Back label tells you how healthy the food is

The road to health is paved with good intentions. Unfortunately there are potholes, with one of the biggest being the health halo.

When a food package is labeled reduced or fat free, gluten free, no GMO or made with whole grains or organic, it implies goodness. That is a health halo.

But tucked inside could be unwelcome surprises. Consider the nutrition facts label on the back of a product a contract between the food and your stomach. I have decades of food experience and I am still reading labels, particularly the fine print.

Last week, while shopping thirsty, I picked up a green drink that looked interesting. Green implies vegetables. Reading the label, I saw the first three ingredients were apple juice, mango puree and pineapple juice. (The ingredients that are used the most are listed first.) Reading further, I found the greens: Spirulina, alfalfa, broccoli, kale, parsley, and wheat grass rounded out the ingredient label.

A 16-ounce portion of this beverage had 280 calories and 56 grams (14 teaspoons) of naturally occurring sugar. I did the math and 80% of the calories were from sugars in fruit juice. This green drink had no fiber and only 10% of daily potassium.

Drinking fruit juice in moderation is fine, but this drink does not provide the benefits of eating a serving of green vegetables.

My husband cannot watch a movie without popcorn. It’s a whole grain — think health halo — and a great snack if you pick the right box.

I found two types of popcorn from the same manufacturer. One had 170 calories, 12 grams of fat and 5 grams of saturated fat — the same amount of saturated fat found in a 3-ounce hamburger! The other popcorn had 120 calories, 2 grams of fat and .5 grams of saturated fat.

The American Heart Association recommends about 13 grams of saturated fat a day — the first popcorn would be almost half of that! Read past the claims and get to the fine print for accurate guidance.