What is Health Washing? And What You Need to Know!

Health Washing is sadly very popular in the Wellness Industry.

• Definition: Health washing is a marketing tactic where companies exaggerate or falsely promote products as healthy, nutritious, or beneficial to health to appeal to health-conscious consumers.

• Common Examples: Products labeled as “low fat,” “natural,” “immune-boosting,” or “sugar-free” may still be highly processed, high in sodium, or contain unhealthy additives.

• Misleading Labels: Companies may use vague or unregulated health claims on packaging (e.g., “supports heart health”) that give a misleading impression of overall product healthfulness.

• Impact on Consumers: Health washing can lead people to make poor dietary choices, believing they are eating healthy when they are not, potentially contributing to health issues like obesity or diabetes.

• Skepticism Encouraged: To avoid being misled, consumers should read nutrition labels and ingredient lists carefully rather than relying on front-of-package claims.

Food for thought!

...Stay Healthy Friends! :0)

T xo