The Food Movement Minute is a top story news analysis for busy foodies. I chew up the top industry and consumer publications each day and spit out only the news that matters most in a quick and entertaining read. I have a very discerning palate.
Today’s topics: Soda Warning Labels, Gatorade Goes Organic, Junk Food Temptation at Checkout, Low-Fiber Diets
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Soda Warning Labels
The Story
Despite emerging data demonstrating the effectiveness of warning labels on soda to deter consumption, a California-based soda warning label bill is withdrawn from the state legislature, for the third year in a row, before heading to a vote.
The Details
The fight over sugary drinks is bittersweet. On the same day the bill was withdrawn, the California Center for Public Health Advocacy released a poll that found nearly four out of five registered voters support a warning label on sugary beverages. Additional research released today found only 40 percent of parents said they would choose a sugar-sweetened beverage for their kids after viewing a warning label, compared to 60 percent of parents who saw no label. Senator Bill Monning withdrew the bill citing concern it would not have the votes needed to move to the Senate floor. California, particularly northern California, has become the central location for the battle between anti-soda advocates and soda industry lobbyists. Local regulations in Berkeley already tax sugary drinks and the city of San Francisco recently approved a ban on advertisements of sugary beverages on city land.
Why it Matters
Many believe the battle in California will determine whether sugary drinks slide over into the same position as tobacco. The proposed label, “STATE OF CALIFORNIA SAFETY WARNING: Drinking beverages with added sugar(s) contributes to obesity, diabetes, and tooth decay” is reminiscent in its stark look and bluntness to warning labels founds on packs of cigarettes. It’s no surprise then that despite clear public support and promising research, the soda industry would pull out all the stops with vigorous lobbying and legal strategies to block anti-soda legislative efforts.
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Gatorade Goes Organic
The Story
In the near future, you will be able to buy your favorite fluorescent sports drink in an organic version. PepsiCo recently announced the launch of organic Gatorade for 2016.
The Details
Well, its official, organic has gone mainstream. If the news that Gatorade will soon have organic product offerings isn’t enough to convince you then how about the fact that three-fourths of American consumers now purchase organic products and 71 percent believe organic products are probably healthier than their conventional counterparts (fluorescent colors be damned). Gatorade is just the most recent brand to announce a move toward one or more of the key themes of the Food Movement (i.e. GMO labeling, removal of artificial colors and flavors, etc). Campbell’s, General Mills and many other big industry names have made similar announcements in the past year.
Why it Matters
The influx of massive brands making equally massive clean food announcements is not only significant in that it symbolizes we’ve reached a point of no return in the Food Movement (in a good way), but provides perspective as to the new pace of change. Shifting believes and expectations that used to take a decade or more to evolve and spread can now happen in a matter of months (thanks, Food Babe) with food and beverage manufactures feeling immense pressure to conform to consumers’ quickly evolving expectations.
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Junk Food Temptation at Checkout
The Story
ALDI grocery stores are chucking the traditional mix of junk food impulse purchases commonly seen on the shelves of the checkout isle and replacing them with nuts, trail mix, dried fruits and granola bars.
The Details
Got a craving that only Snickers can satisfy? Now you’ll have to search a bit harder to find your fix. ALDI, a natural grocery chain that sells a high-quality, but limited assortment of primarily private labeled products is committing to the change “to remove temptation at checkout and stocking stores with even more nutrition options,” according to ALDI USA CEO Jason Hart. The announcement brings quick praise from leading consumer advocacy group, Center for Science in the Public Interest, who supports the move citing research that putting junk food at kids’ eye level “can induce requests for those products and family conflict”.
Why it Matters
Isles in the checkout lane are some of the most sought after and competitive shelf space in grocery stores. While I assume the healthier options provided will be private-label ALDI versions (where the profit margins are optimized), the move still demonstrates leadership in providing consumers with easy-access to healthy food options and should be seen an a largely altruistic step forward for our food community. As far as the kid comment regarding junk food and family conflict goes…yep, all true, so bonus points to ALDI for that reason too.
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Factoid of the Day
An animal study conducted at Stanford School of Medicine and set to be published this month in Nature suggests low-fiber diets not only deplete the beneficial bacteria present in the digestive tract, but may cause an irreversible loss of diversity of positive gut bacteria. Once key bacterial species are gone, simply “eating right” may no longer be enough to restore these lost species. Not good for people living in developed societies (like the US) who consume an average of 15 grams of fiber per day, that’s one-tenth the intake of hunter-gatherer populations, whose living conditions most closely resemble those of our human ancestors.
Image by Kevin T. Houle