Reading food labels has become something of an art form. And even if you really know your stuff, you still have to scrutinize the labels to make sure that healthy-sounding badge on the front really means you're making a healthful choice.

That's about to change. According to Reuters, the FDA is looking into labels like "Smart Choices," which the FDA found was displayed on foods with up to almost 50 percent sugar -- definitely misleading. If the FDA finds that any of the claims violate federal rules, they "will take enforcement action against any egregious examples," FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg tells Reuters.

The non-profit Center for Science in the Public Interest points out that simplified front-of-label symbols and nutrition information would greatly enable people to make better choices about their diets. When foods like Cocoa Puffs, Fruit Loops and Fudgsicles have symbols saying they're good choices, one has to wonder what constitutes a bad choice.

Photo: natalielucier, Flickr

So you signed up for a yoga class -- good for you! But exactly how qualified is your instructor to lead the class?

As yoga's popularity started to climb, a voluntary registry was created by Yoga Alliance to ensure that schools met certain standards for training instructors. The list was certainly a good idea; a way to make sure instructors were properly trained and could conduct classes effectively and safely. The registry eventually listed nearly 1,000 schools across the U.S.

That voluntary list, however, is now being used as a target for government regulation of yoga schools. Some states, including New York, Virginia and Michigan, have made strides towards requiring schools on the list to become certified by the state. Those that do not become state-certified will have to pay hefty fines or cease operation.

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Kudos to nearly all New York City restaurants who are now complying with phase one of the city's new trans fat regulation. Those still using spreads or fry oils containing the artificial trans fat will be fined by the Health Department.

A whopping 94 percent of 3,300 restaurants inspected between July 1 and September 1 were using zero grams of trans fat. Before the regulation had passed, 50 percent were in compliance. By June, 80 percent were on board. And for the few still not passing with flying colors, it seems margarine use is the hold-up. Fines starting at $200 -- fining began on October 1 -- is the penalty for non-compliance.

"Despite claims to the contrary, New York City restaurants have shown that it's easy to get artificial trans fat out of spreads and fry oils," said Dr. Thomas R. Frieden, Health Commissioner for New York City. "New Yorkers are now enjoying more healthful foods without any change in taste or price."

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All the drama from New York City's recent regulation requiring fast food restaurants to post calorie counts on menus is about to come to a head as the deadline, this Sunday, approaches. Burger King, McDonalds, and Wendy's are all openly planning to defy the order and will not be making any changes to their menus anytime soon. And due to a pending lawsuit by the New York Restaurant Association the city won't be handing out any fines until at least October, if the new law is still standing by then.

In the meantime fast food chains say it's not that they don't want consumers to know calorie counts (many of them make the information available voluntarily anyway), but they say that putting them on the menu in print as big as the price would make for a messy, hard to read display that would look like "a bad day at the eye doctor's office."

What do you think? I like the idea of easily accessible calorie information, but I don't know that it needs to be in huge print right on the menu board.

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