These foods all sound healthy, but don’t be fooled — they may not be as healthy as they seem.

Ground Turkey
Don’t be duped into choosing “ground turkey” as a leaner alternative to ground beef. The truly leaner choice is ground turkey breast – that’ll save you more than 100 calories and 15 grams of fat per 4-ounce serving compared to ground turkey which contains more dark meat and skin.

Pick up some turkey breast and try these 5-ingedient turkey burgers.

Banana Chips
Sorry folks, these babies aren’t just dried up banana slices, they’re fried, just like potato chips. A half-cup serving has almost 200 calories and 10 grams of fat! The good news is, you can make your own and forgo all the grease.

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Have you seen foods rated with the Guiding Stars rating in your grocery store?

With thousands of food choices at your local store it can be difficult to know if you are choosing foods that are truly good for you. In recent years there have been several types of nutrient rating systems derived to help you make better choices — but have you found yourself asking whether or not they are actually helpful? Find out what all those numbers really mean.

Glycemic Index: Measures how quickly food is metabolized into glucose when digested. The G.I. also estimates how much each gram of available carbohydrate (this equals total carbohydrates minus fiber, which is non-digestible) in a food raises a person’s blood glucose level following consumption of the food.

Examples: Glucose has a glycemic index of 100; all other foods have lower glycemic indexes.

Pros: Helpful for diabetics and those counting carbs.

Cons: Not as informative regarding fats and proteins.

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Should you believe everything you read on food labels?

There are some packaged foods that make me want to scream! Some try to make not-very-healthy foods seem like they’re super nutritious, while others take healthy food and make them less nutritious. Oftentimes the first thought in my mind is “who thought this up?” Check out these outlandish foods, and keep in mind that if a label claim sounds too good to be true, it probably is. You’re better off eating real, whole foods over packaged or manufactured foods any day.

#1: Snap Infusion Supercandy
This candy is marketed as having “the deliciousness and instant gratification of candy, packed with super benefits.” It’s packed with a variety of B-vitamins, the antioxidant vitamins C and E, and a variety of electrolytes.
Instead: Be careful popping these over-fortified candies. Eat a balanced meal to get B-vitamin from proteins, vitamin C and potassium from fruit and veggies, vitamin E from healthy fats, and electrolytes from dairy.

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Are you confused by label claims? You're not alone.

The supermarket aisles are flooded with health claims from “healthy, all-natural” frozen dinners to “cholesterol-lowering” granola bars. We’re constantly getting conflicting messages on what to what to eat — from organic produce to free-range or grass-fed meat — and what to avoid — from trans fats to high fructose corn syrup. It’s not surprising that most consumers are left wondering what to believe and what it all means.

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Low-fat is out and healthy fat is in. Does that mean the era of low-fat cookies is over? Not necessarily. Find out which fats are now recommended and how low-fat foods can fit into a healthy diet.

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