Nutrition Labels: What to look for.

I was browsing over Fitness magazine and found this. It was helpful for me so I thought I would share

Critical Reading by Danielle Solari

Just 21 percent of people regularly check food labels before making a purchase, according to research. " Most look only at the calories and total fat grams, but that doesn't tell you whether a food is truly healthy," says Kathie Swift, R.D., nutrition director for the UltraWellness Center in Lenox, Massachusettes. Here's what does.

*Saturated Fat. Look for products that are low in saturated fat. Most fat in your diet should be heart-healthy mono- or polyunsaturated.

*Sodium. Choose foods with a sodium level that's less than double their calorie count. For example, if a can of soup has 250 calories, it should have no more than 490 milligrams of salt.

*Fiber. Buy foods with at least 2.5 grams per serving to keep you full.

*Sugar. Eat no more than 40 grams of added sugar daily-the amount in one can of cola. If you see "high-fructose corn syrup," "honey," "brown-rice syrup," "agave" or "fruit sweetener" on the label, the food contains added sugar.