Food Labels

If you find the crazy terminology and symbols on labels to be confusing and don't know what to buy, you're not alone. A 2008 study by the American Dietetic Association found that while 67% of consumers think nutrition and diet are very important, only 35% believe food labels are a credible source of nutrition information. Nutrition symbols developed by health organizations and manufacturers are more trusted than labels according to a study published in the journal Appetite.So what do they all mean, and are they even standardized? One major dilemma with the cornucopia of nutrition symbols is the number of shapes, sizes and colors they come in. In addition, the criteria may be different depending on the manufacturer.Below are some "Nutrition Profiling" systems used by various grocery chains across America.

1. Guiding Stars. This program originated by Dartmouth and the University of N. Carolina rates food by using stars. One star stands for good, two for better, three for best. Over 60,000 products have been evaluated and can be found at Hannaford's, Bloom, Food Lion and Sweet Bay stores.
2. Healthy Ideas. Healthy ideas was created by Giant Foods and Stop & Shop food markets by a physicians advisory panel and dietitians affiliated with Harvard Medical School. Foods not considered important nutrient sources are not rated. Symbols will appear on shelf tags at Stop & Shop and Giant Foods.
3. Nutrition iQ. This program initiated by Supervalu Inc. and the Joslin Diabetes Center utilizes color-coded shelf tag bars to identify foods that meet specific nutrient thresholds. An orange stripe indicates high fiber, while a purple stripe means low calorie. Look for these shelf tags at Acme, Albertson's, Jewel-Osco, Biggs, Cub Foods, Hornbacher's, Lucky Shaws, Star Market, Shop n Save and Shoppers.
4. Nuval. Nuval was designed by Yale University of Medicine and scores foods on a scale of 1 to 10. The higher score indicates higher nutrient content. This system is used at Meijer, Price Chopper, Hy-Vee and Giant Eagle.
5. Smart Choices Program. The Smart Choices Program rates foods based on nutrient thresholds. It was designed by a group of food manufacturers with input from the Keystone Round Table. Stores that sell foods made by Coca-Cola, Conagra, PepsiCo, Kraft Foods, General Mills, Kellogg, Unilever and Walmart will bear the symbol on their packages.

In the future, government-issued nutrition symbols may be developed for more standardized criteria..