How to read an ingredient list without getting overwhelmed

Start with the first few ingredients. On U.S. food labels, ingredients generally appear in order of weight, with the largest amount first. That order tells you more about what makes up a snack than the pictures on the front of the package. FDA ingredient guide.

GoGo squeeZ Organic Apple Apple is an easy one to practice with. It lists organic apple, organic apple puree concentrate, and organic lemon juice concentrate. Apple comes first, and the whole list takes a few seconds to read. Read the manufacturer's ingredient list.

A longer list takes more patience. Sometimes an ingredient has ingredients of its own. The words in parentheses after "cheddar cheese," for example, explain what went into the cheese. Read those together, then move on to the next ingredient.

If a name is unfamiliar, look up what it does before deciding how you feel about it. Babybel uses a microbial enzyme to make its cheese. In that case, the unfamiliar word describes part of the cheesemaking process. Babybel's explanation.

Next, check the Nutrition Facts panel. The ingredient list tells you what went into the food, but counting ingredients won't tell you how much added sugar or saturated fat you're getting. Check the serving size when comparing those amounts between snacks.

If you have a food allergy, read the full ingredient list and any allergen statements every time you buy. A familiar package can have a different recipe. FDA advice on allergens.