The Top Five Misleading Food Buzz Words

Marketing is powerful. It plays on what we don’t know or understand, our insecurities and our dreams for a better life. And it isn’t any different for food companies. The weight-loss and health industry is a lucrative business, because most of what is sold doesn’t work and is just that - marketing.

For example take using misleading buzzwords to highlight the 'good' while distracting you from the 'bad'. Just walk down any aisle in the supermarket and you will see some buzz word encouraging you to buy.

But the problem is , that although our intentions to be more health conscious are good, without understanding the meaning behind this lingo we're often purchasing food which are doing more harm than good, especially in relation to our weight-loss goals.

These buzzwords are there for a reason - to encourage you to BUY! And yes, there is some meaning to them for sure, but to know whether you should buy in to that product or not, you need to understand the context of these claims to fully understand their meaning...

1. ‘HEALTHY’

Assumption: A food which is 'healthy' is low calorie and will help us lose weight

Reality: A 'healthy' food can have just as many calories as an 'unhealthy' food and does not mean a free for all on consumption
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2. ‘MACRO FRIENDLY’

Assumption: A food which is 'macro friendly' means it's low calories and will help us lose weight

Reality: A 'macro friendly' food is pretty much any food if you make it fit with all other foods in the day to hit your macros
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3. ‘GUT FRIENDLY’
Assumption: A 'gut friendly' food will stop digestive upset and may even improve gut health

Reality: The gut is a complex and individual. What might be guy friendly to one might be another's ideal of hell. There is no 'one size fits all' food here
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4. ‘BRAIN FOOD’
Assumption: 'Brain food' has super powers that will have better clarity, concentration and focus and may even stave off things like Alzheimer's.

Reality: Eating one 'brain food' is not going to make much difference. This will come from ongoing lifestyle habits and routine than some meal you pull from the internet and eat once a week

**It is unlikely**

**that any single food will undo years of poor lifestyle and eating habits**

5. SUPERFOOD
Assumption: Consuming superfoods will undo all other dietary evils, give you superpowers and help you be a better human and live a happier life

Reality: The term has little scientific basis. It is unlikely that any single food will undo years of poor sleep, eating habits, stress and other poor dietary choices

So how do you find your way around a recipe book or supermarket without getting caught into the hype?