5 false food claims consumers might be falling for everyday

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Brand labels and advertisement often mislead buyers and consumers into buying their products, especially when these grocery shoppers read about its health content. Who wouldn't want to buy something that says "fat-free", "sugar-free", or most of all, "organic" and "all-natural"? Unfortunately, chances are these labels only carry false food claims, leaving buyers frustrated, duped, and worst of all, unhealthy.

To help you filter and stay away from these misleading products, here is a list of the top five false food claims that buyers may be falling for everyday.

MULTIGRAIN

Watch out shoppers, you might think you're eating complex carbs when it says "multigrain" or "made with whole grain" when actually, you're eating the dreaded refined carbs. Health Magazine writes that when out grocery shopping, look for "whole grain" or "100% whole wheat" on the packaging because these are more legitimate and a healthier alternative. Whole grains such as brown rice and oatmeal are rich in fiber and nutrients as compared to the refined kind where the healthiest portion of the grain has been stripped away.

ALL-NATURAL

Believe it or not, as much as this phrase conveys a product is made from fresh ingredients taken from Mother Nature, chances are the "natural" part is not really true. Bon Appetit Magazine reports that the US Food and Drug Administration has yet to put a definition to "all-natural" that is why most food manufacturers are free to put it on any of their products, like corn oil, potato chips and GMOs. To avoid confusion, it is best to always check the ingredients and nutritional information list.

ZERO CALORIES, SUGAR FREE, ZERO TRANS FAT

Okay, this is something you can truly say too good to be true because the only time a product can be zero calories is if it's water, tea without sugar, or coffee without sugar. Modern Health Monk writes that products with this label should ring warning bells in consumers and urge them to read the ingredients list. Chances are, you'll end up consuming a lot of artificial additives more than the real goodness.

LOW CARB

Carbs often get a bad rep because of how celebrities endorse certain diets that totally eliminate carbohydrates but according to registered dietitian Marissa Lippert from Bon Appetit, eating the right kind and in moderation will not make you gain weight. Furthermore, these "low carb" products may contain artificial additives and processed ingredients which are not exactly healthy. Best to stick with complex carbs than buying these products from the stores.

ORGANIC, FREE RANGE

These trapping words can be a heaven for companies because of the current trend in food and nutrition. Health Magazine adds that according to nutrition expert Bonnie Taub-Dix, while it meant that the product has not been given any pesticide or commercial feeds or were allowed to live in their natural habitat, there's no other benefits except that they have outdoor exposure.