By: Crystal Anderson

Fraud is a very serious offense, but one of the most common frauds is ignored on a regular basis by most in our community, food fraud. Wikipedia defines fraud as an intentional deception made for personal gain or to damage another individual. When companies market “healthy” food that isn’t really healthy, isn’t that fraud? They do so for personal gain, your purchase of their product. Let’s delve into this masquerade, shall we?

Fruit smoothies. Healthy right? Not necessarily. Companies market smoothies as “lighter” choices. These smoothies are usually nothing but glorified milkshakes, complete with as much as six tablespoons of sugar, and three hundred plus calories. When a burger with cheese is two hundred and fifty calories, what makes these smoothies lighter? Smoothies can be a great choice, IF you read the ingredients. They should be composed of real fruit, low to non-fat yogurt, and zero added sugar to be truly lighter choices. Fruit such as strawberries have natural sugar in them, so there shouldn’t be a need to add any additional sugar to the blend. For the best light smoothie, it’s best to break out the blender at home.

Diet Soda. It has diet in the name so it must be better, right? Absolutely wrong. In most cases, diet, or lite, drinks are actually more harmful to your body than the true beverage. Studies have been conducted on the true results of diet soft drinks. There is as much as a 41% increase in the risk of being overweight after drinking just one diet soda per day. Soda is definitely not on a healthy food list, as a “normal” can of soda increases the risk by 31%. Some studies even suggest that diet drinks trick your body into believing that calories are coming in, and when they don’t deliver, the body craves more. That, in turn, actually makes you crave, and eat, more calories than you would with a regular soda. It is best to cut soda out in its entirety, but if you must drink something carbonated, stick with natural sodas such as Sierra Mist Natural, Hansen’s, or Jones Soda. These natural sodas are made with cane sugar instead of high fructose corn syrup, and, as far as sodas go, are better for the body.

Caesar Salad. Salads are a great option for a healthier you, but before you cover the greens in dressing, read the label. Even a small Caesar Salad at a restaurant can contain upwards of 300 calories and an average of 40 grams of fat. Try dipping your fork into the dressing on the side and then spearing the salad greens. This tip can save your waist line by ensuring you aren’t using more than the serving size of dressing.

Diet Energy Bars. Meal replacement bars can be very helpful when trying to lose weight. Reading the label is doubly important when this is the only item on the menu for a meal. Some of these meal replacement bars have more than 500 calories and little vitamin content. When looking for a meal replacement, choose one that has a least 5 grams of fiber and less than 200 calories. Fiber is what keeps you feeling full longer. High fiber snacks will keep your body going longer with fewer cravings.

2% Milk Latte. Ordering your favorite latte with 2% reduced fat milk instead of whole sounds like a great way to thin the drink. The truth is a 12 oz latte with reduced fat milk still has more than 550 calories. A better choice would be to have that drink made with non-fat milk and no whipped topping. This change shaves off 130 calories and is 1/3 the fat content of a white chocolate mocha.

Multigrain. Multigrains are great things, but again, look at the label for all the important information. Some breads labeled multigrain are made with mostly refined white flour, which has been stripped of all the beneficial fiber and nutrients. When selecting a multigrain, looks for “100% whole grain” or high fiber products.

Light Olive Oil. This one seems the simplest of all. Light means fewer calories, right? What this actually means is the olive oil is lighter in color than the original.

This list is by no means all encompassing. There are plenty more food frauds out there waiting to be discovered. It is our job as consumers to know where the healthy items are and to make informed choices. The moral of this story is, read the label! Knowledge is power! Know what means healthy and what means nothing. Keep the sugar down, the fiber up, good multivitamins in your system, and we’ll see a healthier you in 2011.