Buying healthy packaged food is easy. Surely, a bowl of chocolate Special K, left, is better than Cocoa Puffs, right, and reduced-fat Jif peanut butter is more sensible than the regular version -- right?
Not necessarily, according to the June issue of ShopSmart, a magazine from the publisher of Consumer Reports.
"Manufacturers of these products might not even specifically claim that their foods are better for you than those they're designed to replace, but product packaging can make you think so, leading you to make not-so-healthy choices," its cover story says.
Here's a look at five of the 11 entries in ShopSmart's survey of "junk health food."
CHOCOLATE CEREAL
Kellogg's Special K has a reputation as a healthy cereal for grown-ups, but its Chocolatey Delight variation compares poorly with Cocoa Puffs. The kid favorite from General Mills has fewer calories (100 vs. 120 per ¾-cup serving), as well as less fat (1.5 grams vs. 2) and sodium (150 milligrams vs. 180).
Instead: If you have a hankering for chocolate, eat the real thing -- but no more than an ounce a day, and opt for heart-healthy dark.
FRIES
Sweet-potato fries might seem healthier -- more vitamin A and fiber, for example -- than fries made from regular potatoes. But as shown in a per-serving comparison of McCain Classic Cut frozen fries, they also have more calories (160 vs. 120), fat (7 grams vs. 3) and sugar (6 grams vs. 0).
Instead: Have a baked sweet potato -- add a dash of cinnamon or pumpkin-pie spice for flavor -- if health is your main concern.