>>SOUTHERN INDIANA — With so many all-natural, organic, low-fat choices in the grocery aisles today, finding a healthy meal option should be a breeze. Instead, such labels can mislead consumers into thinking they're choosing healthy foods that often aren't healthy at all.

“Marketing is very deceitful. Don't just take it at face value. You really have to turn the package around and read the ingredients label carefully,” said Amy Brown, a registered dietician and diabetes educator at Floyd Memorial Hospital.

Part of the problem is that the United States is at a disadvantage compared with countries such as Canada where labeling laws are tougher and more specific.

The USDA says that the 'natural' claim means that the food does not contain any artificial ingredients, coloring ingredients, or chemical preservatives,” says Susan Burke March, registered dietician and author of  “Making Weight Control Second Nature: Living Thin Naturally.” “But a can of iced tea can read '100 percent natural tea' even though the ingredients include high fructose corn syrup and lemon flavoring. That's not natural to me.”

The government does require products labeled 'low-fat' actually be low in fat, meaning they have no more than 3 grams of total fat per serving, Brown said. The problem is being labeled low fat doesn't mean it isn't high in sugars or other unhealthy ingredients.

One of the most common mistakes consumers make today is in their selection of grains. For example, shoppers often pick up multi-grain breads and cereals thinking those are the healthiest choices. The fact is multi-grain only means the product contains an undefined amount of different grains. Instead, choose “100 percent whole grain” and you'll get the whole grain nutrients like Vitamin E, fiber and magnesium.

“If you're interested in buying products without artificial colorings, flavors, excessive sugar and salt be sure the first ingredient on the label is “100 percent whole,” either wheat or other grain,” March recommends.

Another misconception is that all organic food is healthy, Brown pointed out. “Organic really just describes how it's grown, it doesn't mean it's low in fat or sugar or higher in fiber.

Watch for on labels are ingredients ending in 'ose' and 'ol,' Brown says, adding, “anything that ends in those letters means sugar and carbs.”

The FDA warns consumers to look for key words that can be deceptive: products can be 'fat free' but full of sugar and preservatives, 'reduced fat' often means increased carbohydrates, 'sugar free' often means full of artificial ingredients and 'no added sugar' may mean the product has entirely too much natural sugar already.

And sometimes, the labels are just falsehoods. Recently, the FDA sent warning letters to the makers of Juicy Juice and Organic All Vegetable Shortening, just to name a few, for misleading consumers with their labels.

While Juicy Juice All-Natural 100 Percent Orange Tangerine drink claimed it was 100 percent juice, it actually contains juice blends with added flavors, the FDA reported.  The organic shortening not only failed to disclose its significant levels of saturated and total fat, but also falsely claimed to be 'cholesterol free' and a 'good source of monosaturated fat,' according to the FDA.

The best bet is to use common sense (after all, jelly beans and cotton candy are no-fat but they're certainly not healthy choices), read the ingredients label closely, drink water and 1 percent or skim milk (which has the same amount of calcium without the fat) and choose plenty of fruits and vegetables in a variety of colors.

Some surprising foods often not healthy:

• Yogurt: Plain, low fat or nonfat yogurt is such a healthy food because it's a low fat source of calcium, vitamin D, magnesium and protein, but many manufacturers have loaded it up with excess calories by adding sugars, granola, nuts and more. Yogurt should have two ingredients, milk and live cultures, and no more than 10 grams of sugar. Fruit yogurts on the other hand often include high fructose syrup and up to 45 grams of added sugar.

• Tortilla and Taco Shells: Generally low in fat, made from corn or wheat, but read the ingredient label first because many brands are very high in fat, and are often made with hydrogenated fat or trans fat. Trans fat can raise bad cholesterol and lower good cholesterol.  Search out whole-wheat tortilla and taco shells made with canola or other vegetable oils.

• Instant oatmeal: We know not to choose sugary cold cereals but instant oatmeal is often no exception. Read the ingredient label first: some of the “maple” or other favors have more than 12 grams of sugar per serving. Buy whole oats instead and add in raisins.

• Granola: Granola may be “natural” but it's also a typically calorie-dense food full of oil and sugar. Stick with a high fiber, lower sugar cereal, and if you like granola, use as a topping on a yogurt and fruit parfait.

• Energy bars: Most bars are more akin to candy bars than nutritious snacks. The first ingredient is usually refined flour (not whole grain), then sugar, sugar, and more sugar, in a myriad of guises, including corn syrup, molasses, honey and more.

• Microwave popcorn: Popcorn is a great snack, but not when it's loaded with trans fat, artificial flavors and preservatives. Instead, use an air popper, and toss with some grated cheddar cheese for a heartier snack.

• Rice cakes: Although they're somewhat lower in calories than potato chips, rice cakes offer little in nutritional value and they're often are high in sodium and sugar if they're flavored.

• Reduced-fat peanut butter: Both regular and reduced-fat versions contain about the same amount of calories, but the reduced-fat version has more sugar. The healthier choice is actually the regular peanut butter because it's a natural source of the 'good' monosaturated fats. The best bet is a natural peanut butter that contains no added oils.