Ginger, protein, collagen: the health claims leading you down the garden path
Smoothies, protein puddings, collagen powder, yogurt and ginger shots claim to be health products. Here’s what they actually do.
These days, wandering through the supermarket sometimes feels like you’ve accidentally popped into the pharmacy. You’re bombarded with health promises from every angle: fruit with miraculous anti-ageing properties here, immune-boosting products for winter there, and perhaps even a muscle-builder to give you an extra boost of strength. You might feel pretty good about tossing one or two of these items into your shopping trolley. Once you take a closer look at the nutrition information labels and actual research findings, however, the healthy image these top-selling products enjoy crumbles dramatically.
Here are five examples of flowery marketing overtaking nutritional reality.
1. Smoothies: the liquid blood sugar rollercoaster
Fruits and vegetables are healthy. So shouldn’t you be able to just toss them in the blender and get a healthy drink packed with vitamins? There couldn’t possibly be a catch to this, could there? Well, as you’ve probably guessed, of course there is. It’s not the content of smoothies that’s problematic – it’s the way they’re consumed. When you drink calories, you confuse your body’s sense of its own fullness. Drinking a smoothie can mean downing two apples, two oranges and a banana in seconds, whereas eating all that fruit would take much longer and fill you up in the process.
When you puree fruit, you also break down the structure of the dietary fibre. This makes the fructose it contains enter your bloodstream much more quickly – often at a rate of 10 to 14 grammes per 100 millilitres.
Source: Mesve79/Shutterstock
2. High-protein desserts: chocolate puddings in tracksuits
Protein is everyone’s favourite nutrient right now. Buying pudding, granola or yogurt emblazoned with the words «High Protein» immediately makes you feel that little bit healthier. However, according to the German Nutrition Society (DGE), this is yet another example of overhyping (page in German). In fact, we already get plenty of protein in our diets as it is.
Although the expensive protein puddings in the refrigerated section do contain the nutrient, they often come with a boatload of calories and sweeteners too. Some contain as many as 10 to 15 grammes of sugar per 100 grammes. At the end of the day, chocolate pudding is still just chocolate pudding – even if it’s been amped up with a little extra protein. If you really want high-quality protein, a simple handful of lentils or nuts or a portion of low-fat quark are healthier, more budget-friendly options.
3. Collagen powder: the pricey placebo
It feels like collagen has been the beauty industry’s «white gold» for quite a while now. Apparently, you simply stir a spoonful of it into your morning coffee, and hey presto: you’ll have firmer, fresher, wrinkle-free skin. Unfortunately, the terms science uses to describe it aren’t quite as glowing.
Source: Erhan Inga/Shutterstock
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has rejected claims that collagen powder improves skin texture and joint health – there’s simply no data to support them (page in German). Although studies gushing over marginal benefits keep popping up online, their methodologies are usually flawed.
4. Fruit-flavoured yogurt drinks: the liquid dessert
There’s nothing wrong with unsweetened natural yogurt in and of itself. It provides probiotic cultures and calcium, and the only sugar it contains is natural lactose. When it comes to fruity yogurt drinks, however, it’s a different story.
They’re more like sweet treats than healthy snacks. With 8 to 12 grammes of added sugar per 100 grammes, some of these little breakfast drinks easily cover half of your maximum recommended daily sugar allowance (about 25 grammes) (linked page in German).
5. Ginger shots: the spicy sugar rush
This one’s a classic impulse buy at the checkout: small, bright-yellow bottles that make it look as if you could simply drink your way through flu season and emerge unscathed. A glance at the ingredients list, however, delivers a swift reality check. Many of these much-trumpeted drinks should really just be called «apple shots» or «orange shots», given that they contain about 70 per cent fruit juice. On top of that, there’s usually some agave syrup mixed in, and just 18 per cent ginger at most.
Again, ginger shots’ biggest downside is their high sugar content: 14 to 18 grammes per 100 millilitres. For comparison, a glass of regular cola contains about 11 grammes. So basically, you’re drinking a spicy, overly sugary mini juice. And the scientific proof? So far, no valid evidence has emerged in support of the claim that ginger protects you from catching a cold.
Smart alternatives
These five health claims are more akin to wishful thinking than providing actual benefits. That said, none of the products mentioned are toxic. You don’t necessarily need to purge them from your diet completely either. But if you do continue to buy them, do bear in mind that they’re for enjoyment, not for health-boosting properties.
If you fancy trying some alternatives that’ll get you closer to your nutritional goals, here are a few suggestions.
| If you feel like having: | Try this instead: | Why? |
|---|---|---|
| Ginger shots | Natural yogurt with fresh ginger | Packed with nutrients, without giving you a massive fructose spike |
| High-protein snacks | Nuts, low-fat quark, pulses | A more natural source of protein, unprocessed, much cheaper and more filling |
| Fruity yogurt drinks | Whole fruits | No hidden added sugars, real fruit fibre |
| Collagen drinks | Getting enough sleep and wearing sunscreen | Evidence-based anti-ageing strategies that actually protect your skin |
| Smoothies | Whole fruits | Consuming fibre intact keeps you feeling full for longer |
Science editor and biologist. I love animals and am fascinated by plants, their abilities and everything you can do with them. That's why my favourite place is always the outdoors - somewhere in nature, preferably in my wild garden.
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