Magazine's handy guide shines light on healthier products

Over the years choosing products based on nutrition facts hasn't gotten any easier.

Some nutrition authorities tell us that food packages claiming "high fiber" or "heart healthy" or "no trans fats" on the front label shouldn't be judged by that first glance.

Turn over the package to read the ingredient list and you may find a different tale, like the "high fiber" cereal could also be loaded with sugar or that "trans fat free" margarine could contain some partially hydrogenated fat.

Instead of sliding on your reading glasses and scouring every package under consideration, pick up a copy of "What to Eat - A Real World Guide to Making Smart Choices" by the editors of Cooking Light magazine.

This 300-plus page shopper's companion takes an aisle-by aisle, item-by-item approach to product selection. The produce chapter contains page after page of nutritional highlights for just about every fruit, vegetable and herb. Maximize nutrients by buying a wide variety of fruits and vegetables and you can reduce higher blood pressure and improve heart health, the editors advise.

In the bread aisle, keep an eye on whole grains and portion sizes and pass on loaves with high sugar and sodium content. At the seafood counter, reel in fish that are big players on the omega 3 field and those varieties that deliver high protein.

As for meat, editors highlight leaner cuts and provide clear descriptions of what organic, natural, grass-fed and free range really mean. You'll also find luncheon meat guidance.

Moo-vin' on to dairy and eggs, the book covers everything from warnings about raw milk to the virtues of lower fat dairy products that yield higher calcium. You'll learn about yogurt's virtues (calcium) and sins (added sugar) and get a heads up on Cooking Light's "best of" list that includes Chobani plain nonfat yogurt, Lifeway Organic low-fat kefir and Philadelphia fat-free cream cheese.

In the condiments, dips and oil chapter, you'll see which oils can be healthy (in moderation) and which ones may not. You'll understand more about specialty mustards, the fat content of mayonnaise and sodium issues surrounding soy sauce-based condiments.

The remaining chapters cover canned and boxed goods. Kix and Raisin Bran, for example, earned accolades in the cereal group while Emeril's All Natural chicken stock and organic vegetable stock took honors in that category. Coming to the end of your guided shopping trip you'll learn all about drinks from soft to sports to fruit, as well as numerous items in refrigerated and freezer sections.

This book comes loaded with hundreds of color pictures so you can recognize good-for-you products when you abandon your virtual cart for a real one. I think you'll agree it's a handy and trusted guide.

Try this recipe: Tomatoes aren't in season yet, but that shouldn't stop us from enjoying salsa. Here's a terrific no-tomato version for this coming weekend's celebrations. This recipe makes enough for a large gathering, so when your guests ask for the recipe you can also send them home with a small container of the stuff.

• Don Mauer welcomes questions, comments and recipe makeover requests. Write him at don@theleanwizard.com.