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Food Label Terms and What They Really Mean

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|  Updated:  
2016-03-26 23:04:46
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Gut Health For Dummies
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All the nutrients that a food contains are important; however, to achieve weight loss, the total fat and calories are the most important to track from nutrition information on a food label. Cholesterol and sodium (salt) don’t add calories, but eating too much sodium can contribute to water retention and therefore water weight. The calories from saturated fat are included in the calories from fat total.

This table lists some of the terms that are particularly important when you're on a weight-loss plan.

What the Food Label Says What It Means
Fat-free Less than 1/2 (0.5) gram of fat in a serving.
Calorie-free Less than 5 calories per serving.
Lowfat 3 grams of fat (or less) per serving.
Lean (on meat labels) Less than 10 grams of fat per serving, with 4.5 grams or less of saturated fat and 95 milligrams of cholesterol per serving.
Extra lean (on meat labels) Less than 5 grams of fat per serving, with less than 2 grams of saturated fat and 95 milligrams of cholesterol.
Less Contains 25 percent less of a nutrient or calories than another food.
Reduced A nutritionally altered product that contains at least 25 percent fewer calories, sodium, or sugar than the regular one.
Lite (Light) Contains 1/3 fewer 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.
Cholesterol-free Less than 2 milligrams of cholesterol and 2 grams (or less) of saturated fat per serving.
Healthy The food must be low in fat and saturated fat and contain limited amounts of cholesterol and sodium.
Percent fat free The food must be low in fat or fat free. Plus, it must reflect the amount of fat present in a serving. In other words, if a food contains 5 grams of fat in a serving, it can be labeled “95 percent fat free.”
Low-calorie Fewer than 40 calories per serving

Many dieters find that portion control is real tricky. Manufacturers certainly don’t help in this regard. Some containers look as though they should contain one serving, because that’s probably how most people consume them. However, consider that

  • A 16-ounce container of iced tea is 2 servings.

  • A 6 1/2- to 7-ounce can of tuna is 2 1/2 servings.

  • A 4-, 6-, or 8-ounce container of yogurt is considered 1 serving.

  • A 20-ounce bottle of soda is 2 servings.

About This Article

This article is from the book: 

About the book author:

Jane Kirby, RD is a registered dietitian and member of the American Dietetic Association. She is the food and nutrition editor of Real Simple magazine and owner of The Vermont Cooking School, IncTMin Charlotte, Vermont. Jane is the former editor of Eating Well magazine and the food and nuitrition editor for Glamour. She served on the dietetics staff of the Massachusettes General Hospital in Boston, where she completed graduate work in nutrition. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Marymount College.

The American Dietetic Association is the world’s largest group of nutrition and health professionals. The ADA serves the public by promoting optimal nutrition, health, and well-being.