You may have thought you could trust that green check mark on the front of your cereal and assorted food items in the grocery store but alas, you were misled by the marketing gurus for the food industry.

The Smart Choices logo began appearing on food packages this summer but immediately met with criticism from some nutritionists who felt its criteria were too lax. They pointed to sugary cereals, like Froot Loops, and fat-heavy products like mayonnaise, which they said should not be considered among the healthiest choices in the supermarket. The first ingredient in Froot Loops is sugar.

At Jumpstart, we encourage you to always read your nutrition labels whether it says “low-fat”, “nonfat” or “low-carb”. The irony is something that may be nonfat will probably be loaded with carbohydrates and vice versa. Remember to keep to something low carb, under 5g of fat and lower calories… Check out our recipe section for some innovative and delicious options from local restaurants.

For the full New York Times article, please follow this link: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/24/business/24food.html