Don: Today on A Moment of Science Yael and I are talking about... lunch.

Yael: Actually, we're going to talk about Don's lunch--and just how healthful, or unhealthful, it is.

D: Well, I don't think you're gonna see too much unhealthful stuff, Yael. Today I packed a lunch that's just bursting with health.

Y: Okay, let's see what you've got.. an orange, that's pretty healthful. What's this, a granola bar?

D: Yep. Can't get much more healthful than that.

Y: Have you actually checked to see what's inside?

D: Well, no. But it's granola, a whole grain. That's good for you.

Y: But what about the other stuff they put in the bar to hold the grains together? Take a look--sodium, high fructose corn syrup, fat. And...wow! Do you know how many calories are in this one bar?

D: Uh, 100?

Y: Try 300! What's else have we got here? Potato chips?

D: But they're organic...and low carb...

Y: That's great, but when they take out the carbs they have to replace them with something else--like fat. And look how many calories are in this little package! The point is that no matter how healthful the packaging makes a food seem, you've gotta flip it over and take a look at the ingredients. Often a zero carb product has more calories than the same product with carbs.

D: What about my orange?

Y: Now that's a health food. Same for most other fruits and vegetables.

D: I guess you don't need a label to tell you that.