What Does a Fat-Free Food Label Really Mean?
by
Nicole Niemiec
Have
you ever returned from buying what you thought was a “Light”
or “Fat-Free” product, only to find out it was loaded with
calories, sodium, and sometimes even fat? Statistics show that nearly
60% of Americans always try to check the nutrition label of a food to
determine the fat content. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has
created these labels to regulate how food companies should provide nutrition
information to help consumers make informed food choices. Sometimes, however,
these labels end up being more confusing than they were meant to be.
What Does "Light" Really Mean?
A
"light" food must be reduced in the given nutrient (such as fat, calories,
cholesterol, sodium, etc.) when compared to what the FDA calls a "reference
food". This is a representative value of a broad base of similar foods,
such as the average of the top 3 national or regional brands for the specified
food. For instance, regular potato chips would be the reference food for
a light potato chip. If the reference food used is already considered
"low" in the designated nutrient (for example, 3 grams of fat or less
per reference amount), then the "light" claim cannot be used.
According
to the FDA, if a food product is labeled as "light" with no other explanation
on the label, here is what you can know for sure:
1.
If reference the food derives more than 50% of calories from fat, then
the "light" product is reduced by fat by 50%; or
2.
If the reference food derives less than 50% of calories from fat, then
the "light" product is either reduced in calories by one-third or reduced
in fat by at least 50% when compared with the reference food; or
3.
For foods with modified sodium content, the "light" product must be reduced
in sodium by at least 50%.
Sound
confusing? It is to most consumers. A "light" product can still be very
high in either calories, fat, cholesterol, or sodium (or all four!) because
it is being compared to other foods which have large values in these areas.
Wait, there is more…
"Light"
also may be used to describe certain physical attributes of a food, such
as texture or color which have no reference to calories, fat, or sodium.
However, if light is used in this manner at all, then the food label must
state that the "light" refers to the particular attribute (such as "light
in color" or "light in texture"). Be careful then about reading "light"
labels and do not assume it always refers to nutrients!
"Light"
is not the only word that can appear on a food label. According to the
FDA, the terms "reduced" and "fewer" can also be used as long as the product
contains at least a 25% reduction in calories, fat, or sodium when compared
to the reference food.
It
seems as though the FDA is allowing food companies to be quite liberal
in their use of the word "free". Fat-free, calorie-free, and cholesterol-free
do not mean zero. Instead, they mean a number close to zero.
The
moral of the story is to make sure you read all labels carefully and eat
a well-balanced diet which includes plenty of fruits and vegetables which
don't need food labels at all!
Nicole
Niemiec is founder of http://www.healthy-insights.com
, a site containing reliable health information for improving your quality
of life.
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What Does a Fat-Free Food Label Really Mean?
Weight Loss and Fitness Information
Other
labels as defined by the FDA:
Fat-Free: Less than 0.5 grams of total fat for a given reference amount
(notice that 0.5 is not 0!) Calorie-Free: Less than 5 calories for a given
reference amount
Cholesterol-Free: Less than 2 milligrams of cholesterol for a given
reference amount and 2 grams or less of saturated fat for a given reference
amount
Saturated Fat-Free: Less than 0.5 grams of saturated fat for a given
reference amount and no more than 0.5 grams of trans fatty acids
Low-Fat: 3 grams or less of total fat for a given reference amount Low-Calorie:
No more than 40 calories for a given reference amount (except sugar substitutes)
Low-Cholesterol: 20 milligrams or less cholesterol and 2 grams or
less of saturated fat for a given reference amount
Low-Saturated Fat: 1 gram or less of saturated fat for a given reference
amount and no more than 15% of calories from saturated fat
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