“…eat and drink, but be not excessive. Indeed, He likes not those who commit excess.”
(The Noble Quran 7:31)

As-salaamu ‘alaikum,

The above ad is shocking and it should be shocking, but do you think that it was shocking for someone who set eyes upon it in 1885 when it was published? Probably not!

The article below shows nine prime examples of advertisements (and a parody or two added as a statement of what we consume) way back when selling products as healthy and beneficial to your well being that we now know to be unhealthy and actually seriously injurious to your health. Flip through them and see for yourself how we were led astray by colourful adverts and bold solid lettering.

Judging from the amounts of rampant health issues which are brought on by just the food we consume, it seems that nothing has changed. We still buy into what corporations are trying to feed us through the labelling of researchers, doctors and scientists (or MOM!) As the advertisement for Nutella below illustrates, we are not far from 1885 when a mother would buy cocaine drops to ease the toothache of her 4 year old child. Regarding this Nutella image The Yale Rudd Centre for Food Policy and Obesity (please find their link below and see their full list of product realities) reported in January of last year:

“Nutella follows a common theme in advertisements, boasting natural ingredients and vitamin E as reasons to serve it with children’s breakfast meals. The website tells consumers that “the unique taste of Nutella® hazelnut spread continues to come from the combination of roasted hazelnuts, skim milk and a hint of cocoa” when in fact the first two ingredients in this product are actually sugar and palm oil. A single serving provides a whopping 21 grams of sugar, which is 140% of the added sugar that a 4-8 year old should have in an entire day.”

If there is one thing that you can never go wrong with it’s the gifts of the earth. Natural and organic food (which was basically normal food back in the day, but is now labelled as organic so that we can be charged twice as much for it) is not only healthy, but free of harmful chemicals and pesticides that are destroying our ability to metabolize normally, wreaking havoc on our immune systems and weakening our bones and organs. In a future where we may have to rely on our natural health and strength in the ever deteriorating state of the earth, isn’t it time to feed ourselves and our children simply and naturally?

Check out the article on “9 Good For you Ads” below!

http://www.oobject.com/category/9-good-for-you-ads/

http://www.yaleruddcenter.org/bestandworstfoodmarketingarchive.aspx?t=w