When we shop for products, many have nutrient claims that tend to be confusing. Here is a list of nutrient claims and what do they exactly mean.

Energy terms

• Low calorie: 40 calories or fewer per serving
• Calorie free: fewer than 5 calories per serving
• Reduced calorie:  at least 25% lower in calories than a “regular”, or reference, food
• Lite or light: one third fewer calories or 50%less fat as compared to the standard serving size
  

Sugar terms

• Sugar free: less than 0.5 grams sugar
• Reduced sugar or less sugar: at least 25% lesssugars as compared to the standard serving size
• No added sugar: no sugars added during processingor packing, including ingredients that contain sugars, such as juice or dry fruit.
  

Fiber

• High fiber: 5grams or more
• Good source of fiber: 2.5 to 4.9 grams
• More or added fiber: at least 2.5 grams more ascompared to the standard serving size
  

Fat and cholesterol terms

• Cholesterol free:less than 2mg of cholesterol and 2g less saturated fat and trans fat combined per serving
• Low cholesterol: 20 mg or less of cholesterol and2g or less saturated fat per serving
  Reduced or less cholesterol: at least 25% lesscholesterol and 2 grams of saturated fat
• Fat free: less than 0.5 g of fat per serving
• Low fat: 3 g or less per serving
• Reduced or less fat: at least 25% less fat
• Light: one third fewer calories or 50% less fat
• Reduced or less saturated fat: 25% or lesssaturated fat and trans fat combined than the comparison foods
• Low saturated fat: 1 g or less saturated fat andno more than 15% of calories from saturated fat
• Saturated fat free: less than 0.5 gram saturatedfat

Sodium

• Sodium free or salt free Less than 5 mg per serving
• Very low sodium35 mg or less of sodium per serving
• Low sodium140 mg or less of sodium per serving
• Low-sodium meal140 mg or less of sodium per 31/2 oz (100 g)
• Reduced or less sodium At least 25 percent less sodium than the regular version
• Light in sodium 50 percent less sodium than theregular version
• Unsalted or no saltadded No salt added to the product during processing (this is not asodium-free food)

Other claims

• High, rich in,excellent source of: 20% or more of Daily Value as compared to thestandard serving size
• Good source, contains, provides: 10-19% or more ofDaily Value as compared to the standard serving size
• More, enriched, fortified, added: 10% or more ofDaily Value as compared to the standard serving size
• Lean on meat, poultry, seafood, and game meats: less than 10 grams fat, 4.5 grams saturated fat, and 95 milligrams of cholesterol
• Extra lean on meat, poultry, seafood, and game meats: less than 5 grams fat, 2 grams saturated fat, and 95 milligrams of cholesterol
  

This is based on the

Institute of Medicine (US) Committee on Examination of Front-of-Package Nutrition Rating Systems and Symbols; Wartella EA, Lichtenstein AH, Boon CS, editors. Front-of-Package Nutrition Rating Systems and Symbols: Phase I Report. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 2010. Appendix B, FDA Regulatory Requirements for Nutrient Content Claims. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK209851/