By: Maria McConville, MS, RDN, CPT*
Grocery shopping for healthy foods can be a daunting task given the vast number of choices. Food labels can make it even more confusing. When information and claims on labels are overwhelming, many people just avoid reading them. And if they do read the label, they might not understand what it says.The confusion is understandable since not all food label claims are reliable. For example, many labels say, “all natural,” but there’s no formal definition for that term by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The FDA does oversee many other health claims that can be used on labels for food and dietary supplements.
One label you can look for to help make healthy choices is the American Heart Association’s (AHA) Heart-Check mark. The red heart with a white check mark certifies food and drinks that meet or go beyond the FDA’s requirements for heart-healthy claims (see box for requirements). When you see the Heart-Check mark on a food label, you know those products have been put through an in-depth certification process.
Heart disease is still the number one cause of death in the United States—as it has been since 1950. Nearly ½ of American adults have high blood pressure, and many are unaware they have it. In addition to high blood pressure, risk factors for heart disease include high cholesterol, smoking, diabetes, obesity, unhealthy diets, lack of physical activity, and drinking too much alcohol.
To lessen these risks, read the AHA’s tips on building heart healthy habits, and look for products with the Heart-Check mark certification when you’re grocery shopping. The AHA website has a wealth of heart-healthy recipes and resources too.
- Total fat: less than 6.5 g
- Saturated fat: 1 g or less and 15% or less calories from saturated fat
- Trans fat: less than 0.5 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg or less
- Sodium: 480 mg or less
- Beneficial nutrients: 10% or more of the daily value of 1 of 6 nutrients (vitamin A, vitamin C, iron, calcium, protein, or dietary fiber)
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