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Here are the main label claims used on food packages—
and what they mean:
Saturated
Fat —
*Saturated fat free: Less than 1/2 gram saturated
fat in a serving; levels of trans fatty acids must
be not more than 1 percent of total fat.
**Low saturated fat: 1 gram saturated fat or less
in a serving and 15 percent or less of calories
from saturated fat. For a meal or main dish (like
a frozen dinner): 1 gram saturated fat or less in
100 grams of food and less than 10 percent of calories
from saturated fat.
Cholesterol
—
*Cholesterol free: Less than 2 milligrams (mg) cholesterol
in a serving; saturated fat content must be 2 grams
or less in a serving.
**Low cholesterol: 20 mg cholesterol or less in
a serving; saturated fat content must be 2 grams
or less in a serving. For a meal or main dish: 20
mg cholesterol or less in 100 grams of food, with
saturated fat content less than 2 grams in 100 grams
of food.
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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 surgar" or "light
and fluffy."
Reduced/Less/Lower/Fewer - A food (like a lower
fat hot dog or 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 and Extra Lean - Two terms - "lean" and "extra
lean" - are used to describe the fat content of
meat, poultry, fish, and shellfish:
Lean - Less than 10 grams fat, 4.5 grams or less
of saturated fat, and less than 95 mg cholesterol
in a serving.
Extra Lean - Less than 5 grams fat, less than 2
grams saturated fat, and less than 95 mg cholesterol
in a serving.
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