By Lindsay Buchanan (Florence, SC)  With so many pre-packaged food products readily available in grocery stores, it can be easy to overlook nutritional value in favor of ease.

But for those trying to incorporate healthy food choices into their diet, like the contestants in Florence’s Biggest Loser, education about label reading and areas to avoid in the grocery store can be an invaluable way to avoid easy pitfalls.

These were the lessons a number of contestants learned last week during a grocery shopping field trip with McLeod Health and Fitness Center dietician Kitty Finklea.

Finklea is the first to admit that anyone can be susceptible to falling into the trap of splashy marketing on products.

“The two times I make the biggest mistakes in grocery stores are when I’m hungry and when I’m rushing,” she said.

That’s why it’s so important to have a plan before entering the store, Finklea said, along with adding some basic label reading knowledge to the healthy lifestyle toolbelt.

Finklea’s main tips include:

•  Stay out of the store when you’re physically hungry.
•  Find healthy products that taste good to you.
• Shop from a list.
• The outer perimeter of the store usually contains foods that are less processed and a better source of healthy items.
• When comparing food labels, pick no more than two or three items.

Since comparing labels can be confusing, Finklea said it’s good to focus on just a few of the most important areas: ingredients list, calories, protein, fiber and sugar.

Reading the ingredients list first can often help eliminate unhealthy products right off the bat. Ingredients are listed in descending order of predominance and weight, and can often tell a better story than the fancy marketing on the front of the box.

Many products may advertise a healthy ingredient on the front of the box, only to turn it over and find out that ingredient is one of the last listed — therefore only present in a small quantity.

“If you can’t pronounce the majority of the ingredients in the food product, that is a warning,” she said.

Another pitfall can be things that appear healthy, such as cereals that already have fruit in them, but in fact are coated with sugar. Finklea suggests buying a healthy cereal and then adding your own pure fruit to it to avoid the added sugar.

Sticking to a suggested calorie intake by counting daily calories and increasing protein and fiber to feel more full are also all ways to incorporate healthy changes into your diet, Finklea said.

EXTRA:  INGREDIENT WATCH LIST

• Hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated fats = trans fat (artery clogging, inflammatory)
• High fructose corn syrup
• Endings to beware of: glyercide = fat, OSE = sugar, OL = sugar alcohol (can cause bloating, diarrhea),
• Words you don’t understand might be preservatives or additives — look them up to be sure!
• Remember, the front of the package will seduce you with marketing gimmicks — flip the container to the Nutrition Facts Panel.

Read the full article here at SCNOW.com!