Don't Be Fooled by Food Labels

"Natural" sounds healthy, but it can mean a lot of things.

The FDA says a package can say this if the food inside doesn't have added color, artificial flavor, or man-made ingredients.

The USDA lets meat, egg, and poultry products be called "natural" if they are made without artificial ingredients or changed too much during processing.

But these foods can still be packed with calories, fat, sugar, salt, and carbohydrates, so be sure to read the ingredients. Then compare to others to make the healthiest choice.

No matter how it's spelled on the box, jar, or bag, "lite" or "light," means it has: 

-- Either 1/3 fewer calories

-- Or 50% less fat compared to the regular version of that same food

So it can be a healthier choice. Just beware: Sometimes light versions of food have extra salt or sugar to make them taste better. Read the nutrition facts and ingredients list carefully.

"Free range" or "free roaming" means that chickens or other poultry are able to go outside if they want to. According to the National Chicken Council, most chickens like to stay close to their food and water -- which is usually inside.

When a product claims it's "made with" whole grains, fruits, or vegetables, that doesn’t mean there has to be a lot of it in there. The actual amounts of those healthy ingredients can be pretty small.

So how would you know if your fruit bites are mostly fruit or mostly sugar? Check the ingredients list to make sure fruit is one of the first ingredients you see on the list.

In general, words on the front of the package are often just marketing claims. Information on the nutrition facts panel and ingredients list (usually found on the side or back of packaging) are the best way to tell if something is a healthy choice.

"Fortified" "added," "plus," "enriched," and "extra" all mean the same thing. Extra vitamins, minerals, or other nutrients have been added. You may be most likely to see this on bread or other packaged foods.

These foods can be healthy, but sometimes they aren't smart choices. Just because cookies and chips have added nutrients doesn't mean they're healthy snacks!

There are rules for what "sugar free" and "no added sugars" means. But "low sugar" and "lightly sweetened" are marketing terms used by companies to suggest that products don't have much sugar. They aren’t regulated by the government. Check the label to see how much sugar you’re getting.

You might see this on a package label to brag about how much fiber or calcium a food has in it.

In reality, this marketing language just means that one serving of the food has to have 20% of the daily value of that nutrient.

Foods labeled "USDA organic" are made under specific guidelines.

It may give you peace of mind knowing that:

-- Fruits and vegetables are grown without most pesticides or fertilizers.

-- Animals are raised without antibiotics or hormones and have room to graze.

But there's not a lot of research that shows organic foods are more nutritious than non-organic foods. Also, packaged, processed organic foods can still be high in calories, saturated fat, and added sugar. Fresh foods are usually the best choice.

It's confusing, but if a label says "zero" trans fats, it can still have as much as 1/2 gram per serving. So if you eat a few servings, it can add up.

Trans fats are the most unhealthy fats. They can raise your bad cholesterol and boost your chances of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.

When you pick a food to eat, check the label for saturated fats, too. They can raise your cholesterol and often have a lot of calories.

A food can say "made with whole grain" or "rich in whole grain" even if whole grains aren't one of the main ingredients. It could have lots of refined grains, too, and just a sprinkling of whole grains.

Instead, look for the Whole Grain Stamp on the package. That means one serving of the food has at least half a serving of whole grains. Also, look for the word “whole” before the name of a grain on the ingredients list. An example is "whole oats." The closer the ingredient is to the beginning of the list, the better.

Food companies add stuff to packaged foods all the time. Some things make them taste better. Some make them look better. Some make them last longer.

This term may make you think that nothing artificial or natural was added to a food. But there's no official definition and no group making sure the claim is true. So, as usual, it's best to check the ingredients list to find out what's in your food.

This term is regulated and not just hype.

-- "Low fat" means 3 grams of fat or less per serving.

-- "Low calories" means 40 calories or less per serving.

-- "Low cholesterol" means 20 milligrams or less per serving.