Step by Step: Table 14 -- The Low-Down on Food Label Claims

Label Claim	Explanation

Saturated Fat
Saturated fat free*	In a serving: less than ½ gram saturated fat; levels of trans fatty acids must be 1 percent or less of total fat.
Low saturated fat**	In a serving: contains 1 gram or less saturated fat; 15 percent or less of calories from saturated fat. In a meal or main dish (like a frozen dinner): 1 gram or less saturated fat per 100 grams of food; less than 10 percent of calories from saturated fat.

Cholesterol
Cholesterol free*	In a serving: less than 2 milligrams (mg) cholesterol; saturated fat content must be 2 grams or less.
Low cholesterol**	In a serving: contains 20 mg or less cholesterol; saturated fat content must be 2 grams or less. In a meal or main dish (like a frozen dinner): 20 mg or less cholesterol per 100 grams of food; less than 2 grams of fat.

Fat
Fat free*	In a serving: less than ½ gram.
Low fat**	In a serving: 3 grams or less total fat. In a meal or main dish (like a frozen dinner): 3 grams or less total per 100 grams of food; less than 30 percent calories from fat.
Percent fat free	A food with this claim must also meet the "low fat" claim.

Calories
Calorie free*	In a serving: less than 5 calories.
Low calorie**	In a serving: 40 or less calories.

Sodium
Sodium free*	In a serving: 5 mg or less sodium.
Low sodium**	In a serving: 140mg or less sodium. In a meal or main dish (like a frozen dinner): 140mg or less sodium per 100 grams of food.
Very low sodium	In a serving: 35mg or less sodium.

"Light"
A product has been changed to have half the fat or one-third fewer calories than the regular product; or the sodium in a low calorie, low fat food has been cut by 50 percent; or a meal or main dish is low fat or low calorie. "Light" also may be used to describe things like the color or texture of a food, as long as the label explains this: for example, "light brown sugar" or "light and fluffy."

"Reduced" / "Less" / "Lower" / "Fewer"
A food (like a lower-fat hot dog or a lower-sodium cracker) has at least 25 percent less of something like calories, fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, or sodium than the regular food or a similar food to which it is compared.

"Lean" / "Extra Lean"
Terms used to describe the fat content of meat, poultry, fish, and shellfish:
Lean	In a serving and per 100 grams of food: less than 10 grams fat, 4.5 grams or less saturated fat, and less than 95 mg cholesterol.
Extra lean	In a serving and per 100 grams of food: less than 5 grams fat, 2 grams or less saturated fat, and less than 95 mg cholesterol.

* Words that mean the same thing as "free": "no," "zero," "without," "trivial source of," "negligible source of," and "dietary insignificant source of." ** Words that mean the same thing as "low": "contains a small amount of" and "low source of."