Don't let the label fool you

When looking at your next purchase in the grocery store, I want you to be aware of some food labels that can fool you!

“Multigrain”  These foods have more than one type of grain, but here is the tricky part: Those grains could be refined, meaning their nutritious bran and germ have been removed. *Look for “whole grain” or “100% whole grain” instead.

“No Trans Fat”  There is strong evidence that trans fat increases the risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes. However, the manufacturer can use the “No trans fat” claim if a serving has less than 0.5 grams of fat. If “partially hydrogenated oil” is in the ingredients, the food has trans fat, period!

“Reduced Sodium”  To qualify for this term, a food only needs to have 25% less sodium than its regular version. For example, Swanson’s regular chicken broth has 860 milligrams of sodium per cup – the ‘reduced’ version has 570 milligrams – that’s about 25% of one’s maximum daily limit.  *Look for “low sodium” foods, which can’t have more than 140 milligrams per serving.

“Real”  This does not mean chemical-free or unprocessed. For example, “Real crumbled bacon” has smoke flavoring, preservatives, sugar and salts.

Take the time to read the labels – after all, we are what we eat!