Baked chips vs. FriedNeither option should be considered a health food. Baked chips generally have less fat and calories than classic chips, but some varieties are highly processed and contain more ingredients, sometimes even sugar. “When the fat comes out, other ingredients go in to maintain the flavor,” says Deborah Beauvais, RD, a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Classic fried chips often contain just potatoes, oil, and salt, while some baked ones have those plus ingredients like cornstarch and soy lecithin. (Pick one of our pre-packaged winners instead.) Antioxidant-Fortified Foods vs. ProduceThe antioxidants in fruits and veggies are natural. In packaged foods? Not always. The antioxidants in one antioxidant-boosted cherry soda, for example, come from added vitamin E, not cherries (which got the manufacturer in trouble). Many processed foods have just one or two kinds of antioxidants, not the same dazzling array you’d get from eating a rainbow of plant foods, says Beauvais. If a processed product claims it has “antioxidant power,” check the label for plant-based ingredients. (Though that’s not the case for fresh and frozen fruit. Here’s why.) Organic vs. ConventialThis one is tricky. If you love Mother Earth and want to avoid pesticides and genetically modified ingredients, organic is the way to go. When a packaged food carries the USDA organic seal, 95% or more of its ingredients are organically produced. But don’t automatically assume, as many people do, that organic means more nutritious or lower in fat, sugar, or calories than conventional. Generally, that’s not the case. An organic cookie is, alas, still a cookie. More from Prevention: The New Dirty Dozen
