Don't Be Fooled: Know What's in Your Grocery Cart

You trust food companies to tell you the truth about the food they sell you.

But, you may be purchasing something other than what you intended.

Wild salmon are a point of contention. Most wild caught salmon we get in the United States comes from Alaska. There is no aquaculture allowed in Alaska, so your fish won’t come from farms. Wild caught and farmed salmon look different. Look at them side by side in the market. Wild salmon is more irregular. Almost all smoked salmon is farmed. Atlantic salmon is farmed.

Olive oil is also not always what it seems. The majority of olive oil sold in the United States as “extra virgin” does not meet the requirements for that definition.

The fresher and better quality it is, the better the taste.

The Greeks go through a bottle per person every two weeks. They’re very heart healthy so they must me onto something.

“Extra virgin” olive oil may be cut with refined olive oil, peanut oil or other oils. A lot of olive oil sold in the States is stale. The best quality olive oil has a shelf life of one year. Look for bottles that have a pressing or harvesting date. This is different from the bottling date. It’s best to buy it in the first few months of the calendar year. You’re pretty safe buying olive oil from Chile, Australia and California.

Honey is often adulterated. Adding high fructose corn syrup or beet sugar doesn’t change the color or the taste. Honey is made everywhere. It’s easy to buy local honey from a farmer’s market and get 100% honey.

Honey-flavored products don’t always contain pure honey. Read the ingredients on the label.

Lastly, beware the claims of Kobe beef. Less than 10 restaurants in the United States import actual Kobe beef from Japan. You can’t get Kobe beef from your butcher, and you definitely can’t get it in your hot dogs.

Buy your food in the wholest form possible so you won’t be fooled.

Listen in as Larry Olmsted, author of Real Food Fake Food, joins Dr. Mike to cut through the labeling nonsense in your grocery cart.