5 Ways To Spot A Healthy Food

Think you know how to detect nutritious items at the market? Here's what you should really look for on the back label 

Don't Be Fooled
Food labels don't lie. But if you're one of the 60 per cent of people who rely on them to make healthy choices and you don't know what to look for, they can deceive. Before buying any food item check for following five things on its label:

Check The Servings
If one package doesn't equal one serving, multiply the nutritional information by how much you're going to eat—especially calories: Packaged meals should contain no more than 400; snacks shouldn't exceed 150.

Be A Serving Size Sleuth: Many bottled beverages contain 2 to 3 servings, so quenching thirst with a Snapple means you'll consume 300 calories and 69g of sugar. If you're trying to slim down, don't drink your calories; choose water frequently and enjoy a flavoured beverage as a once-in-a-while splurge.

Limit Bad Fats
Pick products with zero trans fat and low saturated fat—women on a 1,600-calorie diet need no more than 13g daily. Look at the labels especially for high-fat items like junk food, cheese, and some meats.
Be a saturated fat sleuth: Snacks like potato chips are notoriously high in saturated fats. When adding a side to your sandwich, opt for baked or whole grain chips instead.

Pick Low Sodium
Most people get far too much sodium, and up to 75 percent of it comes from processed foods. Full meals shouldn't exceed 500mg; cap your daily intake at 2,000mg. Be a sodium sleuth: Nothing packs on sodium like pretzels. In fact, eat two large sourdough pretzels, and you've just downed 480mg. So you don't max out, choose no-salt pretzels or brush some salt off the regular kind.

Fill Up On Fiber
Foods that contain 3g or more can help reduce appetite and cholesterol.
Be a fiber sleuth: Just a 1/2-cup serving of cereal for breakfast starts your day with 10g of fiber!

Go Beyond Sugar Grams
Some healthy foods, like yogurt, are high in natural sugar. If the number of grams seems high, make sure the ingredient list doesn't contain added sweeteners or high fructose corn syrup.
Be a sugar sleuth: When eating yogurt, choose brands that have 30g of sugar or less.