Read the Label. Look for words that say something healthy about the food.

Examples are:

• Low Fat
• Cholesterol Free
• Good Source of Fiber

Look for words that tell about the food's relation to a disease.

A low- fat food may say: "While many factors affect heart disease, diets low in saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of this disease."

The words may be on the front or side of the food package.

Look for "Nutrition Facts" on food labels. Most food labels tell what kinds and amounts of vitamins, minerals, protein, fat, and other nutrients are in a food. Use "Nutrition Facts" to:

1. Look at the serving size.
2. Find the % Daily Value. The numbers underneath tell how much of each nutrient listed is in one serving.

About 100% of each nutrient each day is usually healthful. If you're on a special diet, like a low-sodium or low-fat diet, use the % numbers to pick low-sodium and low-fat foods.

The 3g (grams) of total fat in one serving of this food provides 5% of fat for the day, leaving 95% more fat allowed that day in a normal diet. The 300 mg (milligrams) of sodium provide 13% for the day, leaving 87% more sodium allowed that day in a normal diet. The "mg" number is much larger than the "g" number because it takes many, many milligrams to equal 1 gram.

Do You Have More Questions About Eating Well As You Age?

Ask your doctor or a nutritionist.