Twisting the Facts

I like Dr. Oz. I don't think he's intentionally trying to mislead people when he reports on issues such as arsenic in apple juice. I think it's helpful to know that approximately 90% of the apple juice we drink isn't made with apples grown in this country. Facts like those help me pick healthier options, and I'd rather drink locally grown cider anyway.

A couple of months ago, however, I acted on a report from Dr. Oz about anti-freeze in foods and stopped buying some of the staples in our house. We rarely eat anything that's processed, but I like keeping Skinny Cow products in the freezer for those times when we want a little something sweet, and I don't feel like running out to get it. When I saw the good doctor's report I started reading product labels for it. Sure enough it was in the Skinny Cow bars, so I stopped buying them. After being more than perturbed about finding I'd been eating anti-freeze, I decided to sit down and write a letter to the company. But something was bugging me. How could the FDA allow a company to not only put anti-freeze in our food, but to be stupid enough to allow it on the food label? I understand about corruption, kickbacks, hide-in-plain-sight concepts, but seriously? Anti-freeze? I've taken care of people that drank anti-freeze -- it's more common than anyone would think. What the hell were the Skinny Cow people thinking and doing to the consumer?

Well, I did a little investigation. Turns out the INGREDIENT in Skinny Cow that acts as a humectant is ALSO FOUND in anti-freeze. I'm not EATING something with anti-freeze in it. But that's not what the Dr. Oz program led the audience to believe. There was no mention of the ingredient providing humectant properties to the ice cream or anti-freeze. It also turns out that the ingredient was FIRST used as a humectant for foods, therefore, it got the FDA approval. Again, just another little detail the good doctor left out.

I understand the need for good ratings, but sounding the alarm unnecessarily and leading the general public to a spurious conclusion? Don't be a tool.

Let's hope he doesn't cry wolf too often; ratings won't his only concern.