Deceptive advertising is getting out of control

I have harangued before about deceptive advertising (here and here), but this instance truly takes the cake. I was in Stop & Shop today, and my husband innocently brought my attention to a display of chocolate and caramel-covered apples which boasted: "Healthy never tasted this good!" I took a closer look at the apples, which appeared to be more candy than fruit, and was appalled- to say the least- by what I found.

Although the display called these apples "healthy" and also claimed that they contained "natural antioxidents and fiber PLUS benefits of dark chocolate," the nutrition label told a different story. The apple did contain about 9 grams of fiber, but at over 800 calories, it's hardly worth it. But what I really take issue with are the claims that the product is "healthy" and provides the benefits of dark chocolate.

First of all, more than half of the fat in the apple is saturated fat. In fact, it provides 35% of the daily maximum recommended level of saturated fat that the average adult should consume in an entire day per serving. And mind you, one serving is less than ONE-FOURTH of the apple- thanks to Joyce Faraj for pointing that out. I almost missed it myself! This means that the whole apple actually contains 27 grams of saturated fat alone (over 150% of the recommended daily limit).

Furthermore, partially hydrogenated oil is listed twice on the ingredient list (in the caramel and chocolate coatings), suggesting that despite the "0g trans fat" listed on the label, the product does in fact contain some trans fat. It also contains a substantial amount of added sugar. Given these facts, I am amazed that this company (Tastee) has the gall to use the word "healthy" in the same sentence as these death snacks.

But the lies don't stop there. Tastee also implies that if you eat their products, you can reap the benefits of dark chocolate. How much dark chocolate do you get from these apples? Beats the hell out of me! The only thing close to chocolate listed on the label is cocoa, the fourth ingredient in the chocolate coating- after sugar, partially hydrogenated oil, and milk powder. The coating itself is only the 6th ingredient. I can't imagine that the amount of cocoa in the trans fat/sugar concoction that covers the apples is anywhere near enough to cause any kind of beneficial effects remotely resembling those associated with real dark chocolate consumption. Even if there was, any positive effects would be more than outweighed by the negative effects of the sugar, saturated fat, and trans fat.

You better believe I will be contacting this company to complain about their ethical standards, and I will also be contacting the FDA regarding the lawfulness of their claims, which I believe may be in violation of current labeling regulations. In the meantime, I made my own small effort to protect my fellow shoppers from Tastee's deceitful advertising (look closely):