Label know-how

Step 1→ Ingredients

“People often think they're eating whole-grain bread, but they're not,” says Lanzano. We look at a so-called “multigrain” bread and find that the first ingredient is organic unbleached wheat flour. “That's white flour,” says Lanzano. “It's been stripped of fiber.” Soluble fiber — in oats, brown rice, and beans — reduces cholesterol, and insoluble fiber, which is found in such foods as whole-wheat bread, brussels sprouts, and carrots, has been associated with decreased cardiovascular risk. To maximize your fiber intake, look for the first word in the bread, crackers, or other food — it should be whole (as in whole-wheat flour) or oat (as in oatmeal).