Eating Well: What's in a Name?

While people are getting savvier and savvier about reading labels and sussing out healthy options, it seems that many dieters are still rather easily misled by the names of foods.

A new study from m newly-beloved Journal of Consumer Research finds that simply adding the world "salad" to a dish can give it a health halo, as well as tweaking a sweet treat from "candy chew" and "fruit chew." Think "smoothies" instead of "milkshakes", or "potato chips" called "veggie chips." (Sure, there may be some carrots or turnips amidst the 'taters, but fried is fried is fried!!)

The opposite holds true, too—an item with an unhealthy-sounding name may get the thumb's down, when in fact it's not all that bad. This might mean a great orzo pasta dish packed with brightly-colored vegetables and a sprinkle of tangy feta cheese may be tarnished by the word "pasta" and thus lose out to to a lump of tuna salad. Of course, the latter is drowning in mayo and light on vegetables...making the orzo dish the more nutritious option! 

The bottom line: Look beyond the names and study the actual ingredients and the key words on exactly how the dish is prepared!