Food Label Facts
It seems everywhere we look in the supermarket today we can find products labeled "Low Fat", "Low Calorie" - Low in Everything. You also see a variety of products boasting that they are "Free", "Reduced" and "Light" on their packaging. But what do these terms on a food label really mean?
Foods Labeled "Low"
According to the FDA the term "Low" can be used on foods that can be eaten frequently without exceeding dietary guidelines for one or more of these components: fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium, and calories. When you see a product advertising a "Low" the FDA defines those descriptors as follows:
- Low-fat: 3 g or less per serving
- Low-saturated fat: 1 g or less per serving
- Low-sodium: 140 mg or less per serving
- Very low sodium: 35 mg or less per serving
- Low-cholesterol: 20 mg or less and 2 g or less of saturated fat per serving
- Low-calorie: 40 calories or less per serving.
Foods Labeled "Free"
When a product carries a label of being "Free", it means the product contains no amount of, or only trivial amounts of, one or more of these components: fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium, sugars, and calories. For example, "calorie-free" means fewer than 5 calories per serving, and "sugar-free" and "fat-free" both mean less than 0.5 grams per serving.
Foods Labeled "Reduced"
When a product claims to be a "Reduced Fat" or "Reduced Calories" it simply means that the product contains at least 25% less fat or calories than the regular, or reference product. So, if a product normally carries 200 grams of fat per serving, and alters the product so that it only has 150 grams of fat per serving, it can legally boast the label of "Reduced Fat" even though the product itself is still very high in fat. Be sure to check the labels carefully when seeing a "Reduced" claim to make sure that the product has actually reduced themselves enough to be a part of your diet plan.
Foods Labeled "Light"
Seeing this term on a label can mean one of two things. The first is that the product has been altered to contain at least one-third fewer calories or half the fat of the reference food. If the food derives 50 percent or more of its calories from fat, than the reduction must be 50 percent of the fat in order to carry the label "Light".
The second reason a food is eligible to be labeled "Light" is if the sodium content of a low-calorie, low-fat food has been reduced by 50 percent. Again, be sure to check the nutritional labeling on products carrying the label "Light". One third fewer calories of an extremely high calorie food may be a "Light" version of that particular product, but it doesn’t necessarily mean it is a "Light" addition to your diet.
The Bottom Line
The bottom line is to make sure you look past the claims and read the nutritional labels to find out exactly how much fat, calories, etc a product contains. Advertising a food as "Reduced Fat" or "Light" could lead consumers to believe the food has a healthy or low amount of calories, fat etc. By using the information above when shopping, you are armed with the ability to make your own conclusions. Always remember that a healthy diet is a must in any weight loss plan.
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