Food advertising rules govern what claims junk food signs and packaging can make, but sometimes it is still tough to know what to believe! Some consumers don't read the labels at all, but for those of you who want to take the extra steps to choose healthy foods and ingredients, there are some tricks to watch out for.

Of course, one of the best ways to ensure you're on the right path to fitness and healthy eating decisions, is to pick up a well-researched diet and exercise guide that is based on science, like the Body Reboot book. Here are a few tips to help you navigate the maze of food ad tricks while you are pushing the cart down the aisle at the market.

As Kris Gunnars explains in his article for HealthLine, we've been subtly trained to read “Low-Fat” or “Fat-Free” and think “Health to Eat” and this is often totally false!

One of the side effects of the “war” on fat was a plethora of processed products with reduced amounts of fat.

These products typically have labels saying “low-fat,” “reduced fat” or “fat-free.”

The problem is that most of these products are not healthy at all.

Foods that have had the fat removed from them typically do not taste as good as the full-fat versions. Few people want to eat them.

For this reason, food producers load these products with added sugar and other additives (1).

It is now known that fat has been unfairly demonized while growing evidence has been revealing the dangers of added sugar.

What this means is that “low-fat” foods are usually much worse than their “regular” counterparts.

Another food advertising buzzword to be wary of is “organic”. Where it's possible to provide foods without lots of additional chemical exposure or unnecessary genetic manipulation, there certainly can be big health benefits, but be sure to look past the word and check out the nutritional information on the label and the list of ingredients. Just like “fat-free,” the “organic” label doesn't necessarily mean you should eat it. If you're following a low-carb diet, then an “organic” product that has loads of carbs is still going to be a bad choice.

If you've read the Body Reboot book, you already know that a low-carb diet is one of the essential components of a sustainable healthy lifestyle because it helps balance the body's hormone levels, making weight loss and muscle building more effective and long-lasting. So if a food is advertised as “Low-Carb,” it probably will catch your eye! That's natural, but beware of products that are technically low-carb, but which are also loaded with highly processed ingredients that are bad for your body in other ways. It's certainly a good thing that the idea of a low-carb diet is gaining popularity among the general public, but the recognition of the term “low-carb” can be used to mislead:

Food manufacturers have caught up on the trend and started offered a variety of low-carb products.

The problem with these foods is the same as with the “low-fat” foods — that they're not necessarily healthy.

These are usually processed junk foods filled with unhealthy ingredients. Look at the ingredients list for products like Atkins low-carb bars. This isn't food!

There are also examples of low-carb breads and other replacement products that contain many more carbs than the label claims.

These examples just scratch the surface. If you're serious about following a science-based diet with proven results the Body Reboot bookwill not only help you get healthier and lose weight without cutting calories, it includes plenty of organized information about what to eat and what to avoid. It'll guide you on the path to long-term health, but help you understand why to eat some foods and why to avoid others.

Click here to find out more.