Diet Culture
Its easy to fall into the trap of ‘low fat’, ‘low carb’, ‘no sugar’, energy booster, brain power, focus, and become borderline obsessed with the alternative options.
We see an increasing number of marketing ploys through companies that outline their product with these labels, to entice you into purchasing them as the healthier option. What do we actually know about these alternatives, and why do we continuously look to the plethora of possibilities, rather than the real deal?
I was recently out doing my regular grocery shop the other day and needed to purchase some coconut oil. I was met with 20 different options of coconut oil, though one struck my mind in particular. Without mentioning brand names, I came across one coconut oil brand with three types of coconut oi. One promoted energy, another to promote focus, and the third to promote a kick start. Now when you turn to the ingredients list, all three products were 100% coconut oil… Nothing else.
The statistics on the marketing of these products is astounding. Now, should you look at the selling margins and quantities, there is a distinct pattern for the ‘Energy & Exercise” being the most lucrative, above the other two. Never would I have thought, I would find the exact same product, with the exact same ingredients, labelled in three different ways, flying off the shelves as if they’re a god send product.
This is an ideal example of tactical marketing, and how influenced our society is. It all plays into the world of diet culture. Diet culture discussions have become more popular in recent years, according to experts, and social media is a key part of it. The latest promotion of a supplement powder, or vitamin, or a skinny tea. If you see a beautiful, young, energetic boy or girl promoting the product that they apparently use on the daily to look the way they look.. you’d buy it right?
So how do you know if you're making the right non-diet cultural choices when it comes to food or exercise? What we suggest, is asking yourself what your motives are and whether they fit into your food culture and your inner values.
When it comes to food, it could be because it gives you energy, you can enjoy a taste, it's a social event and you want to connect with your loved ones. This is a starting point to raise awareness of the reasoning you're using these alternatives, and it also helps you take a gentle, compassionate approach to food and exercise. If you are partaking in the ‘low fat’ trend because you think fats will make you bigger, check the sugar content. Typically, sugar is added into these options to ensure the taste is there. If you are going for the sugar free option, consider how much of these no sugar items you are consuming and why. A lot of the time, Aspartame is used (the sweetener) in replacement of sugar. Our bodies cannot necessarily process Aspartame, thus a very long story short, the chemical has a reaction with a glucose transporter called GLUT4. Researchers’ studies found that the artificial sweetener sucralose and aspartame commonly found in diet foods and beverages increases GLUT4 levels in these cells and promotes fat storage. With this being said, these studies were conducted in those who consumed excessive amounts. As for the lower Carb… my only question is why..
Why deprive yourself of the godly goodness of a donut here and there. Why deny the temptation of the finger lickin’ good KFC chippies when the cravings kick in. Why rob your soul of the truly Australian bangers and mash after some hard yakka.
What this article is about, is to open up some thoughts as to why we fall for these marketing tricks in this world of ‘diet culture’. Next time you find yourself purchasing these items, purely because Joe blow down the road told you its better for you, have a think about what you are trying to achieve and what your motives are, and re-assess.