The Truth about Food Labels

A hundred years ago, food was simple. People didn't worry about trans fats in their cheese crackers or artificial colors in their fruit snacks. They didn't have to--they were eating real cheese and real fruit. And food companies used to focus more on making food than on enticing people to buy it. That's why supermarkets are so daunting today: It's easy to make a false move, even when you're trying to eat healthy.

In the first half of 2010, supermarket ad spending increased by 19 percent over the first half of 2009. "The influence of marketing on what Americans eat has been gigantic," says Frederick J. Zimmerman, Ph.D., chairman of the health services department at UCLA's school of public health. "We tend to eat 'typical' meals, but marketers are the ones who define what that is." It's time to follow our own rules.

A New Kind of Food Label

Ignore the Packaging Billboards

Time for a turnaround. "The front of a food package is real estate owned by the manufacturer, whose goal is to sell you something," says Men's Health weight-loss advisor David Katz, M.D., M.P.H. Flip the package over to find the information you need on the one part that's well regulated by the FDA: the Nutrition Facts label.

Calories

A University of Minnesota study showed that 91 percent of shoppers often bypass the calorie count before buying an item. That's bad: If each meal exceeds your energy needs by just 170 calories, you can gain a pound a week.

Fat

Plenty of men still assume that if a food is low in fat, it's good for them and vice versa. Far from it, says Dr. Katz. A better approach: Seek out healthier omega-3 and monounsaturated fats to reap heart-health benefits.

A Fat MORE Dangerous than Trans Fat? 

Sodium

Some studies suggest that healthy men don't need to watch their sodium, but the more sodium a food has, the more processed it's likely to be. Rule of thumb: Don't buy foods with higher sodium counts than calories.

Protein

An average active guy should take in at least 115 grams of protein a day, says Men's Health weight-loss coach Alan Aragon, M.S. Plus, protein-rich foods keep you full longer, so they may help prevent overeating.

Serving size

"Don't assume the amount listed is an accurate serving size for you," says Chris D'Adamo, Ph.D., a nutritional epidemiologist at the University of Maryland school of medicine. Assess how much you'll actually eat, and judge the impact accordingly, D'Adamo says.

Fiber

The USDA recommends 38 grams a day for men. To reach that, be sure to eat grain products that contain at least 2 grams of fiber per 100 calories.

4 Ways to Cut Out Sugar without Realizing It

Sugar

We consume about 10 percent more caloric sweeteners today than we did 30 years ago, the USDA reports. In that same period, adult obesity has doubled. Coincidence? Keep the sugars below 10 percent of total calories--that's 2 1/2 grams of sugar per 100 calories, says Dr. Katz.