How to Interpret Food Labels and Shop Like an Expert

Food labels can be confusing, even for seasoned shoppers. Does "trans fat-free" mean guilt-free? Is "organic" more healthful? Not always, here is a guide that breaks down label lingo and shows how to detect misleading enticements.

Serving Size
Isn't a small package of cookies or a can of soup a single serving? No, one serving is whatever the numbers on the label say it is.
"You have to multiply the fat and calories by the number of servings listed on the label." That can of soup showing 800 milligrams of sodium… Check the label. With the blessing of the Food and Drug Administration, the manufacturer defines the amount as two servings. Mistaking it for a single serving will have you downing 1,600 milligrams of sodium, higher than the American Heart Association's recommended maximum of 1,500 milligrams for an entire day.
Take cereal, for example. "The serving size is one ounce, which is good information," "But what does one ounce mean?" A one-ounce serving of Grape-Nuts is 3 tablespoons; an ounce of Cheerios fills one cup. Unless you're measuring out cereal on a scale, it's hard to visualize what an ounce of cereal looks like.

No Sugar Added
This term doesn't mean sugar-free, as is often thought. The product may not have had sugar added during processing, but it could contain natural sugars that have the same number of calories. To know where your sweetener is coming from, check the list of ingredients for corn syrup, sorghum, maltodextrin, or anything ending in "ose" (like fructose).

Fat-Free
A product can contain up to 0.5 grams of fat per serving and still be called fat-free. But load up your plate and you could be consuming several grams of fat.
Moreover, "a lot of people associate 'free' with no calories, which is not the case," "One muffin could be fat-free, but could contain 600 calories and be loaded with sugar." So be cautious that "fat-free" food labels give consumers the impression that it's O.K. to indulge.

0 Grams Trans Fat
As with "fat-free," manufacturers can brand any product with less than half a gram of trans fat per serving with "0 grams trans fat." The giveaway sign is the ingredient list. If hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated fats are on it, trans fats are in the product.

Light
While this defines foods that contain no more than half the fat or sodium as their "un-light" version, it can also describe texture or color, such as light brown sugar or light olive oil. "Light olive oil is light in flavor, color, and has a lighter feeling in terms of texture, but has the same nutritional value as its counterpart," "You won't save calories by choosing a lighter oil."

Organic
This is called a "health halo"—a little-understood term that sends good vibes. As defined by the government, organic foods are produced without the use of synthetic pesticides or fertilizers and cannot be genetically modified. Whether the foods are more healthful and worth a higher price is another question. Many nonorganic products, like whole-grain bread and peanut butter, are healthful while organic chips and cookies may be loaded with fat, sodium, and sugar. When buying organic, "don't be fooled by the front of the package."

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