What is Healthwashing?
Healthwashing is a practice in which something is made to appear more healthy than it really is, in order to appeal to people who are concerned about health issues. Many people use the term specifically in reference to foods, although any number of products may be healthwashed, from shampoo to household cleaners. This practice has been common in many points in human history, with the nature of healthwashing shifting as societies change. This term is closely related to “whitewashing,” a word used to describe covering something up or repurposing something to change its inner outer appearance in the hopes of hiding its inner nature. The “washing” in “whitewashing” has also been borrowed for “greenwashing,” a practice which involves making something seem more environmentally friendly than it really is. Healthwashing can be especially problematic because people are led to believe that things are healthy when in fact they can be harmful. One of the most common forms of healthwashing is misle
