Just when we thought cooking for a family with food allergies or dietary restrictions is complex enough, modern food marketing adds another layer of confusion: the illusion of health! Ever picked a product labelled “organic”, “low-fat”, “sugar-free” or “plant-based”? Only to find out it’s ultra-processed and contains ingredients you’ve never even heard of? I fall for it, regularly, despite having worked in marketing for two decades. Why is that?
Let me introduce you to the world of the health halo, a marketing tactic that makes our food sound healthier than it really is. In this post, I’ll show you how the health halo works and why it’s especially problematic for families navigating food intolerances. Then, I’ll explain how you can see through the noise to make more informed, confident food choices.
What Is the Health Halo Effect?
The health halo is a psychological phenomenon where the industry highlights the positive attributes of a food (like “vegan” or “gluten-free”). This leads us to assume the entire product is healthy, even when it’s not. Food marketers do this deliberately to increase sales. Consequently, they use it as an opportunity to bump up the price. Because who wouldn’t pay more for a product that improved our family’s health, right?
Common health halo terms:
- Organic – I am a huge believer in organic produce. HOWEVER, the label organic DOES NOT necessarily mean healthier, low in sugar, salt, or fat.
- Low-fat – While too much fat increases our chances of gaining weight, low fat often means high in sugar to compensate for lost flavour.
- Gluten-free – While GF is the better choice for many, it does not mean healthier. This is particularly true when loaded with modified starches and additives.
- Vegan/Plant-Based – Adding more plants to your diet is healthy. However, most commercial vegan foods are highly processed and full of refined oils.
- No added sugar – A sweet product without added sugar uses most likely several sweeteners or contains loads of natural sugars or concentrates. Hence, it is not much better than if sugar was added.
- Natural/Wholesome – What does this mean? While this term implies health, the product can still contain lab-created ingredients and be ultra-processed.
And while the label may not always be deceptive, it’s a great technique to distract you from checking the ingredients list or an inflated price.
How the Food Industry Creates a Health Halo
Millions are spent on food marketing and packaging design to lend a health-conscious glow to highly profitable products. This makes us buy items we could make ourselves within minutes (like my amazing 5-minute Salted Caramel Bliss Balls) and for a fraction of the price. Here’s how they do it:
1. Buzzwords on the Front, Junk in the Back
Front labels use feel-good language to take away our doubt and to confirm what we wish to be true. Looking on the back, though, the ingredients list tells a different story. For example:
“Made with whole grains” — might still have refined flour as its main ingredient.
“Crispy 100% Australian Potatoes” – are still deep-fried chips, no matter where they come from.
2. Smart Packaging
Earth-toned colours, “clean”, organic looking fonts, and countryside images trick our brains into associating the product with the good old days and sustainability. This happens even if the product is ultra-processed and uses mass-produced ingredients.
3. Tiny Serving Sizes
Ever fallen for the trick where the packaging says: “Just 99 calories per serve”? Only to realise you’ll have to divide the package by eight (and not two)?! Serving size manipulation is a common trick to make you feel better about buying sometimes-food or to distract you from the ingredients.
4. Health Claims Without Context
Claims like “supports immune function” or “heart healthy” often rely on a single ingredient and ignore the overall quality of the food. These claims are often based on minor scientific studies (potentially sponsored by whoever benefitted from the study outcome).
The Holy Chicken documentary by Supersize Me’s Morgan Spurlock is a great visualisation of what food marketing is and how it runs the show. You can currently stream it on Amazon Prime and Apple TV.
Why It’s a Problem — Especially for Allergy-Aware Families
Having the added layer of already needing to read labels for allergens or dietary triggers, the misdirection of the health halo and the food marketing industry can feel like a betrayal. We’re all trying to do your best — and brands are banking on that trust.
The impact of health halo marketing includes:
- Misleading purchases – You may end up with foods that do more harm and might even worsen symptoms or trigger other intolerances.
- Overpaying – Many “healthy” products carry a premium price tag despite poor nutritional value. Consumers are willing to pay a premium for the health of their family.
- Emotional fatigue – Constant second-guessing every food choice is exhausting. In our overloaded world, we sometimes just wish that there was an easier way.
- Safety risks – Labels like “plant-based” or “all natural” may suggest a product is free of allergens. However, it doesn’t strictly mean 100% vegan or free of lab-produced additives that can cause physical or behavioural reactions.
How to Spot and Resist the Health Halo
Here are some practical steps you can take to shop smarter and dodge the halo effect:
Read Ingredients First
Don’t stop at the front of the box. Flip it over and look at:
- First 3 ingredients – These make up the bulk of the product.
- Added sugars – Watch for syrups, juices, and words ending in -ose.
- Refined oils – Like canola, soybean, or palm oil, which often replace more nourishing fats and cause inflammation in the body.
- Could it be made at home – Check if all ingredients are supermarket staples. This could be an indication that it’s a fairly clean product.
Don’t Assume that Healthy Traits equal Healthy Products
A gluten-free biscuit is still a biscuit. A “no added sugar” juice is still juice and it contains a lot of sugar naturally. And vegan doesn’t mean it’s something natural and therefore good for you.
Real Talk: You Don’t Have to Get It Perfect
I believe most of us have been tricked by health halo marketing, and that’s okay. It’s designed to do so. I even admit that sometimes I ignore or accept that I am being played, just because this path of navigating food allergies and intolerances is difficult enough.
But what matters is that we stay curious, that we question front labels, and that we choose real, nourishing food as often as possible. Look for brands that list ingredients, disclose allergy risks, and prioritise real food over processed shortcuts. Trust your instincts, your experience, and your values.
Final Thoughts
At foodamentally, I believe food should nourish our bodies and our minds — and that includes cutting through the confusion that surrounds so much of what’s sold as “healthy.”
Next time you’re at the supermarket, pause before you toss that “sugar-free, natural, low-fat, organic, protein-packed” snack into your trolley. Read the back. Ask questions. And remember — you get to decide what’s truly good for your family.
You’ve got this. And I’m here to help if you need a hand decoding the chaos of modern food marketing. Just get in touch in the comments below.
