It impresses me how effectively the processed-food industry uses words to influence consumer preferences and purchasing behaviors.

Remember that the individual or entity who supplies the vocabulary sets the agenda. So you can set the agenda if you pick the words. The processed-stuff-industry’s agenda is not, however, the same as mine. My agenda has to do with wellness, while the purpose of marketing is to increase sales. Now, as long as you’re asking, I don’t have any objection to increased sales. What I object to is covert influences that increase sales at the expense of our health and well-being.  

Here is an example for you to chew on: If I want you to buy white yogurt, simply yogurt through and through, without any additives of any kind, I’m going to call it PURE yogurt. Would you prefer the PURE yogurt or its opposite, the ADULTERATED version?  I’ll take the PURE, thank you very much.

But if I want you to pick up the flavored yogurt, usually sweetened with the equivalent of 4-5 teaspoons of sugar as high-fructose corn syrup, I’ll call that white yogurt PLAIN. Corn syrup is cheap cheap cheap, a lot cheaper than yogurt itself, so that means you can expect to see a higher profit margin for the sweet version. Do you want the PLAIN yogurt or the FANCY? Ooooooh, I want the FANCY yogurt!  See what I mean?

Here’s another example: If I want to increase sales of flour that no longer has its germ and bran, I’ll call it REFINED, which means that it’s somehow better because the so-called “coarse impurities” (i.e., the germ and bran) have been removed. The alternative to REFINED flour would then be the cumbersome, hyphenated WHOLE-GRAIN product.  But if I actually want you to buy bread made from INTACT grain, which has not been STRIPPED of its germ and bran, well then yes, that grain has an INTACT matrix.  

Let’s see it for what it is, call it what it is, and choose terminology that supports values of our own choosing, namely the health and wellness of our friends, families, and communities. Don’t use words selected by marketers expressly to influence our purchasing patterns. 

One last thing: There’s a special name for the information found on packages of processed food items. It’s called advertising.

Follow Dr Sukol’s posts on Twitter @RoxanneSukolMD and on Facebook at Roxanne Breines Sukol and at Your Health is on Your Plate.