Antioxidant Advertising
Thursday, April 23rd, 2009 at 9:15 pm
Anyone seen this one yet? This is so funny: Jell-O with Antioxidants and “exotic goji berry flavor.” It’s sugar free too so don’t forget the aspartame!
While searching around for an image for this I found a pretty amusing review. The review link is here and I REALLY encourage you to check it out for a good laugh (especially if you listen to the mp3). Here is a portion of the review:
“The Raspberry Goji Jello contains the antioxidants vitamins A and E.
Oh, I remember a time when those two weren’t known as antioxidants. I can’t quite recall what they were called. Let me think for a moment. It’s on the tip of my tongue.
Oh yeah, that’s right, they were just called vitamins.
When did vitamins A and E become antioxidants? I thought antioxidants were scientific sounds things with names that are made up of ten or more letters, like polyphenols, flavonoids, and carotenoids. If vitamins A and E are antioxidants, then the Skippy Peanut Butter that contains vitamin E can technically be called Skippy Peanut Butter with Antioxidants and the fortified milk I drink that has vitamin A could also be called Fortified Milk with Antioxidants.”
I thought this was pretty amusing because 1) this person was definitely not fooled by such small and artificial amounts of three vitamins and 2) I’m just as guilty as the next raw food or superfood promoter saying antioxidant, antioxidant, antioxidant! HOWEVER, the thing is–I’m NOT just talking about minute amounts of vitamins A, C, and E. And I’m/we’re not just talking about 10% of the RDA either.
I think that anyone eating a high-raw diet is getting in a large dose of antioxidants in their diet as long as it is colorful and has plenty of greens. But I think that with superfoods such as gojis and algaes, we’re talking about an entirely different ballpark of antioxidant nutrition–medicinal, therapeutic amounts of antioxidants including phytonutrients like this reviewer is talking about. I think I need to introduce Marvo to superfoods and real goji berries–pronto!
The last thing he wrote was: “So it seems the raspberries and goji berries provide flavor, but no antioxidants, which is kind of deceiving.”
Umm..ya think? LOL :)
I think this sort of mainstream advertising is it a good thing though! People are becoming more and more attracted and receptive to antioxidants and their power. The health and wellness industry is only getting bigger and is predicted by Paul Zane Pilzer to be a 1 TRILLION dollar industry by the year 2010. Good news for anyone in the industry–whether you’re in Jello or a raw/organic/superfood company.
Here’s one more advertisement I saw in that same magazine about McCormick Spices and Seasonings:
“A teaspoon of flavor. Endless antioxidants.” “The McCormick 7 Super Spices are great sourcs of flavor as well as concentrated sources of flavor as well as concentrated sources of natural antioxidants.”
I love how they used the terms Super Spices and concentrated sources. The funny thing is that McMormick spices are irradiated so they’re no longer raw :( I think Frontier Spices has raw spices and seasonings available. Gotta love spices! (But I probably wouldn’t depend on them as an antioxidant source.)
What are some interesting advertisements you’ve seen lately using the superfood/antioxidant spin?
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