Product manufacturers use many tools to make products more attractive to consumers. One method of encouraging the purchase of one product over another is to use a health or nutrition claim to show the edge the food item has over another. However, these claims are tightly regulated by the Food and Drug Administration to ensure truth in advertising.
Free
When a product is "fat-free" or "sugar-free," it means that there is less than half a gram of the ingredient in the food product. The terms "without," "no," "non" and "zero" can also be used to indicate that the food item has an insignificant amount of that component.
Lean
These terms are used with meat, poultry, and seafood products. Lean indicates that a product has less than 10 g of fat, 4.5 g or less of saturated fat, and less than 95 mg of cholesterol per serving. Extra lean meat products have less than 5 g of fat, less than 2 g of saturated fat, and less than 95 mg of cholesterol.
Low
When a food describes a nutrient as "low," it cannot exceed a pre-determined level per serving portion. Low-fat means that the product has 3 g or less fat per serving. Low-saturated fat has less than 1 g. Low sodium must not contain any more than 140 mg. Low cholesterol cannot have more than 20 mg of sodium, and must also have less than 2 g of saturated fat per serving, as saturated fat can raise blood cholesterol levels. Low calorie indicates that the food item has 40 calories or less per serving.
Reduced and Light
A food can list a nutrient as being "reduced," if the product has been altered from its original state to contain at least 25 percent less of that component. For example, reduced-fat peanut butter contains at least 25 percent less fat than its regular counterpart. When a product is called "Light" it must have at least one-third fewer calories or one-half the fat of its regular version.
High or Good Source
When a nutrient is listed as high, such as high in calcium or high in fiber, the serving size for the food must contain at least 20 percent of the daily value for that nutrient. When a food label lists "A Good Source" of a certain component, it contains between 10 and 19 percent of the daily value.
Confusing Labels
Some labels can use certain terms to entice the purchase of a food product that is not regulated by a government body. For example, the label can say that the product "contains omega-3 fatty acids", but the amount is left up to the consumer to research. It may mean 1 gram or 10 g. Products that never contained cholesterol, such as peanut butter or any plant product, can state "no cholesterol" on the label. It is truth in advertising, but misleading, as the product is not the only product to be free of cholesterol.
