As a consumer you do have an obligation to know what you are buying. You can't depend on packaging to actually tell you the truth all the time. The fact that there are laws that require accurate food labeling doesn't mean the reality of what you're about to purchase is in the biggest boldest print on the package. The website Greatist.com compiled a list of foods that many times aren't what you thought they were when you bought them.

 

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    Tea

    How could anybody mess up tea? You'd be surprised at just how easy it is. If you buy the little tea bags you never see what's really inside do you? Some of the cheaper brands of tea might mix the leaves of other plants or even sawdust to create a larger quantity of tea that isn't really tea. If you stick to a well known brand or buy your tea in bulk you might be better off.

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    Parmesan Cheese

    This is the classic accompaniment to many Italian foods. It is also very expensive if you buy the real deal. If you're wondering how come that Parmesan cheese you purchased was so cheap it might have a few additives in it. Among the additives that some cheaper brands have been caught mixing in with the real stuff are sawdust, wood pulp, and remnants of cheaper cheeses.

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    Extra Virgin Olive Oil

    As TV Chef Rachael Ray likes to call it "EVOO". When you get the real stuff you can taste the difference. Chances are that off brand bottle of olive oil you've purchased at a bargain price is not really extra virgin. It might also be cut with vegetable oil as well. When that happens you lose flavor and many of the great health benefits of cooking with olive oil.

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    Dry Spices

    If you like to cook might I suggest you only use dry spices in a pinch. You see what I did there? Okay enough kitchen humor dry spices need to come from a reputable company. Some of the off brands might contain the spice listed on the label. You might also be paying for leaves of other plants and ground up stems and twigs. Those don't add flavor they just add weight which allows the price to stay high while the production costs are lower.

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    Fruit Juice

    This is a tricky one. If you look at the picture on the label it might look as if there are a thousand grapes that have been squeezed to make your juice. A close look at the ingredient list will inform you of other juices being present as well as artificial sweeteners. You might think you're getting the healthy benefits of juice but you'll want to verify that fact to be sure that you really are getting what you pay for.

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