When is super not so super-duper and natural not the natural choice?

Its hard enough deciding which foods to throw in the grocery cart or pick from restaurant menus. Now health experts warn that common nutrition definitions can be exaggerated, misleading or false.

Called leanwashing by Austin-based EnviroMedia Social Marketing with input from public health and food professionals, their list of words to watch out for include made with and natural. Dr. Stephen Pont of the Texas Center for the Prevention and Treatment of Childhood Obesity, an adviser for the Leanwashing Index, says, When it comes to natural, dont forget all-natural sugar and cane sugar are added sugars that add empty calories to whatever you, or your kids, are eating.

The group doesnt like made with because it doesnt tell the consumer if theres enough of a healthy ingredient in a product to contribute a significant concentration of nutrients.

Term limits

Super food may be a super popular marketing term, but there is no legal definition. It usually refers to foods that contain an impressive concentration of a nutrient such as omega-3 fatty acids in salmon or a food thats one-stop shopping for a number of nutrients such as kales combination of vitamins and minerals. But be super careful about succumbing to super food claims.

Nutrition experts are all for portion control, but the Leanwashing Index warns against grabbing 100-calorie packs of snack foods without considering, for instance, a 100-calorie pack of baby carrots serves up more nutrition than 100-calorie packs of cookies.

Whole truth

The phrase whole grain continues to be wholly misunderstood by many.

Should you hold out for foods made with 100 percent whole grain? No, says Cynthia Harriman of the Whole Grains Council: The tricky part is most people get the majority of their whole grains by eating foods made with a mix of whole and refined grains.

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Why nutrition terms require careful look