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2.3 LEARN HOW TO READ FOOD LABELS - SUPERMARKET DISCOUNTS

Understanding labels is critical. As I point out, package designs are often deliberately misleading. By reading the labels, however, you can make wise decisions.

The ingredients must be listed (often in very small type) in the order of quantity. So, a beef stew that lists "potatoes, carrots, beef" has more potatoes and carrots than beef.

The new uniform labels allow a better product comparison of fat, saturated fat, sodium etc. However, always check that the portion size is identical for the same type of product. A smaller portion will look better.

The words "enriched" and "fortified" also can be confusing. "Enriched" means that the producer put back something that got taken out in the processing. "Fortified" means they added something new.

When comparing a store brand food to a name brand product, look at the uniform label plus the ingredients label. If these two are the same and the ingredients are in the same order, it's a good bet that they are very similar. In this case the store-brand is probably the better buy.

With drugs, compare ingredients. Again, if you read the same ingredients in the same order as on the national brand, they should be comparable.

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