Low fat, good source of fiber, reduced sugar ““ these common label terms may seem self-explanatory, but what do they really mean? To find out exactly what you’re eating, you’ll have to navigate through the label lingo.
Although the label may say a food is “low” in or “free” of calories, fat, sodium, cholesterol or sugar, each of these terms has a different requirement.
Free
- Calorie free: 5 or fewer calories per serving
- Fat free: Half a gram or fewer per serving
- Cholesterol free: 2 mg or fewer per serving (as well as 2 grams or less of saturated fat)
- Sodium free: 5 mg of fewer per serving
- Sugar free: Half a gram or fewer per serving
Low
- Low calorie: 40 or fewer per serving
- Low sodium: 140 mg or fewer per serving (fewer than 35 mg is considered “very low” sodium)
- Low fat: No more than 3 g per serving
Reduced
Whether it’s fat, calories, sugar or anything else, “reduced” on the label means a product contains 25% less than the original product.
Good Source
To qualify for this claim, a food only needs to provide 10% of the daily value of a specific nutrient.
Light
This common label can be applied to food with 1/3 fewer calories or 50% less sodium than the original product.