Read Food Labels Carefully

By Deborah R. Huso

With the FDA poised to go after food manufacturers sporting misleading and sometimes downright false labels on their products, you may be wondering just what you’re eating. According to Bonnie Taub-Dix, author and national spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association, the only way to be sure you’re eating what you think you’re eating is to read the nutrition facts and ingredient lists -- and sometimes even those will lead you astray. For example, who knew that Kraft Macaroni and Cheese contains no actual cheese?

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What Are You Really Eating?

Kraft Macaroni and Cheese

This might be the most disappointing food labeling ever. What kid doesn't love Kraft Macaroni and Cheese? But did you know there actually isn't any real cheese in that famous blue box? Rather, it's made with "cheese products."

Morry Gash, AP

What Are You Really Eating?

Morry Gash, AP

Snackwells Devil's Food Cookie Cakes, Fat Free

Yes, they're fat free all right, and only 50 calories a serving. Sound too good to be true? It is. Snackwells doesn't even make it easy to determine a serving size, indicating a serving is 16 grams. The box has 12 servings and is just over six ounces. How good is your math? It means a serving is about two of these bite-sized babies. Good luck stopping that soon … if you even take the time to decipher the label. Taub-Dix says unrealistic serving sizes are the worst culprits in the world of misleading labels.

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Smucker's Simply 100% Fruit Spread

It's 100 percent fruit all right, if you consider fruit juice a "fruit." Marketed as good for you, this spread is actually about 30 percent strawberries. The rest is apple or pear juice. Tons of juices and snacks market themselves this way. Taub-Dix says the easiest way to spot a cheater is to read the "Percent Daily Values" section of the nutrition label. If you're seeing mostly zeros, real fruit content is slim to none.

Steve Senne, AP

Kellogg's Frosted Mini-Wheats

Maybe you grew up thinking Frosted Mini-Wheats were health food, but they're not. Yes, as the big green label on the box says, they contain a decent amount of fiber (though claiming to be an "excellent source" is a bit dubious) -- six grams per serving. But they also contain 12 grams of sugar, the same as sugary Fruit Loops, as well as high-fructose corn syrup. You're better off sticking to oatmeal or bran flakes.

Gerber Graduates for Toddlers Fruit Juice Snacks

If you think no one would be cruel enough to put false labels on baby food, think again. Contrary to the picture of oranges, strawberries and peaches on the package, these snacks are little more than candy. The only fruit in them is white grape juice from concentrate.

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Reduced Fat Cheez-It Baked Snack Crackers

You're not doing yourself any favors by choosing this option over the original Cheez-Its. These crackers may have less fat than the originals, but they still have the same number of calories -- and calories, no matter how you count them, still add the extra inches to your waistline. They're also loaded with sodium.

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Lay's Wavy Potato Chips with Zero Trans Fat

Think before you scarf down that whole bag of chips while sitting in front of the tube. "This is a big manufacturer loophole," says Taub-Dix. Food manufacturers can claim no trans fat if a serving size contains less than 0.5 grams of trans fat. Add half a gram of trans fat times a whole bag of potato chips, and you might as well just consume the real thing in moderation.

Corbis

Edy's Slow-Churned French Vanilla Ice Cream with No Sugar Added

Ah, another loophole. It's true. Edy's "no sugar added" ice cream doesn't have any added sucrose. But remember that sugar has many spellings. Edy's spells it this way: polydextrose, sucralose, maltitol syrup and various other chemical sugars that are still going to give you 100 calories in a tiny half-cup serving.

Wheat Thins Original

You could do worse, but you could also do better. Wheat Thins contain wheat in the form of "enriched wheat flour." For your health, choose a cracker made with "whole wheat flour" and minimal other ingredients. A good option is Triscuits, which are made with whole wheat, oil and salt.

Nicole Goksel, AOL

Kellogg's Eggo Nutri-Grain Pancakes

The box says they're made with whole grains, and they are … a little bit. But mostly, these pancakes are made with enriched white flour and high fructose corn syrup. If the first ingredient isn't whole grain, then chances are you're not getting much benefit.

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GSPORTS97 12:06:22 PM Nov 01 2009

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Blewbyufaster 03:36:18 AM Oct 30 2009 People like you need to be picked up and sent to Iraq as body shields for the solders and then used as fertilizer. If you got nothing else to say except for filthy crap then move to russia.

Ohringen 11:47:27 AM Nov 01 2009

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The above tastes horrible! I bought some the other day and it tasted like crap! You can tell there is no cheese in there period! it is not the same as we had 20 years ago...Nothing but cheap chemicals in there, Yuk!

Tomlinorbie 06:29:12 AM Nov 01 2009

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People worry to much about crap these days. Who cares if some of these products are misleading on the labels. They are still healthier than most other products. If you do not like the additives in your food then make it all from scratch and shut up about it. Seriously. It is common sense this stuff has additives. So make it yourself if you do not like it.

LadyPashta1 10:26:40 AM Oct 30 2009

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As for the mini-wheats, AOL 6 grams of fiber in one serving is a LOT of damn fiber, how could you say it isn't? We are supposed to get 20g in a whole day!

LadyPashta1 10:24:43 AM Oct 30 2009

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Lisamaria1977, I did too but realize that food manufacturers have CHANGED THEIR RECIPES and are using probably entirely different stuff in the same-named products that we ate as kids. REALLY!

NidGarc3 05:11:09 AM Oct 30 2009

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how cheesy can this get?!!!!

Blewbyufaster 03:36:18 AM Oct 30 2009

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Gdwordsmith1...I got your back, man. I read what that idiot, mhperr wrote...talking in circles out his arse. Another good example of our pres. did was have our coast guard stand down on the pirate situation holding a hostage, for 2 days...even though they had a clean attack plan, e.g. in their sights. Luckily for the hostage, he managed to escape and save his own life, because he definitely couldn't depend on Obama to save him. Obama's order was "do not fire unless you are fired upon". What's next...trying to pump up our civilization with monkey dna and mercury titling it a "swine flu vaccination pandemic" ...UNTESTED??? Oh, wait....he has already done that! I wouldn't doubt if "Dyna Corps" doesn't have him in their pockets! Our own pres. doesn't even have our backs.

Gdwordsmith1 02:52:55 AM Oct 30 2009

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mhperr, It is a shame you feel the need to bash the Rep. party and Bush who took out saddam, which should have happened years ago, and telling the world AMERICA IS AT WAR with terrorists and took that War to them. where it belongs. I am a Demacrat who is sick with the BS in our party and voted for Bush and would do it again. I served 3 tours, and lost 2 brothers serving my country, How many Loved ones have you lost?, Have you been up front taking shots and put steel up into the cavity of a POS , staring him in the eyes as he fades? I AM a PROUD American, and you can save your hate and crap for your own. STFU

Carriemb1978 02:46:28 AM Oct 30 2009

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This junk food is certainly contributung to our country's high obesity levels. I try to stick with healthy natural products that help me stay healthy. A friend recommended this site http://cli.gs/loseweightwithacaiberrydiet It really helped me to lose weight and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Melissamarie1977 02:40:33 AM Oct 30 2009

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LOL To the people say omg what are we feeding our children. I ate this as a kid and Im am not an obese 300llb woman lol This food has been around for a couple of decades at least its not a new invention. lol

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