What do people usually read when they buy food at supermarkets? Ingredients' list? Are people lured by some marketing gimmicks such as "fat-free", "gluten-free", "rich in vitamin C",or "low-calorie" too easily? Maybe. In the past.

However, right now consumers are smarter. They are not easily driven by words in the box but check the ingredients'list instead, according to Andrew Mandzy, director of strategic insights at Nielsen. The recent survey said 61 percent of consumers believed that the shorter the list the healthier the product is. The percentage of consumers who found out health information online increased from 48 percent in 2014 to 68 percent in 2016. Mandzy also said more people are using calorie-track apps installed on their devices.

This shift, of course, makes health experts happy. Consumers are now more aware of what they are eating and this awareness leads them to eat less, as quoted by Bloomberg.

Nielsen survey also revealed that products with powerful claims such as"low-fat" and "fat-free" have started losing their selling power. Sales of item claiming to be lower fat have been falling 1.2 percent over the past five years. While sales of fat-free products have been declining 2.7 and items with"vitamin and mineral"claims saw a 0.8 percent fall in that period.

Even consumers are going too far by avoiding ingredients that are actually safe. For example, sales of products marked with "gluten-free" have risen 11.8 percent over the past five years while sales of "soy-free"products have increased 29.8 percent. However, if people have no specific health conditions, they don't need to avoid gluten and soy, said health professionals.

Gluten-free diet is recommended for those with celiac disease-a severe gluten intolerance. According to MedicalNewsToday, around 18 million Americans suffer from some types of gluten intolerance.

In celiac disease, gluten speeds up an autoimmune response that affects the lining of the small intestine. As a result, the body can't digest nutrients into the bloodstream effectively, which can cause anemia, extreme weight loss, and delayed growth.

Buying healthy food with labels is fine. However, it is better for people to have a healthier lifestyle by eating fruits and vegetables more, exercising routinely, and quitting cigarettes.