Food Labels and Terministic Screens

I'm doing my project over discourse surrounding the portrayals of the FDA and USDA in popular media. In my research I've come across a lot of information about food labeling and nutrition information that has caused me to look at cereal boxes a little differently.

You may have been walking down the cereal aisle at the grocery store and seen the front of of a box of frosted flakes. On the front of the box you might see in large letters, "Long Lasting Energy,10 grams of whole grain, a good source of Fiber!" When deciding between this brand of frosted flakes and another equally priced box of frosted flakes from a different company without these claims, those words in large print may be the deciding factor. You might think to yourself, "If the food company was allowed to print this on their box it must be true. Why not get something healthier?" Your terministic screen in dealing with claims on the front of food packages causes you to trust and view the claims with legitimacy. But the real question you should be asking is, "Is it healthier?"

According to Michael Pollan's book, Food Rules we should avoid foods which make health claims. He writes,"If a food has a health claim, it probably has a package and that means it's very likely processed. Moreover, the FDA's "qualified" health claims" are all but meaningless." After learning this information, I became much more suspect of health claims on the front of food packages.

My terministic screen had changed. I no longer look at claims on the front of food packages with total legitimacy. I'm more sceptical. I think to myself, "If they have to put this on the front, lets see what they are compensating for on the back." Then I turn it around and view the Nutritional Facts. Notice they are "facts" not "claims" and they are the only food label I know trust.