Remember when "fat-free" food was the trend? You could get fat-free chips, crackers, and, gasp!, cheese (can anyone get that to melt??). I'm sure you have your favorite food hits-and-misses from the years. Every day new food trends are emerging. Here are a few new product categories that you'll likely see and what you need to know before buying.

Ever wonder if flavored water really is a healthy choice?

Flavored waters (projected to grow by 50% in 2009) - Visit the water aisle and you'll be overwhelmed – with plain, sparkling, club, vitamin enhanced, fruit infused, spring... etc. Expect to see every flavor imaginable, but use caution:

CHECK THE SUGAR - Is the first ingredient sugar? How much sugar for the whole bottle? It may appear that you are only getting 13 grams of sugar, but look again and you'll see that the entire bottle contains 33 grams – or almost 3 tablespoons – of sugar. Remember, 4 grams of sugar equals 1 teaspoon!

ARE THERE EXCESSIVE VITAMINS/MINERALS? Although one would think getting extra vitamins is ideal, it is important to know that for certain vitamins the body only will absorb what it needs and then "flushes" (pun intended) the rest.

BOTTOM LINE - Plain water is best, but if you need a little flavor to meet your water needs, choose those with no sugar, just flavor.

How do foods suddenly have so much more fiber?

High fiber foods – For years, registered dietitians have shouted from the rooftops “Eat More Fiber!” Well, now getting in fiber is so much easier. From pancake mixes, toaster pastries, drink mixes, crackers and granola bars, you can easily achieve your 25 gram/day goal by noon. But again, use caution:

WHERE IS THE FIBER COMING FROM? Through technology and food science, we can now add inulin and polydextrose to products and take a no-fiber product to a 10-gram fiber product. It’s not that these products can’t be used to meet your goal, but fiber from whole grains, cereals, beans, fruit and vegetables appear to provide the most nutritional benefits.

BOTTOM LINE - Get most of your fiber from naturally high-fiber foods.

Are the omega 3s in my fish the same as the omega 3s in my cereal?

Omega 3s – Ahhh!! Omega 3s. These good fats are quite the buzz word in the food world. But not all omega 3s are created equal.

WHERE ARE THE OMEGA 3S COMING FROM? You are probably most family with omega 3s from fatty fish. This is the most effective and efficient form of omega 3s. Plant-based omega 3s come from flaxseed and walnuts mostly. Many cereals claim they have omega 3s, but a closer look reveals that the source are flaxseed/oil or walnuts. Although plant-based omega 3s are beneficial, the body must work to convert it into a usable form.

BOTTOM LINE - Get both animal and plant based omega 3s. The American Heart Association recommends at least two fish meals per week.

What is a "probiotic"? Why are manufacturers adding them to food?

Probiotics or "active cultures" in everything – Probiotics are live bacteria which, when consumed in adequate amounts, provide health benefits. These active cultures are commonly found in yogurts, fermented products and some soy-based foods, but you'll see many new products with added probiotics.

HOW MUCH IS THAT BACTERIA? Be careful how much you are paying for those added cultures. New products with added probiotics include: dairy drinks and desserts, yogurts, bakery mixes, cakes and bread, and table spreads. It may be more economical and nutritious to get your healthy bacteria from good old-fashioned yogurt.

HOW MANY BACTERIA ARE YOU GETTING? Although more research is needed, early thoughts encourage a wide variety of bacteria. So choose products that have several types of bacteria listed over those with just one.

BOTTOM LINE - Consider the cost and choose products with several strains of live bacterial cultures.

I already eat trans-fat free. Why do I still need to be concerned?

Trans fat free products – Consumers are beginning to understand that they must avoid hydrogenated oils. But wait... a new concern is on the horizon.

WHAT ARE THEY REPLACING THE TRANS FAT WITH? Think about it, something has to replace that fat for it to taste the same. Unfortunately, much of the trans fat is being replaced with palm/palm fruit or coconut oils. Although not a trans fat, they are saturated fats which we know raise bad cholesterol.

Remember that a food may be labeled as containing 0 grams trans fat per serving as long as it contains 0.5 grams or less trans fat. If you see "partially hydrogenated" in the ingredient list, you can be assured that the product contains some trans fat.

BOTTOM LINE - Choose products free of trans-fat/partially hydrogenated oils and limit the amount of saturated fat you are getting (especially from palm and coconut oils).

Everybody's talking about eating less sugar. What do I need to know?

WHAT'S THE AMOUNT OF DIFFERENCE IN SUGAR? Some products will go from 12 grams of sugar to 9 grams of sugar. Does the new product cost more because they removed 3 grams?

WAS ANYTHING ADDED? It is not uncommon for a product that is now lower in sugar to suddenly have more fat.

BOTTOM LINE - Read the label and choose foods that are naturally low in sugar and low in fat. Remember that dairy and fruit products contain naturally occurring sugars and are better for you than added sugars.