Breads (also chips, crackers, pasta)

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).

Step 2→ Dietary Fiber

Another way to gauge fiber: Look at the fiber number. Yes, it sounds obvious, but many people, like me, don't know what the amounts mean. The recommended DV is 25 grams a day for a 2,000-calorie diet. “But the average person gets half that amount,” says Moores. “Most adults should aim for 30 grams.” A food with 2.5 grams or more of fiber per serving is considered a good source, according to Moores. A food with 5 grams or more per serving, such as beans or whole-grain products with added bran, is excellent.

Step 3→ Trans Fat

Eating chemically created trans fats, which have been processed to be more shelf stable, can lead to stroke and heart disease. They raise bad LDL and lower good HDL cholesterol, so avoid them entirely. But don't necessarily trust that “zero trans fats” label: Although the government requires food manufacturers to list amounts in the Nutrition Facts, companies can put zero if a product contains less than 1 gram trans fat per serving. Even a little trans fat can harm your heart and slow your metabolism, says Moores, so I make sure my chosen breads (and crackers and chips for that matter) don't have shortening or partially hydrogenated vegetable oil in the ingredients lists. “If you ate 20 crackers instead of the recommended 8 for a serving, you're getting more trans fats. That's how it adds up. If you eat five foods like that a day, you could get into trouble,” says Moores.

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