The Dietitian-Approved Trader Joe's Items TikTok Can't Get Behind
Correction 8/1/22: An earlier version of this story stated that soybean oil could "possibly cause heart issues." Soybean oil contains polyunsaturated fatty acids, which are heart-healthy.
Dietitians and Trader Joe's just seem to go together. After all, as reported by Insider, the popular grocery chain is adored for its effort to stock its shelves with products that are good for you. With its reputation for simple ingredients and its range of organic foods, it seems only natural that dietitians would come flocking to review the store's items. And one of the best places to post reviews on Trader Joe's merchandise has become TikTok.
The social media app already has a lot of dietitians who review many of the internet's most hyped-up health products. In fact, many of the dietitians on the platform recently warned users against participating in the "healthy Coke" trend. So when registered dietitian Mia Syn, MS, RDN, posted another video to her list of "dietitian-approved Trader Joe's finds," viewers likely thought they would walk away with some new suggestions to grab the next time they visited a Trader Joe's location.
However, this time, three of Syn's five recommendations left users less than pleased — not because of the products themselves, but because a dietitian was recommending them.
TikTok didn't think these products should be dietitian-approved
A few of the Trader Joe's items shared by registered dietitian Mia Syn left TikTok users displeased, with many saying the products weren't health-friendly (via TikTok). The three items in question were Trader Joe's To the Power of Vitamin C juice, the vegan Buffalo-style dip, and the Greek chickpeas with parsley and cumin.
One person commented that while the juice provides Vitamin C, it would be better to eat actual fruit rather than a product of it. The Buffalo dip, on the other hand, uses sunflower oil (per Trader Joe's). Sunflower oil is not as nutritious as many people think, as the oil has been shown to cause inflammation. One person wrote, "Sunflower oil I love TraderJoe's, but why the cheap ingredients." And the Greek chickpeas use soybean oil, which contain omega-6 fats, per Healthline. The outlet notes that consuming too many of these fats could lead to inflammation.
However, while people expressed their unhappiness with the quality of product choices, one person came to Syn's defense, noting, "RD's try to promote balance. No food(group) is off limits."