The “Healthy Food” Label: Local or Imported Food?

This article was previously published in GNFI

The term healthy food seems to be becoming increasingly popular in public discourse. This can be seen in data from Nielsen showing that more than 70% of Gen Z consider it important to choose foods that support a healthy lifestyle. This trend is driven by the growing popularity of supplements and foods associated with mental health, energy, and digestive health.

Supermarket shelves are now filled with products labeled organic, gluten-free, and plant-based. Meanwhile, social media influencers often showcase foods like chia seeds and almond milk as symbols of a healthy lifestyle. This raises an important question: are foods labeled as “healthy” truly more nutritious, or are they simply more modern and expensive? Ironically, many local foods such as tubers, legumes, and traditional grains rarely receive the same recognition.

Healthy or Just Hype?

Think about it: why do chia seeds seem “healthier” than sesame seeds, or almond milk sound trendier than soy milk? This is where we begin to see that the healthy food label is not only about nutrition, but also about image and branding. Social media, influencers, and aesthetic packaging all shape our perceptions of what is considered healthy. There seems to be an unspoken narrative: the more imported, expensive, and modern a product is, the healthier it must be.

In reality, that assumption is not always supported by solid nutritional evidence. We may actually be trapped in a branding effect, where appearance and storytelling dominate more than nutritional facts themselves.

Studies show that emotional, social, financial, and quality-related values all positively influence the image and loyalty of healthy food brands, although social value alone does not necessarily determine consumer loyalty. This was highlighted in research by E. García-Salirrosas and colleagues (2024).

Local vs. Imported: Which One Is More Worth It?

Now let’s move beyond the hype and look at the actual nutritional content.

Quinoa is often praised for its protein and fiber content. However, brown rice is just as impressive, offering high fiber and a more stable glycemic index compared to white rice. Chia seeds are marketed as a superfood because of their omega-3 content, yet basil seeds—the kind commonly found in Indonesian iced drinks—contain similar nutrients. Almonds are widely promoted as healthy snacks, but peanuts are also rich in protein and healthy fats, while being much more affordable.

Nutrition expert Dr. Eny Palupi from IPB University explained that local foods such as vegetables and fruits are often fresher than imported products, which require preservation processes for transportation and longer storage periods. Local foods also support local farmers and reduce carbon footprints from long-distance transportation.

Another everyday example can be seen in plant-based dishes. In cafés and restaurants, menus like fresh garden salad with creamy peanut dressing or Asian-style peanut sesame salad are often marketed as premium healthy choices with relatively high prices. Meanwhile, pecel—a traditional Indonesian vegetable dish with peanut sauce—shares a very similar concept, but is more affordable, uses local ingredients, and has long been part of Indonesian food culture. The difference often lies not in nutritional value, but in perception, presentation, and social context.

From a pricing perspective, local foods are generally far more affordable than imported products, making them more economical for consumers.

Product	Local Price	Imported Price
Tomato Sauce (Bottle Packaging)	Rp10,000 – Rp15,000	Rp30,000 – Rp95,000

These price ranges show that imported products can cost three to six times more than local alternatives. Preparing food at home can also be more economical while giving consumers greater control over ingredients and nutritional quality.

In addition, local foods typically produce lower carbon emissions because they do not require long-distance distribution. Several studies suggest that consuming local foods can reduce carbon footprints by around 7%, while imported products may contribute up to 19% more emissions due to transportation, storage, and longer supply chains.

So, many local foods actually have highly competitive nutritional value. The difference is that they do not come in minimalist, aesthetic, or modern packaging. At the same time, they are more affordable and environmentally friendly compared to imported foods that are often expensive and generate larger emissions.

Truly Healthy or Just a Marketing Strategy?

For the food industry, the “healthy food” label has become a powerful marketing tool. Once attached to packaging, a product’s value can immediately increase. Products labeled organic, plant-based, or low sugar are often sold at significantly higher prices—even though they may not be substantially different from simpler alternatives. This is where health itself becomes commodified.

As consumers, we need to return to the principle of being wise and critical when purchasing food. We are easily influenced by the halo effect: green packaging, leaf illustrations, or endorsements from fitness influencers automatically make us assume a product is healthier. Yet without carefully reading ingredient lists or checking sugar and salt levels, we may simply be buying into a narrative rather than actual nutrition.

Therefore, as young people, we need to think more critically and avoid being overly influenced by packaging and branding. Truly healthy products are not necessarily represented by green labels or trendy aesthetics, but by transparent nutritional information and honest production practices.

In fact, one of the easiest ways to support healthier and more sustainable consumption is by buying directly from local farmers, where we can see firsthand how food is grown and produced.