif has come out with Hazelnut Chocolate to spread on your bread. Check the label! The leading ingredients are sugar and vegetable oil and it provides far less protein than peanut butter.

White turkey and chicken meat are some of the best sources of low-fat protein. But if you buy it packaged, like this Oscar Mayer Oven Roasted Turkey Breast, watch for added sodium. Just two ounces has 510 milligrams, that’s 21 percent of the daily limit.

Lowfat yogurt is another healthful food. But watch out if it’s topped with chocolate balls or cookie crumbles. And beware of packaged smoothies, even if they make lots of healthy claims. They can contain lots of sugar. You’re better off making your own smoothies, or topping your yogurt with fresh fruit. You can control the sugar and keep those foods that are good for you … good for you!

NBC 5 reached out to Chicago-based Müller Quaker Dairy about certain toppings that can be applied to yogurt, making it less healthy. Below is what the company said:

All Müller yogurt varieties start with reduced-fat, Grade A milk and provide the nutritional benefits of calcium and protein. All of our offerings have no high fructose corn syrup, no artificial flavors and only colors from natural sources whether the yogurt is paired with fruit or with crunchy toppings. We encourage consumers to use the ingredient information listed clearly on all of our products to make choices that are best for them and their families.

NBC 5 reached out to Naked Juice products for reaction to Consumer Reports, this was its statement:

Naked Juice products offer a wide variety of options to help people meet their daily nutrition requirements in a delicious aous beverage. In addition to offering products that help meet requirements for vegetable and fruit consumption, our product portfolio also addresses other nutrition needs. Our banana chocolate protein juice smoothie is blended to serve as a good source of protein for active individuals. With 30 grams of muscle-replenishing protein, no added sugar and no preservatives, this product offers a functional benefit to meet the needs of consumers looking for additional protein in their 

Consumer Reports says something else to be wary of at the supermarket are veggie chips. They are often made of potato flour and can have as much fat and sodium as potato chips.


Complete Ratings and recommendations on all kinds of products, including appliances, cars & trucks, and electronic gear, are available on Consumer Reports’ website.

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