The American Heart Association’s (AHA) heart-check mark that
has been on grocery-store products for 17 years is now extending to the
restaurant industry, with a certain sandwich chain paving the way.
Last month, Subway became the first restaurant chain to
participate in the AHA’s Heart-Check Meal Certification program, a two-year
pilot program in which menu items that meet the required nutritional criteria
can display the AHA’s Heart-Check mark.
“Subway is very proud to be the first restaurant chain to
receive this certification,” says Lanette Kovachi, R.D., senior corporate
dietician at Subway. “We look at this as a third-party endorsement and as an
extra opportunity to educate consumers regarding healthier options. It’s not
just us telling our customers that we have healthier choices; now it’s the AHA,
a trusted organization, delivering that message”
The program is based on various nutritional criteria,
including limits for calories, total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, trans
fat, and sodium. It also includes a minimum level of one of six beneficial
nutrients. Subway qualified by fortifying breads with nutrients and fiber,
setting strict calorie and fat criteria, reducing sodium by nearly 30 percent
in FRESH Fit sandwiches, removing artificial trans fats, and offering a large
variety of sandwiches that are low in saturated fats and cholesterol.
“Most consumers are uncertain what most certifications mean,
but find them reassuring and positive elements on packages if they are relevant
to the category or brand proposition,” Greg Prang, senior ethnographic analyst
at the Hartman Group, a Bellevue, Washington–based consumer insights firm. “Placing certifications next to menu
items can help to extend a halo of healthfulness for a foodservice
provider. So in the
consumer’s mind, adding a heart-healthy symbol just works to extend the health
halo (image is everything…), since freshness is a cue to
healthfulness.” [1]
I can still remember the Subway ad campaign from several
years ago that featured a man named Jarrod who lost around 200 pounds by eating
strictly from the Subway menu.
It’s important to note though that Jarrod cut his daily calorie
consumption from 10,000 to 2,000 per day.
This is the reason for the weight loss; portion control! Subway just benefited from his story.
It must be pointed out that only a limited portion of the
menu meets the AHA Heart-Check criteria.
You can still make poor choices at Subway, but in their defense at least
they give you decent options if you are in a pinch for food. The main reason the Fresh Fit menu is a
positive in my mind is that it creates awareness about how much you are truly
eating. I think most people would
be overwhelmed if they knew how many calories they consume when eating outside
of the home. In fact, I
conducted a real world experiment with a few teenage athletes a few years
back. Before I leave the topic of
Subway if “fresh” means you get your avocados from a plastic tube, than yes,
Subway has “fresh” food.
On the topic of eating out we recently returned from a
vacation on the west side of the state, Traverse City in particular. I have become fascinated with
what is known as the farm-to-table restaurant. The idea is that the chef and his staff source most of their
raw ingredients locally from farmers and artisans (cheese and bread makers for
example). On the west side of the
state (Traverse City, Grand Rapids, Fennville) this philosophy is much more
prevalent than it is in southeast Michigan. Access to an abundance of farm fresh food is the primary
reason but it is also a point of pride as well. I won’t get into to much depth here but even after that
experience the best and most nutritious meals are the ones cooked in your own
home with ingredients you purchase from the farmer’s market and pick from your
own garden. I say this due largely
to the sheer volume of the restaurant business. They are limited in their ability to serve 100% fresh local
ingredients that are prepared with care and attention. Some places come very close, in fact I
am going to start a new blog committed to the subject, but it’s never as good
as traditionally prepared home cooking.
With the increased popularity of farmer’s markets and
locally sourced food it’s apparent that the quality of the food we consume is
important to us.
To prove it, research firm Mintel recently released a study
showing that just over two-thirds (67 percent) of Americans choose healthier
foods to stay well.
"Consumers are more aware than ever of their own
nutritional deficits and what poor eating habits can do in terms of their
long-term health," says John Frank, category manager of CPG good and drink
reports at Mintel. "As a result, today's consumers are seeking out healthy
food with greater urgency. However, skeptical or confused consumers aren't
likely to pay a premium for healthier food, making it hard for manufacturers to
justify investment in nutritional/ingredient upgrades."
Some 31 percent of consumers choose healthy foods to lose
weight and 30 percent do so to maintain weight. Mintel's report shows that the
fact that these percentages are fairly similar across all age groups
illustrates how widespread the interest in healthy eating is.
This creates a growth opportunity for retailers, as they can
create their own private label versions of healthier products to generate
higher profits, fill a growing need of consumers, and also reinforce a
retailer's identity in the marketplace.
Based on Mintel's research, as age increases, so does the
likelihood that adults are maintaining a mostly healthy diet. Nearly half (48
percent) of Americans 65 and older say they pay close attention to how they eat
compared to only 32 percent of 18-24-years olds. Nearly one-fourth (24 percent)
of the 65 plus age group (the highest percentage of any demographic) say they
do not exercise at all. This could be a principal reason for their healthier
eating habits, as that is their main way of controlling their weight and
health.
"Younger adults generally still feel invincible and
have a more naturally active metabolism, making it easier to maintain their
weight," Frank says.
Mintel research also reveals that women tend to think that
they know what's good for them more so than men. Sixty-seven percent of men
think themselves as a good judge of what healthy foods are versus 76 percent of
females. Perhaps that's because 64 percent of women say they read nutritional
information on products, while only 56 percent of men do the same. It also
appears that Americans are trying to create healthier children, as 67 percent
of women and 57 percent of men claim to eat healthy food more often to set a
good example for their kids. [2]
Eating out is a wonderful social exercise and if you are in
a pinch getting a decent sandwich from Subway is a better option than getting a
bucket of KFC with biscuits for dinner.
That said, home cooked meals prepared with seasonal ingredients are the
ideal way to deliver great tasting food and robust nutrition to your family and
friends!
This is What Happened
To Jarrod…
Resources:
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