The Health Halo

Organic products may make us feel healthier, but that’s not all they can influence. This awesome food study from Cornell University tested what is now known as the “health halo” to see if people would rate the SAME foods differently just based on an organic label versus a regular label. With Brian Wansink on the research team, it’s no surprise that the trick fooled everyone. Participants were willing to pay 23% more for “organic” cookies and yogurt. Even more surprising, the fake organic label even influenced nutritional perceptions, as participants rated “organic” cookies and yogurt as tasting lower in fat and calories and cookies and chips as more nutritious. The only people who the halo didn’t blind were those already savvy to nutrition and health, so if that isn’t you, make sure you make your next purchase based on its actual nutritional value and not the label!