By Laura Colarusso
Learn Your Labels
The cereal box or soup can on the shelf of your local mega-mart says the product's "all natural," but how do you know you're making a wholesome decision? Reading food labels can be a daunting task these days given the wide variety available to consumers. With complicated ingredients that are difficult to pronounce, let alone understand, the grocery store can seem like a minefield. One wrong move and you've fallen into a dietary dilemma you've been trying to avoid. Here are some tips to keep you focused from the cereal aisle to the frozen food section.
Portion Patrol
The first thing any savvy shopper should do is to get familiar with portion sizes. "Every time you pick up something, find out what constitutes a serving," advises Linda Van Horn, a registered dietitian and professor of preventative medicine at Northwestern University. "One package is not necessarily a serving." Consider this: an 11-ounce can of soup might have up to 2.5 servings. If you eat the entire container, you're also multiplying the amount of sodium, fat and sugar by the same factor.
Short-Order Labels
Generally speaking, the shorter the label, the better the product is for you. "The more processing you do to a food, the greater are the number of potential detractors from the natural goodness of that food," says Van Horn. "It's rare that a processing of a food is going to considerably advance or enhance that food." Look for foods with ingredients you can pronounce. Phrases like disodium guanylate, hydrolyzed corn protein and polysorbate 60 generally mean the manufacturer has had a heavy hand in preparing the food.
Top of the Line
Pay attention to what's at the top of the list of ingredients, advises Elisa Zied, a registered dietitian from New York City and author of 'Feed Your Family Right!,' a book about making smart food choices. The first few ingredients make up the majority of what's in the product and, conversely, those ingredients listed toward the end comprise a small fraction of the food. Sports drinks and cereal products that list high fructose corn syrup as the first or second ingredients are full of sugar. If salt is near the top of the list, you know you're getting a large dose of sodium.
A Natural Debate
Organic vs. All Natural -- The great debate: What do they mean and which is better for you? To be certified organic, a product must meet strict federal standards that dictate how the ingredients are grown, handled and eventually processed, according to the USDA. If you want to buy organic make sure the packaging says it's been certified by a reputable source. The term "all natural," on the other hand, is not defined by law so manufacturers can use additives such as synthetic flavorings or dyes in the product.
Naughty Nitrates
Speaking of additives, there are some preservatives that you definitely want to avoid. If you see a label that has nitrates or nitrites anywhere in the list of ingredients, stay away, says Van Horn. Nitrates and nitrites are usually found in lunchmeats and are also used in meat processing. In high doses, these additives can be carcinogenic, which means that eating large amounts of prepared meats could be hazardous to your health for many reasons.
Low-Down Labels
There is always a catch when a label proclaims the product is fat-free or low-carb. Whenever they take fat or carbs out, they put something else in, says Dee Sandquist, a registered dietitian with the Southwest Washington Medical Center in Vancouver. With low-fat and fat-free foods, manufacturers tend to add more sugar to make the product more appetizing. Low-carb foods generally have a higher fat content. So either way, you're still packing on the calories. That's especially true when you eat more because you're not as satisfied as you would be if you just sprang for a small portion of Ben and Jerry's. "Just because a product says low-carb or low fat doesn't necessarily mean it's a great choice for your diet," Sandquist notes.
Bread Gone 'aRye'
Whole wheat breads are another area where even the most conscientious of shoppers might get caught in a trap. While many look to these products as a way to increase their fiber intake, what you should be looking for is whole grain breads, according to Sandquist. "Bread labels can be deceiving," she says. "Whole wheat could just refer to a flour, which doesn't have as much fiber." Whole grain breads still have the kernel or bran part of the seed, which translates into more fiber in your belly.
Trans-Fat Tell-All
Despite the recent uproar about the health effects of trans fats, they're still used in food products to increase shelf life and as stabilizing agents. Don't be fooled by packages that say 0 trans fat. By law, a serving can have up to .5 grams of partially-hydrogenated shortenings or oils and still claim the product is trans fat free, according to Sandquist. So you have to double-check the ingredients list. "If you're eating the serving size, you don't need to worry too much," she says. "If you're eating more than the serving size, then it will accumulate."
Can Fat Be Good?
Keep in mind that not all fats are created equal. While it's important to keep track of total fat consumption, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats have health benefits and help fight cardiovascular disease. Saturated fats, which are found in a wide variety of products ranging from cookies to frozen dinners, are the ones to look out for because they'll raise your cholesterol level and possibly lead to heart disease if not kept in check, says Van Horn.
