Become a food detective: read labels

The front of a package is marketing. The back is where the real story lives. I encourage every client to become a food detective, and it takes less than a minute per item.

What to look for:

• The ingredient list: ingredients are listed by weight, so the first three tell you most of the story
• Added sugar: it hides under names like cane juice, rice syrup, dextrose, maltose and fructose
• Serving size: check it before you compare numbers
• Length: a shorter list of words you recognize usually means a less processed food

Try this: on your next grocery trip, flip over three things you buy often. You may be surprised by what you find, and you'll know exactly which swaps to make first.