When I was growing up, I was the kid who didn't get to have the sweet cereals. The rule in our house was that if sugar was listed as the first ingredient on the label, it was off-limits. Unfortunately, it seemed like those were always the cereals I wanted most! From an early age, my parents had me reading labels; perhaps parents do know best.

Since 1994, the FDA has required the "Nutrition Facts" food label to be placed on most food packaging. While the food label provides very important information, the ingredient list, which has been appearing on foods for years, cannot be ignored.

For the full column, go to http://www.ncpad.org/610/2562/The~Key~Ingredients.