Read a box in the aisle.

Six checks

1. Ingredients are listed by weight, most first.

   That's a federal requirement. The first ingredient is what there's most of, and the first three usually tell you what the food really is.

2. Find the thing on the front.

   If the box shows strawberries, find strawberries in the list. How far down they sit is more honest than the picture.

3. Count the sugars by every name.

   Cane sugar, brown rice syrup, corn syrup, dextrose, honey, agave, fruit juice concentrate. Splitting sweeteners into several names can push each one further down the list.

4. Check “Added sugars” on the Nutrition Facts panel.

   It sits under Total Sugars and shows sugar added during processing, separately from sugar naturally in the food.

5. Read the “Contains” statement.

   U.S. law requires the major food allergens to be declared: milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soybeans, and sesame. “May contain” warnings are voluntary and not standardised, so their absence doesn't prove anything.

6. Don't judge by length alone.

   A long list can be ordinary spices. A short list can be mostly sugar. Read what is on it, not how much is on it.

Words that sound alarming and usually aren't

Chemical-sounding names are often familiar things. A few of the most common:

• Ascorbic acidVitamin C, often added to keep colour.
• TocopherolsForms of vitamin E, often used to keep oils fresh.
• Citric acidAn acid found in citrus, used for tartness and preservation.
• LecithinAn emulsifier, commonly from soy or sunflower, that keeps mixtures from separating.
• Calcium chlorideA firming agent. It's why canned tomatoes hold their shape.