"A juice a day keeps the doctor away". This variation on the well-known statement "An apple a day keeps the doctor away" seems like a harmless advertising slogan. But beware: it is a health claim and strict rules apply to it. 

What about health claims again? These are claims that imply a link between a food (such as dietary supplements or smoothies) and health. Examples are: "healthy" and "good for resistance”.

General health claims are allowed only when accompanied by a specific health claim. Here, only claims that appear on the list of permitted claims may be used. For example: the general health claim 'good for resistance' combined with the specific (and allowed) claim 'vitamin C contributes to the normal functioning of the immune system'. And also: 'good for the heart' with the specific claim 'the blend of sunflower, linseed and rapeseed oil naturally contains Omega 3 & 6 which is good for healthy cholesterol'. Read more about this last example under the heading "Small print can get you killed" in this newsletter.

"A juice a day keeps the doctor away" is a general health claim. The seller promoting his smoothies did not include a specific health claim in the advertisement. Therefore, the President of the Advertising Code Committee ruled (in Dutch) that the statement was in violation of the Claims Regulation (1924/2006) and the Advertising Code for Foodstuffs.

Be alert to claims that say something about health, and when making a general health claim, always use a specific claim.