Do view nutrition labels.  Remember:  Any food called “healthy” needs to contain at least 10% of the Daily Value for one of several important nutrients (in addition to being low in fat, saturated fat, sodium and cholesterol).  Bet you didn’t know:  This is called the “jelly bean rule,” since jelly beans have zero fat, sodium or cholesterol – but also no nutritional value.

Don’t forget fiber’s finest.  Load up on whole-grain breads, rolls and cereals, as well as brown rice and dried beans.

Do go for the greenest.  When buying salad greens, select those deepest in color – dark greens and reds.  Why:  The dark color means beta-carotene and other carotenoids, vitamin C, folic acid, calcium and other nutrients are present.

Don’t dismiss frozen produce.  Some frozen fruits and vegetables contain just as many nutrients as fresh produce – sometimes more.  Example:  According to one study, frozen green beans have about twice the vitamin C as fresh beans that sat on display and in a refrigerator for nearly a week.

Do take care with TV dinners.  Choose frozen meals that contain less than 10 grams of fat and the least amount of sodium and cholesterol.

Don’t pass up pasta.  It’s high in protein and contains B vitamins and iron.

More Dos:  Never shop on an empty stomach…choose fruit “juices” instead of “drinks” …buy skinless poultry…remember that a standard serving of meat or fish should fit on a pack of playing cards.

Source: TopHealth  (Feb. 2003)