Food labels are confusing. I know this. Even though I understand how to understand them, it's hard to balance the good and bad I find listed on food products. I might find a certain something to be low in sugar and then learn the same item is high in fat. How do I know if something is a good bet with so much competing information?

Here's some direction, thanks to the American Dietetic Association. Call it the rule of 5 and 20.

An item is considered a poor source of a nutrient if it contains five percent daily value or less of that nutrient -- based on a 2,000-calorie diet. It's an excellent source if it contains 20 percent daily value or more. Depending on whether these figures refer to sugar or say, fiber, you'll want to adjust your intake accordingly.

That helps. Doesn't it?

For more on food labels and how to interpret them, stop by this site. Click on Get Smart -- Get the Facts on Food Labels and you'll land at an enlightening PDF nutrition fact sheet.