Three Things To Look Out For  

01.  Ingredients: How Many And What’s First?

The ingredient list is the first thing you should look for on a nutrition label! Is there added sugar, artificial sweeteners, highly processed cooking oils, or all of the above? Are there three ingredients, or is it an endless list of things you can’t pronounce? Many times you could be picking up a snack that claims to be healthy, just to find out that the first three ingredients are sugar, sugar, and sugar. Keep in mind that there are many names for added sugar that food companies use to disguise the sneaky product into their nutrition labels. Sugar, cane sugar, fructose, high-fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, honey, agave nectar, maple syrup, molasses, dextrose, maltodextrin, turbinado, and rice syrup—these are all the same thing, more or less. 

02. Serving Size Is Everything.

You may pick up a tasty snack and read the food label just to be pleasantly surprised at how low the calories are. But be careful with this trick, and always pay attention to the serving size. Sometimes food companies label their food using a serving size much smaller than what the average person will consume. If you aren’t careful, you could easily eat three to four servings worth of the calories you think you are eating.

03. Sneaky Claims.

Always check the label and ingredient list despite any health and nutrition claims on the front of the package. A product may claim to be “whole wheat” on the front, but the first ingredient could be “enriched wheat flour,” which is processed wheat flour. Also, when a product claims to contain “less” of something like fat or sugar, it means “less than the regular version of that product” and not necessarily a low amount of fat or sugar in general. This sneaky marketing tactic may give the impression of a healthier option, but the product could still be high in fat or sugar.