October 4, 2001

Prairie Fare: Are You Being Targeted?

By Julie Garden-Robinson, Food and Nutrition Specialist
NDSU Extension Service

Have you ever thought about how much advertising you encounter in the course of a day? Maybe you can tune out the slogans, but they’re hard to avoid. The messages start when you first wake up. If your alarm clock is set to a radio station, commercials – or boisterous morning show hosts -- nudge your groggy brain into awareness. In the bathroom, soap or toothpaste packages may carry labels that tell you they’re "new and improved" to gain your loyalty.

Newspapers and magazines are filled with ads. Do you tune in to a morning TV show? How many commercials do you see during the course of eating breakfast? Even your breakfast cereal box may tout the special ingredients it contains. If you drive to work, chances are you’ll encounter some billboards. If you use the Internet at work, you’ll find many of your destinations are loaded with advertising.

By definition, advertising is persuasive and informative "paid promotion" – and businesses, of course, need to market their products to stay in business. Advertising is meant to influence our purchasing behavior. It targets certain age groups, social classes and genders.

Women, especially those over 40, are currently being enticed to buy new food products designed just for them. The marketers are smart; they know that three out of four women do the grocery shopping. According to focus group research studies, women want to be informed and to be in control of their health and choices. They also want something to claim as their own and some time for themselves. And we women want chocolate, too, according to the focus group studies.

In response, food manufacturers have introduced breakfast cereals, energy bars, beverages, supplements and other products just for women. Are these products needed? That’s a decision that women need to make on their own, based on their budget and individual needs. But it’s important to think critically about the ads. Are there other ways to get the nutrients? Do the claims sound too good to be true?

A couple of health issues that women may not always think about are heart disease and osteoporosis. Women are much more likely to die from a heart attack than men, and heart disease is the leading cause of death among women. Products high in soluble fiber such as oat or barley-based cereals may help prevent heart disease. The products that contain enough fiber to make a difference – health-wise – are allowed to carry a health claim, so look for it on the food label. Eating less saturated fat and eating at least five servings of fruits and vegetables daily are good for your heart, too.

While women are more likely to have osteoporosis, or porous bones, men make up 20 percent of those with this potentially debilitating condition that affects about 10 million Americans. The yearly medical expenses related to osteoporosis are between $10 billion and $15 billion according to the National Osteoporosis Foundation.

Many new food products and dietary supplements have been developed to contain extra calcium which is needed for healthy bones. Not all the products, however, contain other important nutrients also essential to strong bones, such as vitamin D and magnesium. Be sure to check the label of the products to see if you’re getting all the essential nutrients.

You’ve probably heard the old slogan, "An apple a day keeps the doctor away." This "ad" has some nutritional merit, since apples are a good source of pectin, a soluble fiber that can help lower our blood cholesterol levels as part of an overall healthy diet. Here’s a recipe that appeared in a Marshall Field’s cookbook. It makes good use of the fruit of the season: crisp apples. This salad would make an excellent dessert, too.

Taffy Apple Salad

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
8-ounce can crushed pineapple
2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 egg
8-ounce carton whipped topping (lite, if preferred)
4 cups peeled and chopped tart apples (e.g. Granny Smith)
1 cup dry roasted peanuts, chopped

Mix flour, sugar, pineapple and juice, apple cider and egg in small saucepan. Stir over medium heat until thick. Refrigerate until cooled. Fold mixture into whipped topping, apples and ½ cup of peanuts. Sprinkle salad with remaining peanuts and refrigerate. A serving (one-tenth of the recipe) contains 225 calories, 11 grams of fat (mainly monounsaturated fat from the peanuts) and at least 2.2 grams of dietary fiber.

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Source: Julie Garden-Robinson, (701) 231-7187, jgardenr@ndsuext.nodak.edu
Editor: Tom Jirik, (701) 231-9629, tjirik@ndsuext.nodak.edu