Food labeling

I have been reading much about the food labeling industry and the FDA. I found this great article from Health Educator. I have summerized here and also put in the folder for my Brick library followers.

Reading and understand the labels really is not that hard if you remember to look beyond the claims on the front.
NATURAL is not regulated by the FDA therefore it might be misleading. It means nothing about the nutritional content, safety or even ingredients. So be aware and read a little further.
MADE with real fruit does not necessary mean "real fruit". There is no law that says how much so it could even be a drop. Watch for fructose corn syrup and or sugar listed first which means it not good for you and you no better.
WHOLE GRAINS is the most popular claim now a days. A manufacture can claim whole grain no matter how much whole the product contains. Look for percentage preferable 100% and don't let the grams fool you.
FAT FREE might tempt you to think it is a healthier choice. Check the label for actual number of calories and fat grams.
ZERO TRANS fat which are suppose to be the bad fat. You can not trusts the claims for zero or the nutrition facts on this. Always read the ingredients looking for hydrogenated or partial hydrogenated oils. They can add up to food that is unhealthy.
Just try to remember to make food choices from whole, unprocessed sources like fresh meat, beans, fresh fruit etc. This will help with your health and your diet.