If you're like many Americans, you're reading more food labels than in the past. Perhaps you look for foods labeled "all natural," "organic," "free-range," "GMO-free," or "0 trans fats." But what do those labels really mean? Some terms, such as organic, are regulated by the FDA and USDA. Others, such as "all natural," aren't regulated at all, and may not mean what you think — or what the manufacturer wants you to think. You may merely be paying more money.

"Much of the terminology that is used to describe various food products is extremely confusing to customers," says Alison Massey, registered dietitian and diabetes educator at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore, Maryland. Some labels, she told Newsmax Health, are strategies to make consumers feel that a product is healthier.

"I think it is important for consumers to make informed decisions regarding their food," Massey said, "and part of that is learning to better understand food labels and sift through the claims on the labels."

Check out the following terms found on food labels:

All natural. Products labeled all natural must be free of artificial colors and ingredients, and must be minimally processed. But since there are no national standards to define minimally processed, the label doesn't carry a lot of weight and is almost meaningless. A survey by the Consumer Reports National Research Center, however, found that almost 60 percent of shoppers look for the term "natural" on food labels believing it means a food has no artificial ingredients, and also that the food contains no pesticides or genetically modified organisms (GMOs). But even high-fructose corn syrup can appear in products labeled "all natural," and even chicken injected with a saline solutions equal to 25 percent of its weight can also be labeled "all natural."

Organic. The term "organic" carries weight. To use the official organic stamp, a product has to be made with organic ingredients and certified by the USDA. However, it still doesn't mean the product is completely organic — it can contain up to 5 percent nonorganic ingredients. Products containing up to 30 percent nonorganic ingredients use the statement "made with organic ingredients" but aren't allowed to use the official organic seal, and they must state which ingredients are organic. An organic seal on meat guarantees the animal was fed only 100 percent organic feed, and that it was given no antibiotics or growth hormones.

Cage-free and free-range eggs. A cage-free label doesn't necessarily mean your eggs came from chickens that were allowed to roam outdoors. It could mean that the chickens were confined in a building rather than in a cage. Also, a free-range label doesn't necessarily mean chickens had unfettered access to the outdoors; they may have been kept inside for most of the time and only had a small yard they could occasionally visit. Look for eggs that claim to be from "grass-fed" chickens. In addition, eggs labeled cage-free and free-range can still come from chickens given foods containing genetically modified organisms (GMOs), animal by-products, and antibiotics.


0g trans fat. Health experts agree you should avoid trans fats, but labels advertising "0" trans fats may be misleading. Products can be labeled free of trans fats if they contain less than 0.5 grams a serving. But since trans fats are still in many processed foods, your total could add up quickly. In addition, the food may actually contain more trans fats than it lists. "Studies have shown that these foods, in fact, contain significantly larger amounts of trans fats," nutritional expert Dr. Russell Blaylock tells Newsmax Health. "Even small amounts are harmful," he says. In addition, focusing solely on trans fats may distract you from considering the high amounts of saturated fats in the product.

Made with. Labels listed as "made with" real fruit juice, whole grains, real cheese, etc. only mean that the ingredient is included in the food. It could be present in trivial amounts. A product label listing "real fruit" may contain only small amounts of fruit juice but large amounts of sugar. In addition, a product labeled as made with whole wheat could contain very little whole grain flour. It could be a majority of refined white flour with dark coloring added to mislead the consumer. Products with "100 percent fruit juice" and "100 percent whole grains" on the label must be exactly as stated.

GMO-free. Manufacturers don't have to list genetically modified ingredients on food labels. That could change in the future since some states are deciding whether or not to force food manufacturers to acknowledge GMO ingredients on their labels. Currently, the only way to be sure you aren't eating GMO foods is to either buy products labeled organic or those with the Non-GMO Project label.