Key Words
You Can Rely on the Label
Rest assured, when you see key words and health claims on product labels, they mean what they say as defined by the government.
| Key Words |
What They Mean |
| Calorie Free |
Fewer than 5 calories per serving |
| Light (Lite) |
1/3 less calories or no more than 1/2 the fat of the higher-calorie, higher-fat version; or no more than 1/2 the sodium of the higher-sodium version |
| Fat Free |
Less than 0.5 gram of fat per serving |
| Low Fat |
3 grams of fat (or less) per serving |
| Reduced or Less Fat |
At least 25% less fat per serving than the higher-fat version |
| Lean |
Less than 10 grams of fat, 4 grams of saturated fat and 95 milligrams of cholesterol per serving |
| Extra Lean |
Less than 5 grams of fat, 2 grams of saturated fat, and 95 milligrams of cholesterol per serving |
| Low in Saturated Fat |
1 gram saturated fat (or less) per serving and not more than 15% of calories from saturated fatty acids |
| Cholesterol Free |
Less than 2 milligrams of cholesterol and 2 grams (or less) of saturated fat per serving |
| Low Cholesterol |
20 milligrams of cholesterol (or less) and 2 grams of saturated fat (or less) per serving |
| Reduced Cholesterol |
At least 25% less cholesterol than the higher-cholesterol version, and 2 grams (or less) of saturated fat per serving |
| Sodium Free (No Sodium) |
Less than 5 milligrams of sodium per serving, and no sodium chloride (NaCl) in ingredients |
| Very Low Sodium |
35 milligrams of sodium (or less) per serving |
| Low Sodium |
140 milligrams of sodium (or less) per serving |
| Reduced or Less Sodium |
At least 25% less sodium per serving than the higher-sodium version |
| Sugar Free |
Less than 0.5 gram of sugar per serving |
| High Fiber |
5 grams of fiber (or more) per serving |
| Good Source of Fiber |
2.5 to 4.9 grams of fiber per serving |
You don't have to try to remember all these! But notice that the key words follow the same pattern for each nutrient:
- "Free" has the least amount.
- "Very Low" and "Low" have a little more.
- "Reduced" or "Less" always means that the food has 25% less of that nutrient than the reference (or standard) version of the food.
And all these terms are based on standard serving sizes.
