"Light" Foods May Contain More Than You Wanted

You have to read food labels really carefully to make sure you're not getting hoodwinked.

The Nutrition Facts labels on the b-side of your food packaging are deceptively simple. For instance, I was surprised to learn that the 20oz bottle of Faygo on my desk is supposed to serve 2.5 people. When was the last time you shared a bottle of pop with someone else? Merck offers this quick guide on how to read product labels. It's a start toward nutrient literacy.

Other sneaky stuff you might have missed
Products that claim to be "light" may have  1/3 the calories or half the fat of the original product, but that's just one accepted use of the term. "Light" can also refer to the taste, which often doesn't change the nutritional values at all. Look closely at the labels on both the original and the light version of the food and see for yourself if there's a difference.

If a product has less than half a gram of trans-fat per serving it can still be labeled "trans-fat free." Look at the ingredients list and look for the word "hydrogenated." If it's there, there's trans-fat in the food.

Here's more on how to understand product labels and stay healthy in spite of corporate duplicity.

- Stephen Carter-Novotni