Some reliable nutrient claims on food labels

Question 1

what does low calorie mean?

Answer 1

40 calories or fewer per serving

Question 2

what does reduced calorie mean?

Answer 2

at least 25% lower in calories than a “regular,” or reference, food

Question 3

what does calorie free mean ?

Answer 3

fewer than 5 calories per serving

Question 4

what does extra lean mean?

Answer 4

less than 5 g of total fat and

less than 2 g of saturated fat and trans fat combined

less than 95 mg of cholesterol per serving.

Question 5

what does lean mean ?

Answer 5

less than 10 g of total fat

less than 4.5 g of saturated fat and trans fat combined

less than 95 mg of cholesterol per serving.

Question 6

what does fat free mean?

Answer 6

less than 0.5 g of fat per serving

Question 7

what does less saturated fat mean?

Answer 7

25% or less saturated fat and trans fat combined than the comparison food

Question 8

what does low fat mean?

Answer 8

3 g or less of total fat per serving

Question 9

what does low saturated fat mean?

Answer 9

1 g or less of saturated fat and less than 0.5 g of trans fat per serving

Question 10

what does reduced saturated fat mean?

Answer 10

at least 25% less saturated fat

reduced by more than 1 g of saturated fat per serving compared with a reference food

Question 11

what does saturated fat free or trans fat free mean?

Answer 11

less than 0.5 g of saturated fat

less than 0.5 g of trans fat per serving

Question 12

what does high fiber mean?

Answer 12

5 g or more per serving. (Foods making high-fiber claims must fit the definition of low fat, or the level of total fat must appear next to the high-fiber claim.)

Question 13

what does good source of fiber mean?

Answer 13

2.5 g to 4.9 g per serving

Question 14

what does more or added fiber mean?

Answer 14

at least 2.5 g more per serving than a reference food

Question 15

what does low sodium mean?

Answer 15

140 mg or less of sodium per serving

Question 16

what does reduced sodium mean?

Answer 16

at least 25% lower in sodium than the regular product

Question 17

what does sodium free mean?

Answer 17

less than 5 mg per serving

Question 18

what does very low sodium mean?

Answer 18

35 mg or less of sodium per serving

Question 19

what does good source mean?

Answer 19

10 to 19% of the Daily Value per serving

Question 20

what does high in mean?

Answer 20

20% or more of the Daily Value for a given nutrient per serving; synonyms include “rich in” and “excellent source

Question 21

what does less, fewer, reduced, mean?

Answer 21

containing at least 25% less of a nutrient or calories than a reference food. This may occur naturally or as a result of altering the food. For example, pretzels, which are usually low in fat, can claim to provide less fat than potato chips, a comparable food

Question 22

what does light mean?

Answer 22

A serving provides one-third fewer calories or half the fat of the regular product.

A serving of a low-calorie, low-fat food provides half the sodium normally present.

The product is light in color and texture, so long as the label makes this intent clear, as in “light brown sugar.