1. Being a Wise Food Consumer

2. Food labels say more about food than you may realize. By knowing how to use them, you can be a smart consumer.

3. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) regulate food labels.

4. All labels on processed foods must state the following information. Processed foods are those that have been modified. Bagged/canned

5. Name of the food, including variety, style, packing medium and special dietary properties Net amount in weight or volume Name and address of the manufacturer, packer, or distributor

6. Ingredient listing Nutritional information Other information such as preparation instructions or nutritional claims is optional.

7. Nutrition labels indicated the nutritional and caloric content of foods. Serving size Servings per container Calories per serving Grams of Protein, Carbohydrates and Fat per serving Percent of US Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA) for essential nutrients These are based on an average diet of 2000 calories are for an entire day 5% or less is low 20% or more is high

9. Ingredient list give the ingredients by weight in descending order. Those in the largest amounts are listed first.

10. Another consumer concern is weight loss or nutritional products. At any given time, an estimated 60 million Americans are trying to lose weight.

11. Junk science is the term that refers to a "fuzzy" approach to the truth behind the claims. Often times the studies are old, done in another country, have not been repeated or reviewed by professionals.

12. Green Tea Weight Loss Green Tea Weight Loss Lose 13 lbs. every 2 weeks Natural miracle product, seen on TV www.green4tea.com www.green4tea.com Weight Loss Hypnosis CDs Strengthen Your Determination and Will Power to Lose Weight. Buy CD!

13. Many products are listed as dietary supplements and this allows them to bypass being approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

14. There are many weight loss products that will simply make your wallet lighter, but some can be dangerous.

15. For example Ephedra (ma huang) can raise blood pressure and lead to heart attacks or strokes, but it is an active ingredient in many weight loss supplements.

17. If it sounds too good to be true….then it is.

18. The Best Advice? Eat less and exercise more!