Last week, the Consumers' Association released a new scorecard for consumers to make healthier grocery choices. Will this signal a shift towards a healthier lifestyle, or will we become lazier?
What is the 'Nutri-score'?
A label with letters A, B, C, D, E, followed by colors from green to red. If it were up to the Consumers' Association, a new scorecard should help consumers choose healthy groceries more easily. This advocacy group is calling for the introduction of the 'Nutri-score'.
The Consumers' Association believes that many people find it difficult to determine for themselves how healthy or unhealthy a product is. A sticker with this indication on the front of all products can help with this.
This has been discussed before. At the end of last year, the government concluded an agreement with some seventy civil society organizations and companies aimed at ensuring that the Dutch become healthier. This agreement is called the National Prevention Agreement.
What is healthy and what is unhealthy?
We are becoming heavier. That is a fact. Despite the fact that there is sufficient choice in healthy food and extensive information regarding physical activity guidelines, attempts have frequently been made to make consumers more aware of better choices using "best choice" checkmarks. These were discontinued in 2016. The press release regarding the 'Nutri-score' primarily shows a photo of snacks. This is understandable, as many snacks are presented as healthy. However, many are full of sugar and saturated fat and contain too little fiber. The danger of a health label is that consumers become more complacent and assume that an A-label product can be consumed without any problems. However, nothing could be further from the truth.
It's about the big picture
As professional lifestyle coaches, we believe that information about healthy nutrition should always focus on the big picture, not on a single product. An apple receives an A label, but if you eat only apples all day, that is an unhealthy habit. Olive oil receives an E label due to its fat content, but it is a healthy fat addition that is indispensable for a healthy diet.
People are becoming increasingly complacent, which is why we advocate for good and accurate information about a varied diet. An easy snack is perfectly fine once or twice a week, but fruit and a whole-grain sandwich with healthy toppings are the healthiest snacks. Knowing this, you will find it easier to skip the snack aisle in the supermarket.
The same applies to the choice of what you drink during the day. Naturally, sugary soft drinks will receive an E label, and soft drinks without sugar an A or B. We advocate for water and unsweetened tea, and an occasional glass of soft drink. That sounds a lot friendlier, and it teaches you to be mindful of your choices.
Do you also want to learn to vary your diet and make healthier choices as a result?
The MINT Personal Training team can help you with this and provide you with the tools to learn. Would you like more information? Stop by for a free intake.
About Kitty Atsma
Kitty is a passionate nutrition specialist and vitality coach with a broad scientific basis in nutrition and exercise. As a member of the national examination committee of the TCI (Nutrition Specialist & GWC), she monitors the quality of the field at the highest level. As a professional blogger, Kitty combines her in-depth expertise with the possibilities of AI to make complex health topics accessible. She curates and controls the technology to get to the heart of the matter, where her own vision and years of practical experience always determine the course.
Nutrition Specialist Teacher | BGN Weight Consultant | Member TCI Examination Board | Vitality coach
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