Vegetable Imposters

By Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom

We’re all looking for ways to boost our vegetable intake. With national guidelines creeping up regularly, it’s a challenge for most people to get even the minimum recommendation of five daily servings of fruits and vegetables.

We usually look for the name “vegetable” as a clue in daily eating, and this works for products like 100% vegetable juice or chunky vegetable soup. But beware of products that boast a vegetable in the name of the product when in reality that claim is far from the truth.

Check out these products you’ll want to avoid when it comes to increasing your daily veggie intake. 

Skip the bags of vegetable chips, with vivid photos of vegetables on the bag; while these chips are made from vegetables, they are usually deep fried and salted. Besides, potato chips are also a type of vegetable chip! 

Vegetable tortilla wraps, usually branded as sun-dried tomato (bright red) or spinach (deep green), have a very low vegetable content that mostly just provides color to the product.

Pastas with spinach and tomato in the name are similar to the wraps; they have deep color but only a hint of a vegetable. And skip the tricolored vegetable pastas that convey the message that you’re buying a more nutrient-dense pasta combination.

What other vegetable imposters have you found? Please share your thoughts.