ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- Even when you try to eat healthy, there are often hidden ingredients lurking. For example, did you know that low-fat often means high in sugar or sodium? In an effort to unlock the mystery of what is in many of the foods you eat, the American Diabetes Association has launched an online nutrition tool, MyFoodAdvisor.

MyFoodAdvisor provides food information to people with diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease and those looking to lose weight. This interactive tool compares foods by 22 different nutrients, suggests healthy alternatives and analyzes what you currently eat. Portion sizes are standardized, based on the American Diabetes Association and American Dietetic Association exchange lists, so all carbohydrate-containing foods are shown in servings of about 15 grams of carbohydrate.

"When health care providers tell patients to watch their carbs, eat more fiber or to avoid saturated fats, most people don't know where to start," said Dr. Ann Albright, president of health care and education for the American Diabetes Association. "MyFoodAdvisor takes the guesswork out of that. This tool appeals to so many looking for nutrition information: people with diabetes because of the consistent portions of carbohydrates and proteins; people with or at risk for heart disease because of the option to search by fiber, sodium and saturated fats; and people with kidney disease because potassium and phosphorous information is included, which is not listed on standard nutrition labels."

With MyFoodAdvisor, individuals can:

* Seek healthier alternatives to foods that are overall lower in sodium or saturated fat, or higher in fiber, ranking options that may provide alternatives for a meal.

* Browse by food category or by a specific foods.

* Compare foods by 22 nutrients, and track the nutrients consumed each day.

* Search for recipes by amount of calories, carbohydrate, sodium and saturated fat.

* Produce shopping list.

* Review a meal or recipe to provide clues to increased blood glucose levels.

"If one person in the family has type 2 diabetes or heart disease, chances are there are others around the dinner table who could be at risk as well," Albright said. "MyFoodAdvisor can help to implement healthier food choices for the entire family."

For more information, call the American Diabetes Association at 1-800-DIABETES or visit www.diabetes.org. Information is available in English and Spanish.

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