Is one cookie really one serving? What is the Recommended Daily Allowance? Is the food I am eating really good for me? Here is some help reading the current food labels which still appear on packaging. A new set of stricter regulations will be enforced soon.
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Understanding food labels In the past, it was difficult to keep track of all we needed to know about nutrition. Food labels didn't always help: Is "lite" really light? What's considered "high fibre"? In the past, manufacturers were liberal in how they labelled their products - many times stretching their claims. Below are some common label descriptions and their requirements.
Terms and Definitions
Light: One-third fewer calories than in the regular product
Fresh: Raw; never frozen, processed, or preserved
Calorie free: less than 5 calories per serving
Sugar free: less than 0.5 g of sugar per serving
Sodium free: less than 5 mg of sodium per serving
Fat free: less than 0.5 g of fat per serving
Cholesterol free: less than 2 mg of cholesterol per serving
Saturated fat free: less than 2 g of saturated fat per serving
High: Provides more than 20 percent of the recommended daily consumption of the nutrient, as in "high fibre"
Lean: Cooked meat or poultry with less than 10.5 g of fat, of which less than 3.5 g is saturated fat, and with less than 94.5 mg of cholesterol per 100 g
Extra Lean: Cooked meat or poultry with less than 4.9 g of fat, of which less than 1.8 g is saturated fat, and with less than 94.5 mg of cholesterol per 100 g
Less: At least 25 percent less sodium, calories, fat, saturated fat, or cholesterol than in the regular product
Low: Per 100 g or 3.5 ounces:
Low sodium: less than 140 mg of sodium
Low calorie: less than 40 calories
Low fat: 3 g or less of fat
Low saturated fat: 1 g or less of saturated fat and not more than 15 percent of calories from saturated fat
Low cholesterol: 20 mg or less of cholesterol and 2 g or less of saturated fat
More: At least 10 percent more of the nutrient than in the regular product
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