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When is a carrot not just a carrot? When it's a "twisted citrus-glazed carrot".
New research shows that when vegetables are described in new and exciting ways, diners tend to choose these healthy foods more often.
The findings were outlined in a research letter published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine.
Getting people excited
One nutritionist wasn't surprised by the finding.
"Ask a dietitian and they will tell you a positive eating experience is one where people are making healthy food choices that they are also excited about," said Heather Seid. She helps manage clinical nutrition at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City.
It's important that companies, especially, focus on making healthy eating choices accessible and affordable, Health24 reported in a previous article. Cafeteria menus need to be in line with the South African Food-Based Dietary Guidelines or be developed together with a registered dietitian.
"Healthy' misconception
"People sometimes consider 'healthy' foods to not be tasty or satisfying," she said. "However, this study found that when the language used for labelling vegetables is changed from 'healthy' terms to those with more 'indulgent' taste descriptions, people are more likely to choose them."
The Stanford University study was led by Bradley Turnwald and conducted in a university cafeteria. Each day, a vegetable was labelled in one of four ways:
- Basic. Just the name – beets, green beans or carrots.
- Healthy but restrictive. For example, "lighter-choice beets with no added sugar", "light 'n low-carb green beans and shallots" or "carrots with sugar-free citrus dressing".
- Healthy and positive. Terms like "high-antioxidant beets", "healthy energy-boosting green beans and shallots" or "smart-choice vitamin C citrus carrots".
- Indulgent. For example, phrases like "dynamite chili and tangy lime-seasoned beets", "sweet sizzlin' green beans and crispy shallots" or "twisted citrus-glazed carrots".
Even though the veggies' labelling changed, they were always prepared and served in the same way, the researchers stressed.
However, words had power. The Stanford team reported that "indulgent" labelling led to 25% more people choosing a vegetable compared with basic labelling, 41% more people than the "healthy restrictive" labelling and 35% more people than the "healthy positive" labelling.
Indulgent labelling of vegetables also led to a 23% increase in the sheer amount of vegetables consumed compared with basic labelling; a 33% increase in consumption compared with the healthy restrictive labelling; and a 16% increase compared with the healthy positive labelling.
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More studies could help show whether this type of labelling might work beyond the cafeteria setting, and whether the approach can "alleviate the pervasive cultural mindset that healthy foods are not tasty," the team said.
For her part, Seid said "it's exciting to have a study that illustrates people respond positively to small changes in the description of foods."
Dana Angelo White is a registered dietitian and clinical assistant professor at Quinnipiac University, in Hamden, Connecticut. She reviewed the findings and said they "highlight the fact that food is about more than taste and nutrition – it's about behaviour and perception."
"Words like 'healthy' or 'light' or 'no added' are still often associated with uninteresting food," White explained. So, more creative labelling might counter that, she said.
Read more:
The number 1 myth about healthy eating – busted!
