Fruits Are Good for Your Health? Not So Fast

We all know that eating fruits and vegetables, and fish can be good for our health, but a couple of companies took the marketing of supposed health benefits too far, according to the Food and Drug Administration.

Two companies that make and distribute juice concentrates, soft fruit gel capsules, fruit bars, dried fruits, liquid glucosamine, and salmon oil capsules have agreed to stop claiming they can "cure, treat, mitigate or prevent diseases," according to an FDA injunction signed by the companies' executives.

Brownwood Acres Foods Inc., Cherry Capital Services Inc. (doing business as Flavonoid Sciences) and two of their top executives signed a consent decree to that effect. Basically, the FDA contends these companies went too far in selling the health benefits of their products. Statements like "Chemicals found in cherries may help fight diabetes" crossed the line because their foods had not been approved as drugs or meet other legal standards, according to the FDA. Beyond that, the companies allegedly set up at least one bogus Web site and referred customers there to find apparently independent, but unproven, claims about the health benefits of their products.

“The FDA will not tolerate unsubstantiated health claims that may mislead consumers,” said Margaret O’K. Glavin, associate commissioner for regulatory affairs. “The FDA will pursue necessary legal action to make sure companies and their executives manufacture and distribute safe, truthfully labeled products to consumers.”

It's another case of buyer beware. On the one hand, this shows that the FDA can and does crack down on fraudulent labels, but it also shows that bogus claims are out there. Warning: Trying to stay healthy can be hazardous to your psyche.

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