Health Halo – Don’t Be Misled

I recently posted a picture on social media mocking a famous candy company’s organic version of peanut butter cups.

I was mocking that it exists. It is candy. No matter how we frame it. 

Mocking that paying more for candy just because it is organic is somehow better? 

 If it tastes better and is of higher quality, organic or not, then paying more may be justified. But, again, it is candy. 

 First, I do like peanut butter cups. And I am not too picky about the brand. Peanut butter and chocolate are genuinely two great tastes that taste great together, in my opinion. 

 However, organic? Really? Why? 

 People often mistakenly believe that “organic” foods are healthier for them. Or it is better for them nutritionally. I hear this all the time. 

 In this case, this organic food has the same calories, the same peanut butter, and the same chocolate. The same packaging with a bit of green added highlighting “organic.” It isn’t healthier, and if someone claims it is “better” for them, it isn’t. 

 I have addressed the topic of the meaning of organic on this blog and in episode 9 of the Real World Nutrition podcast. And in real life, I constantly tell people that the term organic (in this context) is only how the food is grown or raised, and it is not related to any nutritional differences because there are none. 

 But the health halo persists. 

 What is a health halo? 

 The health halo is this belief that food, product, or brand is superior for various reasons. It is often due to due to marketing and word-of-mouth. I find it is often related to assumptions by a consumer based on a lack of knowledge.

 Is there anything wrong with this? Maybe. What is the harm if one assumes that organic peanut butter cups are healthier? Perhaps nothing unless someone decides that they can now eat MORE of them? But that isn’t harmful, just potentially unhealthy. 

 And with some other foods that have this health halo, it could be harmless or may have consequences. 

 Take the example of gluten-free food. Is it healthier? Not necessarily. 

 Is gluten-free peanut butter better because it doesn’t have gluten? No, especially considering that peanut butter doesn’t have gluten in it no matter what the label says. So, no actual harm here, right? 

 But some people don’t realize that some foods labeled as gluten-free may have more calories, sugar, or fat than their gluten-containing counterparts. No gluten thought. 

 In recent years people have told me that they don’t eat gluten because it is healthier to avoid it. This approach is accurate for some people, but a gluten-free diet is not automatically more nutritious. 

 What are other examples of a health halo? 

 Soda made with pure cane sugar: isn’t healthier or better. It is soda. Is it harmful? How much are you drinking? It isn’t better or more nutritious than the sodas not made with pure cane sugar. It isn’t. People can “but” me all they want. The soda is the issue, not the kind of sugar. And if your soda is a fluorescent color (bright yellow, perhaps), does it matter what the sweetener is? Priorities! 

 Coconut oil isn’t healthier or even healthy. People are shocked to learn that I don’t encourage nor promote the use of coconut oil in cooking regularly. It has its place, but it is not a superfood. It is not the healthiest oil and is not “good for you.” It isn’t. Think I am wrong? That is fine, but the research, scientific research, doesn’t support that it is healthier. Every study I have read uses MCT oil, not coconut oil. Those are not interchangeable terms. 

 And people want to know why “everyone,” says it is healthy. Who exactly is that? Not me. I have seen the blood work (and the blood in the test tubes) of people who use this oil daily, which is not good. Coconut oil is the unhealthiest fat. In my house, coconut oil is in the bathroom, not the kitchen.

 Plant-based “milk” is not healthier and often misses vital nutrients found in cow’s milk and soymilk. But people assume it is healthier and better for them. Read the post or listen to the podcast for more details.

 Plant-based “meat” is not superior or even equivalent in nutritional value (or healthier) to its animal-based counterparts. Read more and see the comparison here. 

 But by the mere fact that it is “plant-based,” there is an assumption they are healthier. That is a health halo. 

 As I previously stated in the Truth About Organic (and related podcast), "organic” is not related to the nutritional value of food but is only related to agricultural practices - how it was grown or raised. 

 Organic wine is still wine and has no health benefits compared to wine that is not organically grown (other than potential environmental benefits).

 Organic peanut butter cups are still peanut butter cups. 

 The health halo effect is real. So, before reaching for food with an enticing label or what your neighbor’s sister said was the latest healthy food, I encourage you to ask yourself the age-old question: “It if sounds too good to be true...”

Curious if you have been taken in by the health halo effect? Let me know, and I may do an upcoming article, video, or podcast episode about it.