Definitely, reading labels can help us steer clear of foods that make us fat, clog our arteries, and cause all sorts of health problems. They can also mislead us. Think about all those low-fat claims you read on food packages. Healthy stuff? Not always. Here, three ways low-fat labels can make us fat.

• We eat more. In one study, people ate 28% more M&Ms when they were labeled low-fat, leading overweight folks to consume nearly 50% more calories. Remember: Calories. Calories. Calories. Just because it's low-fat doesn't mean it's low-calorie.
• We dish out more. People tend to believe that an appropriate serving size for a low-fat food is 25% larger than the full-fat version. There we go, eating more again.
• We stress less. When we see low-fat labels on our foods, our guilt fades away. Hey, guilt isn't always a bad thing. Sometimes, it can help us control our appetites.
  
  

Simply knowing how to read a food label can help you make smart choices and maintain a healthy weight. Want to learn how? Click here for a pretty informative lesson.